SEC Football Dominance Is Hurting NCAA Basketball Chances

In recent years the SEC has overwhelmingly won the National Championship in football. This is great for the young men of the conference that have dominated the country over the past several years. Unfortunately, the basketball players in the SEC are the victims of the extreme jealousy of the sports writers and basketball coaches from outside the conference.

The low rankings they received during the regular season has resulted in the elimination of 2-3 SEC teams that deserve to be in the tournament. I submit the low rankings are a strategy to keep the SEC from similarly dominating basketball as they have in football.

It has been stated all season long the SEC is having a down year. Whether it is true or not, it is stated every year. You have all heard it before, “Top to bottom the ACC, Big Ten, or Big East (aka The Big 3) are stronger than any other conferences.

I have to admit, I never hear the Pac-10 included in this statement, but, of course UCLA has only dominated the game for decades. Indeed, the jealousy does include UCLA for basketball. The other conferences are scrambling in fear the SEC will permanently take over in basketball like it has in football.

Let's look at recent history:

NCAA winner in 2006 & 2007, Florida. The 2008 winner was Kansas.

Conferences in Final Four :

2008 - Big 12, Conference USA, ACC, SEC

2007 - SEC, Big 10, PAC 10, Big East

2006 - SEC (2), PAC 10, Colonial

So, we have the SEC in the Final every year (3) and winning twice and the Pac-10 (UCLA) twice. Conference USA, Colonial, Big Ten, ACC, and Big East each managed to get one team in each over the three-year period.

I submit the SEC quality of teams and play did not drop so dramatically over night to only have three teams in the tournament. Nor did the ACC, Big East, and Big Ten play improve so dramatically that it can be said they are best leagues in the country.

Let's face it, the Big 3 recent tournament results indicate their regular season record and tournament seedings do not live up to their tournament results. On the other hand, the SEC tournament results in recent years outperform their regular season record and tournament seedings.

To only have three teams from the SEC is not only just an insult but it reduces their chances of winning games. This will further the myth of non-SEC dominant conferences.

Finally, the good news. Due to the low seedings received this year by the SEC teams LSU (8), Tennessee (9), and Mississippi State (13), the conference will get to prove their worth early.

All three teams will play the No. 1 seed in their bracket in their second tournament game. By beating the No. 1 seed so early they will in fact become the top seed in their respective brackets.

Thankfully, in basketball, the final rankings are decided on the court by the players.