SEC Poised to Make NCAA Tournament History with Record Bids
Hey there, basketball fans! If you’re following the buzz around college hoops, you know there’s something special brewing in the SEC this season. The Southeastern Conference is on the brink of making history in college basketball, and it’s got everyone talking. The league is set to break the record for the most NCAA tournament bids by a conference, a record currently held by the Big East with 11 bids back in 2011. So, the big question on everyone’s mind as we approach Selection Sunday is: Just how many more bids will the SEC snag this year?
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey is feeling pretty confident about the league’s performance this season. In fact, he told ESPN on Friday night that having as many as 14 teams in the tournament would be “justified.” That’s right, folks, 14 teams! Sankey described the SEC as a “unicorn league” right now, and he’s not shy about saying that the conference stands alone historically. “We’re not going to change our name, but we stand alone historically. And I think that’ll be rewarded,” Sankey said.
Now, let’s talk about the team that could be the SEC’s 14th entry into the tournament: the Texas Longhorns. According to Joe Lundardi’s latest Bracketology, Texas is projected as the final team in the NCAA tournament. They had a chance to solidify their spot against No. 8 Tennessee on Friday, but unfortunately, they fell short with an 83-72 loss. Despite the setback, Vols coach Rick Barnes is a believer, saying there’s “no doubt” that Texas, with a 19-15 record, deserves a spot in the NCAA tournament. “I think we should have 14 teams in the NCAA tournament,” Barnes said.
So, what makes the SEC’s case for 14 NCAA bids so strong? Well, it all starts with their non-conference schedule, which is statistically one of the best in the history of the sport. The SEC boasts a 30-4 record against the ACC, a 14-2 record against the Big 12, and a 10-9 record against the Big Ten. Their overall winning percentage in non-conference play was an impressive .889, which has helped bubble teams like Texas rack up seven Quad 1 wins.
Sankey didn’t hold back when discussing the SEC’s dominance. He pointed out that some teams, like North Carolina, have a nice NET ranking but only one Quad 1 win. In contrast, LSU, which finished 15th in the SEC with just three league wins, has two Quad 1 wins. “We went 30-4 against the ACC. Put their high-end teams in our league, and they’re in a very different place. You do that with the Big 12, they’re in a very different place,” Sankey said.
One of the standout moments of the SEC season was on March 1, when the conference had three top-20 games in one day. It was a historic first for college basketball, featuring matchups like No. 1 Auburn at No. 17 Kentucky, No. 12 Texas A&M at No. 3 Florida, and No. 6 Alabama at No. 5 Tennessee. “That’s the unicorn we’ve created this year,” Sankey said. “And I hope our coaches are proud. I hope our athletics directors are proud.”
- The SEC’s non-conference record: 30-4 against the ACC, 14-2 against the Big 12, 10-9 against the Big Ten.
- Overall non-conference winning percentage: .889.
- Potential 14th team: Texas Longhorns.
- Historic March 1 matchups: Three top-20 games in one day.
Looking back, the SEC’s journey to this point has been remarkable. From 2012-13 through 2015-16, the league had just three NCAA bids in three of those seasons, totaling 14 bids in that four-year span. Fast forward to today, and the SEC has grown from 14 to 16 schools, with a basketball turnaround that’s nothing short of impressive.
Sankey is determined to keep the momentum going. He told his staff in January that any conversations about the number of league schools in the tournament should start at 14. “We should never talk about less than 14,” Sankey said. “Literally, we said every expectation we communicate has at least 14, and maybe more, depending on how the season plays out. And I think that was fully justified then. And I think it continues to be justified now.”
For Sankey, this journey is personal. He reminisced about his days coaching high school basketball at Auburn High School in upstate New York and attending coaching clinics. He recalled the excitement of attending the NCAA tournament and how it felt like a dream come true. “How cool would that be,” Sankey recalled thinking then. “So I’m really proud for everybody here and what they’ve accomplished,” he said, “but there’s that personal awe in what it is you’re involved with.”
Originally Written by: Pete Thamel
