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As the NCAA Tournament bracket was unveiled Sunday evening, SEC officials undoubtedly looked on with joy. The SEC saw eight teams from its conference make the Big Dance, with four earning top-four seeds.
Historic Conference Performance
The SEC tied the Big 12 for the most bids in the NCAA Tournament, each boasting eight teams in the field of 68. This is tied for the third-most bids from a conference of all-time. A conference has only sent more than eight teams to the tournament four times.
https://twitter.com/MarchMadnessMBB/status/1769504096619254087
Having more teams in the tournament doesn’t necessarily ensure postseason success, though. The SEC didn’t see any of its seven bids advance beyond the Sweet 16 last year, with Alabama, Tennessee and Arkansas all losing by 7+ in the round of 16.
Top-Heavy Seeding
Within the SEC’s eight bids this year, four teams were ranked among the top 16 teams in the NCAA Tournament selection committee’s eyes. Tennessee led the way, earning a two-seed, while Kentucky got a three, and Auburn and Alabama got fours.
Tennessee is DANCING!#MarchMadness @Vol_Hoops pic.twitter.com/iXtHgEMhTn
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 17, 2024
The SEC has had 17 teams receive top-four seeds in the NCAA tournament since 2016. None have made it to the Final Four. The last SEC team to make the National Championship was eight-seed Kentucky in 2014. The four top-four seeds from the conference this year hope to break this streak, with each having compelling reasons as to why they can.
Tennessee and Auburn each are in the top four in adjusted defensive efficiency according to KenPom and feature strong scorers in Dalton Knecht and Johni Broome, respectively. Alabama and Kentucky are nearly the exact opposite. Both teams have offenses that rate in the top five in adjusted efficiency; however, their defenses aren’t within the top 100. Moreover, each team will need to lean into its strength to make a deep run.
Alabama basketball finished the regular season with the No. 1 scoring offense in the NCAA at 90.8 ppg.
Kentucky and Arizona tied for 2nd at 89.5— Chase Goodbread (@ChaseGoodbread) March 10, 2024
The SEC hopes that some combination of these four, each in different regions of the bracket, can help it break through with a deep NCAA tournament run.
Surprising Lower Seeds
Prior to conference championship week, the SEC only had six teams that were in most bracket predictions. After unexpected upsets during the conference tournament, that quickly changed.
Both Texas A&M and Mississippi State were considered bubble teams entering their first conference tournament games. Each pulled off impressive upsets to advance to the conference semifinals.
After beating LSU in the second round, Mississippi State throttled fifth-ranked Tennessee 73-56. Although the Bulldogs lost to Auburn in the semifinals, their win against the Vols solidified their spot as an eight-seed in the tournament.
Made a STATEment @HailStateMBK x #SECTourney pic.twitter.com/aAJdvSKr0P
— Southeastern Conference (@SEC) March 15, 2024
Texas A&M experienced similar success in the SEC tournament, defeating #9 Kentucky 97-87. The Aggies are a nine-seed and will face Nebraska in the first round.
Not done yet.#GigEm x #SECTourney pic.twitter.com/DI8IGAz9X9
— Texas A&M Basketball (@aggiembk) March 16, 2024
Looking Forward
The first round of the NCAA Tournament will tip off on Thursday. The SEC will be represented by eight teams in the tournament and hopes to advance beyond its recent blockage in the Sweet 16. Mississippi State, South Carolina, Kentucky, and Tennessee will play on Thursday. Alabama, Auburn, Texas A&M, and Florida will follow suit on Friday.
