SEC: As Weak in Basketball as It Is Strong in Football

Though the conference tournaments haven't yet begun, it's time for the die-hards and crazies to start thinking about brackets...after all, we're reminded daily that "there are only 14 shopping days left before 'Selection Sunday.'"

But, while thinking about the upcoming NCAA tournament, one thing that stands out is just how weak the SEC is this year.  They have to get at least one bid, (every conference is allowed to send their winner), but are any of their 12 teams really worthy of an invite.

LSU, the only SEC team to be ranked (18th), is leading the standings and is 24-4 on the season.  They've got a nice run going and have won 13 of their last 14 games, but of their four losses, three are out of conference—Xavier, Texas A & M, and Utah.

South Carolina, second in the league, has won 20 games, while losing six.  They've won 11 of their last 15 but lost to the toughest team on their schedule—Clemson—and have also lost to "THE COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON".

Florida, 21-7, has won 15 of their last 20 and appears to be picking up momentum, but the Gators lost to Syracuse and FSU—the strongest teams they played this year.  Maybe, they can suit up Tim Tebow for the stretch run?

What about Tennessee? Bruce Pearl's team is 17-10 but has only won four of their last nine games and has struggled all year, away from home—winning just five of their 10 road games.

Though the Volunteers haven't done much lately, they may have the best resume of any team in the SEC and if they get things straightened out, they have the best chance of going the furthest in the tournament—if they qualify.

Tennessee may have turned in the best body of work so far because they played five quality teams out of conference and have beaten three—Marquette, Georgetown, and Sienna. Sienna! That's right! 

If Sienna played in the SEC this year, they'd have a real chance of finishing in the upper half of the league.

Finally, the only other team with a shot at getting into the NCAA tournament—the Kentucky Wildcats. 

Unless they go to the finals of the SEC tournament, their chances of getting into the NCAA's are not good.  They are 19-9 but have too many out of conference loses.

Kentucky has lost to North Carolina, Miami, Louisville, and "VMI."  They have beaten West Virginia and Kansas and are a great foul-shooting team (77 percent), but they've shown way too much inconsistency this year to be considered a threat.

Spring football practice starts in a couple of weeks!