The Sorry SEC.......

[Pig in the Pokey]

We played North Carolina 3 times in the tournament in the 90s, too.  1990 Sweet Sixteen, 1993 probably the Sweet Sixteen (not 100%, they knocked us out, though--Corliss's freshman year), and 1995 Final FOur.

yeah. they won the title in 93 after they beat us.

[hawgwash]

I thought Ole Miss deserved a bid.

It will be little noted nor long remembered, but Ole Miss just beat Syracuse in the NIT, at Syracuse.  Here's what our friend Dick Vitale had to say about Syracuse getting left out of the NCAA.

"My eyes, I got one eye and I can see that they belong," Vitale said. 

"I cannot understand how you can go 10-8 in the ACC, the toughest conference of all, beat three that were rated in the Top 10 in America and be left out," Vitale said on ESPN's 'Bracketology' show. "We're going to throw out what happened early in the year. They made an adjustment to their lineup. Yes, I know they got blown out by St. John's. I know they got beat by Boston College. I know they lost to Georgetown. Three teams that struggled all year. But let me tell you, you beat three teams from that conference that were in the Top 10 at one time, come on now, they belong.

[rtr]

It will be little noted nor long remembered, but Ole Miss just beat Syracuse in the NIT, at Syracuse.  Here's what our friend Dick Vitale had to say about Syracuse getting left out of the NCAA.

"My eyes, I got one eye and I can see that they belong," Vitale said. 

"I cannot understand how you can go 10-8 in the ACC, the toughest conference of all, beat three that were rated in the Top 10 in America and be left out," Vitale said on ESPN's 'Bracketology' show. "We're going to throw out what happened early in the year. They made an adjustment to their lineup. Yes, I know they got blown out by St. John's. I know they got beat by Boston College. I know they lost to Georgetown. Three teams that struggled all year. But let me tell you, you beat three teams from that conference that were in the Top 10 at one time, come on now, they belong.

This, and I thought they were more deserving than Vanderbilt.  Of course, I thought the league should have received 6 bids.

[hog.goblin]

Don't look at the NIT bracket.

2 - 2 with a win over a number 1 seed?

[niels_boar]

UVa and Duke lost at Syracuse.  Ole Miss is a good basketball team that was NCAAT quality.  There was nothing wrong with the depth of the SEC this season.  UGa  was right there with a healthy Maten.  Bama and UT were good enough to beat good teams on any given night.

[KevinOMReb]

UVa and Duke lost at Syracuse.  Ole Miss is a good basketball team that was NCAAT quality.  There was nothing wrong with the depth of the SEC this season.  UGa  was right there with a healthy Maten.  Bama and UT were good enough to beat good teams on any given night.

Thanks for the comments.  Great game today.  Now go thrash Carolina!!

[bphi11ips]

The SEC is definitely on the rise, I think. But it is still a mediocre conference.

I think the OP is addressing the group here who buys into "the SEC is a crap conference" mantra.  These are the same people who tout the mid-majors as being superior.

How do you define "mediocre".  28 of the 32 teams left are from P5 conferences plus the Big East. A case could be made for the proposition that the SEC is currently the weakest of the P5 conferences.  So if P5 conferences are the comparators, then the SEC might be "crap".  On the other hand, the SEC is probably superior to every conference other than the P5/Big East, and it's time the myth that the SEC is a "crap conference" be put to bed

[Atlhogfan1]

SEC was better this season as the bottom wasn't as deep with bad teams. Mediocrity went deeper.  More competitive teams. 

[verticalhog]

Don't look at the NIT bracket.

Ole Miss just beat # 1 seed and ACC darling Syracuse, so there's that.

[Boss Hog in the Arkansas]

Didnt bama make the NIT? I know UGA did, but they lost in the first round

[HossHog]

4 teams in the Top 32.
Currently fifth in terms of teams remaining by conference.

That is the basis of a claim that a conference is back?

Put four in the Sweet 16 and we'll talk.

No one is claiming that the SEC is the best, but if you had listened to the talking heads without watching any SEC basketball they made it sound like there's no one worth a NCAA bid besides Kentucky. If you can not see the progress of the SEC as a whole has made from last year to this year then you are completely blind.

[ShadowHawg]

4 teams in the Top 32.
Currently fifth in terms of teams remaining by conference.

That is the basis of a claim that a conference is back?

Put four in the Sweet 16 and we'll talk.

Face palm.

Do some of you peeps not know that conference affiliation has changed since the 90's?

Today's conferences are built around specific sports. Acc emphasis on basketball.  Big East is a mid major all star conference for basketball. The SEC is a football all star conference. It will never be as deep as the Acc because of that fact.

But it is as good as it has been in decades. We have 4 teams that are legitimately good teams, two of which are legit final 4 threats.

