This is an opinion column.

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It looked like a Final Four on the Saturday bracket.

It felt like a Final Four on the court.

And then Auburn and Alabama played some of the worst basketball we’ve seen all season. Good thing it was just the semifinals of the SEC tournament and not the Big Dance.

What to glean from Tennessee 70, Auburn 65 and Florida 104, Alabama 82?

Besides the Gators being unstoppable?

Well, for one, Auburn coach Bruce Pearl was a little more reserved than on Friday, but not by much.

On Friday, after pile driving Ole Miss, Pearl screamed on ESPN that his guards weren’t [rhymes with wussies].

Oof.

Then came Saturday, and, well, hate to say it, but those same guards weren’t even tough enough to take a pounding from Tennessee.

Still, Pearl was a little prickly after the game.

“Tennessee is a great team,” Pearl said. “They play the right way. They’re worthy of defeating us.

“We have to do a better job defensively. The last time we played them, they scored 51 points. Tonight they scored 70.”

Worthy of defeating Auburn?

Auburn has suddenly lost three of its last four games. Is Auburn still worthy of a No.1 seed after everything we’ve seen?

Presumably, yes, but the Tigers look vulnerable and maybe a little tired, too.

Chad Baker-Mazara had a heating wrap around his lower back before the start of the second half and then he dragged himself around the court the best he could. Dylan Cardwell checked himself out of the game due to soreness and cramping. Johni Broome was limping before the game and still managed to score 23 points.

“These three losses that we’ve had, we gave these games away,” Cardwell said. “No one beat us, we beat ourselves.

“Having a sense of urgency moving forward into the Tournament, knowing the next time, God forbid, we lose a game, we’re going home. There’s no more team meal, there’s no more film, there’s no more being a team.

“Having that sense of urgency to continue the season, prolong the season, so we can spend more time as a family, as a unit. These are my brothers. I want to play until April 7 so I can have more time with my friends. Most importantly, make history. But just the greatest team I’ve ever been on. I don’t want these guys to take it for granted. Boxing out, making free throws, layups, if that’s what it’s going to take to prolong our season, just buy in and have a heightened sense of urgency.”

Wise words from Auburn’s all-time leader in career victories. Something tells me the Tigers will be ready for the Big Dance despite everything we saw against the Volunteers. The semifinal showdown against Tennessee came down to focus and determination, and Auburn didn’t have either. The Tigers uncharacteristically missed 10 free-throw attempts and were out-rebounded 35-27.

For some, Saturday was the most anticipated day in SEC college basketball history. For Auburn, the signature intensity wasn’t there for 40 minutes. Were they holding back?

“It’s not about schemes this time of year,” Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said. “It’s about toughness and grit.”

Maybe this is the year Barnes finally pulls Tennessee into the Final Four. The Vols are back in the SEC championship game for the first time since 2022 while Auburn and Alabama are back home for Selection Sunday. After facing a bracket like this, the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament should feel like a foot massage for the teams from the Southeastern Conference.

It’s Florida vs. Tennessee in the SEC tournament championship game and then comes the NCAA selection show. The league could put as many as 14 teams in the NCAA Tournament, which would shatter the old record of 11 set by the Big East.

And if the NCAA Tournament selection committee has a sense of humor, then they’ll send Alabama, Auburn …. and coach John Calipari’s Arkansas to Lexington, Ky., for the first two rounds.

Alabama made its statement here on Friday against Kentucky by knocking off the ‘Cats 99-70. Plenty of people will be down on Alabama going into the NCAA Tournament, but not me. The Tide couldn’t run with Florida on Saturday in the second half here at Bridgestone Arena, and coach Nate Oats will use that as motivation, but consider the circumstances.

Alabama played the late game against Kentucky on Friday night and then had to turn around and play red-hot Florida about 14 hours later. Oats doesn’t want to hear any excuses, but the SEC did Alabama no favors with that schedule, and especially after the Tide finished the regular season against seven ranked opponents in a row.

“I think we’re close to being an elite team that can make another Final Four run,” Oats said. “I think the lesson learned last year is we’re not going to get anywhere being 110th, 112th ranked defense in the country. We’re going to have to determine we’re actually going to guard somebody.

“We did for four straight games in the NCAA tournament. We played really good defense. We got everybody to buy into playing hard on the defensive end. Our defense was good enough to make a four-game run.”

Oats has a better team at this moment than he had after losing to Florida in the 2024 SEC tournament. Auburn has its best team ever. The SEC tournament was fun but ultimately it all means more than nothing. Alabama and Auburn are ready to dance.

It’s time to make history and settle bragging rights for the state of Alabama in the Final Four.

BE HEARD

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Joseph Goodman is the lead sports columnist for the Alabama Media Group, and author of the book “We Want Bama: A Season of Hope and the Making of Nick Saban’s Ultimate Team.”