With just days left until Selection Sunday and March Madness, it’s crunch time in conference tournaments around the country.

In the SEC, it’s all about Florida and whether the Gators can run it back with another national title. The Gators struggled to start the season and then even fell out of the national rankings completely by early January. But now, this team feels like a completely different story. The Gators ended the season on an 11-game win streak and their first regular-season SEC title since 2014.

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Which other teams could contend in Nashville? Follow along below for scores, highlights, bracketology and more (scroll for live updates).

SEC men’s basketball tournament

When: March 11-15
Where: Bridgestone Arena | Nashville, Tennessee
TV: ESPN, SEC Network
SEC tournament bracket, scores

SEC schedule, results (all times ET)

Thursday, March 12 — Second Round

Game 5 | Kentucky 78, Missouri 72
Game 6 | Tennessee 72, Auburn 62
Game 7 | Ole Miss 76, Georgia 72
Game 8 | Oklahoma 83, Texas A&M 63

Friday, March 13 — Quarterfinals

Game 9 | No. 9 Kentucky vs. No. 1 Florida | 1 p.m. | ESPN
Game 10 | No. 5 Tennessee vs. No. 4 Vanderbilt | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN
Game 11 | No. 15 Ole Miss vs. No. 2 Alabama | 7 p.m. | SEC Network
Game 12 | No. 11 Oklahoma vs. No. 3 Arkansas | 9:30 p.m. | SEC Network

Republicans gave first approval to a bill opposed by law enforcement that would allow people as young as 18 to carry loaded shotguns and rifles in public parks and greenways.

Republicans gave first approval to a bill — opposed by law enforcement — that would allow people as young as 18 to carry loaded shotguns and rifles in public parks and on greenways.

House Bill 2064, as amended, would allow adults legally allowed to own firearms to carry loaded rifles, shotguns and repeating rifles into state and local parks, greenways and other recreational properties — even if there are children present.

Multiple law enforcement groups, including the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Tennessee Sheriffs’ Association, have spoken out against the bill. 

Republicans on the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee approved it in a party-line vote of 7 to 2. Companion legislation has not yet moved in the Senate. 

Speaking on behalf of TBI, Rachel Russell said the agency has “concerns related to public safety” on the bill.

“Open carry of loaded long guns … creates a dangerous situation for the communities across our state,” Russell said, saying lifting current restrictions could create safety issues for people carrying the guns, those around them and responding law enforcement.

“Our perspective on this is public safety,” said Jimmy Musice, speaking on behalf of the Sheriffs’ Association. 

Musice asked the committee to not allow long guns to be carried during public assemblies and protests. 

“Tempers are up, there’s a lot of hostility there,” he said, adding that “potential bad actors” could take advantage of the new flexibility created by the bill. 

C. Richard Archie, president of the Tennessee Firearms Association, asked members to support the bill, saying it “corrects several inconsistencies in what should be our rights.”

Carol Buckley Fraiser, with the Tennessee Chapter of Moms Demand Action, called the measure “a dangerous rollback of sensible gun safety laws that work to keep Tennessee children safe.”

Bill sponsor Rep. Chris Todd, R-Madison County, argued that it’s not the legislature’s job to keep people safe.

“It’s been mentioned that our obligation is to keep people safe. Unfortunately, that is not what the Constitution says,” Todd said. “It is to protect people’s liberties, their freedoms and their liberties — especially their civil rights.” 

Todd called the matter of carrying loaded long guns in public areas “a civil right that has been infringed upon … over and over and over again.”

Rep. Jason Powell, D-Nashville, responded that, “I think, unfortunately, this situation is going to cost more Tennesseans their life.” 

The House bill is scheduled to be heard in the Judiciary Committee next week. 

Vivian Jones covers state government and politics for The Tennessean. Reach her at vjones@tennessean.com.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — With heavy rain expected tonight, some Nashville residents are raising concerns about large debris piles still sitting in neighborhoods across Metro Nashville — and whether those piles could make flooding worse.

Piles of trees, branches, and other woody material left after cleanup efforts can become a problem if heavy rain washes them into nearby storm drains, culverts, or creeks. Metro Water Services says those blockages can quickly lead to flooding and even damage critical infrastructure like bridges and drainage systems.

To get ahead of the storm, crews ran what officials call “rain routes” earlier this week — checking and clearing storm drains in areas that have historically had flooding problems or where debris could create an issue. Metro Water Services also responds to reports of trees or debris blocking bridges or culverts, which can restrict water flow during storms.

Nashville Department of Transportation crews have been working 12-hour shifts every day since early February, actively monitoring conditions to stay ahead of potential issues.

With heavy rain possible tonight, the city says crews will be on call overnight to respond to any reports of isolated or flash flooding.

City leaders are reminding residents that how debris is placed can make a difference. Vegetation debris should be placed at the curb — or in the alley if that is where pickup normally happens — but should never block storm drains, drainage ditches, culverts, sidewalks, or roadways. Officials also stress that yard debris should never be placed directly in a ditch, because that can quickly block water flow when storms move through.

If you see flooding on a roadway, you are asked to report it to Metro’s non-emergency line.

Officials also encourage residents to understand their property’s flood risk and stay aware of changing conditions during storms. For information on flood risk in your area, visit Nashville.gov.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.