Only the agenda driven  can't accept that.

[RyeHogFan]

Considering many dumbasses on here insisted it would be a 3 bid league at most and pushed the "narrative" that there were no quality wins in the league other than Kentucky or Florida, I'll take 4-1 in the first round. The mighty Big East is 3-4. The ACC has had 3 teams exit, the A 10 is 1-2, the Big 12 has had 2 teams exit. So yes to hear most on Hogville tell it, we don't play tournament worthy teams in the SEC, and we are a terrible basketball conference. Sometimes I question myself for coming on here and reading this crap.

Is the league packed with top 4 seeds, no. But it was easy to see that the middle of the league was much better than it has been in years. There are 32 teams left standing and 4 are SEC teams.

Teams remaining by conference.

ACC    6
PAC    5
12      5
10      5
SEC    4
East   3
A 10   1

I'm drawing a major blank on the 5th PAC 12 team in the round of 32. I've got Arizona, Oregon, UCLA, and USC. Who am I missing?

[PonderinHog]

I'm drawing a major blank on the 5th PAC 12 team in the round of 32. I've got Arizona, Oregon, UCLA, and USC. Who am I missing?

There isn't, unless I'm having the same problem.

[verticalhog]

Two more ACC bite the dust (Notre Dame and Florida State).  Both are one-sided games.  No doubt the ACC is a strong conference but I think they get TOO much credit and too many teams in the tourney.

[verticalhog]

There isn't, unless I'm having the same problem.

You're not missing any teams.  The reason the PAC 12 was 5-0 was that USC had to win one of the "First Four" games to get into the field of 64.

[HiggiePiggy]

I honestly don't care how good or bad the conference is as long as we are one of the teams from the sec getting into the NCAA tournament. 

[PonderinHog]

You're not missing any teams.  The reason the PAC 12 was 5-0 was that USC had to win one of the "First Four" games to get into the field of 64.

Yeah, but the list says number of teams remaining by conference and then show PAC with five teams.

[verticalhog]

Yeah, but the list says number of teams remaining by conference and then show PAC with five teams.

The list is incorrect.  The PAC 12 only got 4 teams in.

[rtr]

Two ACC teams have lost today.  Notre Dame and Florida State.  Ole Miss beat Syracuse in the NIT.

[fieldturf]

did bama not get in the NIT?

[Hawg Red]

Florida dismantling UVA is pretty impressive. Florida might be a sneaking Final 4 team with Nova going out.

[Dr. Starcs]

Bama got beat on their home court by Richmond I believe.

[rtr]

 

Florida dismantling UVA is pretty impressive. Florida might be a sneaking Final 4 team with Nova going out.

Actually, should give us hope tomorrow.

[RaisinHog]

Two more ACC bite the dust (Notre Dame and Florida State).  Both are one-sided games.  No doubt the ACC is a strong conference but I think they get TOO much credit and too many teams in the tourney.

It appears you can add Virginia to that list Florida is just beating the piss out of them

[Danny J]

Two more ACC bite the dust (Notre Dame and Florida State).  Both are one-sided games.  No doubt the ACC is a strong conference but I think they get TOO much credit and too many teams in the tourney.

And the Gators are embarrassing the Cavs...

[Bogghawg]

ACC SUCKS!  Notre Dame - Gone   Florida State - Gone    Virginia - Going fast.
And tomorrow Arkansas and South Carolina take out UNC and Duke! 
(Hyperbole and wishful thinking intended)

[hawgdavis]

Don't forget Miami

[Danny J]

Cavs may not score 40...I don't mean to make fun of them as I do believe in karma and we may get ours tomorrow from an ACC team but 36 points with 2 minutes to go?

[hawgdavis]

I also don't think the big east was all that good either

[verticalhog]

ACC closes the night with a 6 - 6 record and only 3 of the 9 teams that got in still alive.  Not a good showing.  Now, if those 3 all make it to the Final 4, it's a different story!  So, I'll say Go Michigan, beat Louisville, Go Gamecocks, beat the hell out of Duke, and Go Hogs, beat the Heels!  Likelihood of all 3 happening something close to zero but IF it did, that would be the story of the decade in college hoops.  9 teams in and not one to the Sweet 16!

[hawgwash]

4 teams in the Top 32.
Currently fifth in terms of teams remaining by conference.

That is the basis of a claim that a conference is back?

Put four in the Sweet 16 and we'll talk.

By my math 8 of the Sweet 16 are determined.  None are from the ACC.  At most they will have 3 teams in the Sweet Sixteen.  Do does that mean the ACC is a weak basketball conference?

EDIT:  Sorry, just realized verticalhog did the same math.

[niels_boar]

There were people like Seth Davis picking ETSU over UF.  A lot of pundits took UK and UF not just rolling through the SEC unscathed as proof that UF and UK were particularly vulnerable.  Seton Hall was the overwhelming pick to beat Arkansas even though all analytics pointed towards a tossup.  Ole Miss winning at Syracuse, USC destroying Marquette, and UF humiliating UVA certainly confirms that the SEC is as competitive as most conferences. If UK makes the EE, the SEC will have played to its seeding.  You must have your head in the sand or somewhere else to believe the SEC was particularly weak this season at this point.  The Big 10 was also underrated.  The ACC and Big East were overrated.  There is much more parity than was assumed before the tournament.

[Atlhogfan1]

The SECs problem hasn't been the top.  It has been depth. Depth still isn't good but was better this season. 

[Cinco de Hogo]

By my math 8 of the Sweet 16 are determined.  None are from the ACC.  At most they will have 3 teams in the Sweet Sixteen.  Do does that mean the ACC is a weak basketball conference?

EDIT:  Sorry, just realized verticalhog did the same math.

I think there is maybe a couple elite capable teams and that's about it.  All the rest could lose at any time.  However I'm only comparing THIS tourney and not past tourney's, if you did that it's not a great field by any means.  Now saying that I think I have seen more really good players spread across all the teams than I have in the past.  Maybe not a name player that really stands out but a lot of good ones none the less

[Dr. Starcs]

It's the same ole same ole every year.

Acc about to lose 2 seed Louisville. But next year, they'll get at least 8 teams in the tourney, most likely more.

[verticalhog]

Yes, Louisville gone to a 7 seed and now the MOST the ACC could have in the Sweet 16 is two.  Can you say over-rated?

[Hawg Red]

It's the same ole same ole every year.

Acc about to lose 2 seed Louisville. But next year, they'll get at least 8 teams in the tourney, most likely more.

Only one team wins the tournament. What do you say if UNC and Duke square off in the final?

The ACC is a deep conference. That does not mean every one of its tournament teams should be in the Sweet 16. If we employ the logic being used to rate conferences just by using NCAA tournament success, the Pac-12 is the best conference because they haven't lost a game. Does anyone really believe it's the best conference?

[Dr. Starcs]

If Unc and Duke square off in the finals it will be because they were set up with favorable seeds in favorable locations and most likely benefit from favorable officiating.

[Hawg Red]

If Unc and Duke square off in the finals it will be because they were set up with favorable seeds in favorable locations and most likely benefit from favorable officiating.

Jesus...

[Dr. Starcs]

Yes. I forgot about Jesus.

[HiggiePiggy]

It's the same ole same ole every year.

Acc about to lose 2 seed Louisville. But next year, they'll get at least 8 teams in the tourney, most likely more.

So similar to the sec in football? 

[Dr. Starcs]

Except the acc nearly got as many in bowl games as the sec did.

[verticalhog]

Only one team wins the tournament. What do you say if UNC and Duke square off in the final?

The ACC is a deep conference. That does not mean every one of its tournament teams should be in the Sweet 16. If we employ the logic being used to rate conferences just by using NCAA tournament success, the Pac-12 is the best conference because they haven't lost a game. Does anyone really believe it's the best conference?

Only one team wins the tournament. What do you say if UNC and Duke square off in the final?

The ACC is a deep conference. That does not mean every one of its tournament teams should be in the Sweet 16. If we employ the logic being used to rate conferences just by using NCAA tournament success, the Pac-12 is the best conference because they haven't lost a game. Does anyone really believe it's the best conference?

Nobody's arguing that the top of the ACC isn't good.  The point is that they shouldn't have NINE teams in the tourney.  6 at most.

[Inhogswetrust]

I thought Ole Miss deserved a bid.

You thought wrong. They did nothing to earn it.

[twistitup]

Survive and advance. Higher seeds have already lost in this tournament.

The selection shows I watched picked Fla, SC, Vanderbilt, and us to all lose in the first round. That was just on CBS.

Not only did they win, the SEC teams had some of the largest scoring margins in the tournament.

The narrative all season has been that SEC was awful. 5 teams in and 4 first round wins DOES soundly dispute that.

No one is saying that the SEC is dominant yet, but it's far from a cake walk.

What ever happened to a good cake walk?

[verticalhog]

Well, at least the SEC will have as many, possibly a lot more, teams in the Sweet 16 as the ACC.

[ErieHog]

The SEC will have a winning record in the tournament, regardless of any future game outcomes.

[Dr. Starcs]

8 seed from sec nearly beats 1 seed from acc.
7 seed sc has 2 seed duke on the ropes.

[Hawg Red]

NOW the SEC has proved itself in the 2nd round. There should be 4 SEC teams in the Sweet 16. SC and Arkansas really stepped up today.