Detailed history of SEC men's basketball titles

The 2016-17 season is the 85th in SEC basketball history.  But while there have been 85 regular season titles (some shared), there have only been 58 conference tournaments - it wasn't held in 1935, nor from 1953 through 1978).

The Southeastern Conference originated during the 1932-33 season, and consisted of the following schools:

Alabama
Auburn
Florida
Georgia
Georgia Tech
Kentucky
LSU
Mississippi
Mississippi State
Sewanee
Tennessee
Tulane
Vanderbilt

All thirteen of these teams had just made an exodus from the Southern Conference, which was a 23-team behemoth in 1931-1932.  Most of the other "SoCon" members at that time would go on to form the core of the ACC in 1953-54 (UNC, Duke, Maryland, Clemson,  Virginia etc.).

Schools leave the SEC...and others join...

1940: Sewanee leaves, reducing membership to 12.  It stayed that way for 24 seasons.

1964: Georgia Tech leaves, reducing memberships to 11.

...followed by Tulane in 1966, leaving 10 schools.

This was the list for 25 years:

Alabama
Auburn
Florida
Georgia
Kentucky
LSU
Mississippi
Mississippi State
Tennessee
Vanderbilt

(these same 10 schools are original and current members)

The next change came in 1991-92, when Arkansas and South Carolina joined, bringing the SEC back to a total of 12.

And finally (for now), Missouri and Texas A&M in 2012, for the current 14-team configuration.

Scheduling inconsistency in the early days

The early days of the league were a bit strange, as far as regular season championships go.  The scheduling and methodology was uneven, to put it mildly.  Want examples?

1936: Kentucky won the league with 6 wins and 2 losses...a better percentage than Vandy (8-4) and Tennessee (9-4).

1938: Kentucky won at 6-0, a better percentage than Ole Miss (11-2). 

Or what about 1943?  Kentucky won at 8-1....Mississippi State played more than twice as many league games and finished 13-7...Florida was 0-6.  Things were all over the place.

1944 was clearly affected by the second World War, as a total of six league games were played and it seems silly to even crown a champion.

A dose of uniformity...but many changes to come

Things became much more sane during the 1950-51 season, with a 14-game league schedule for all teams.  

In 1952-53, it was a 13-game schedule, as Kentucky did not participate that season.

In 1953-54, it was back to 14 games for all schools...although it still wasn't necessary for teams to play ALL others in the league - as evidenced by both UK and LSU finishing 14-0.  

It seems that in the following year (1954-55), it became standard practice to face all 11 of the other league members.  From then through the departure of Georgia Tech in 1964, there were three teams that Kentucky faced twice in each league season: Tech, Tennessee and Vanderbilt.  A fairly difficult slate, really.

In 1964-65 (after Georgia Tech left), there were 11 teams, playing a 16-game schedule.  That year and the next, UK faced Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and Vandy twice.  LSU, MSU, Ole Miss and Tulane once each.

In 1966-67 (after Tulane departed), there were 10 teams, playing an 18-game, "round robin" schedule.  Thus began the longest period of scheduling stability - all teams played every other team twice a year until 1991-92.  This was arguably the period during which the "truest" regular season champions were crowned.

When Arkansas and South Carolina joined in 1991-92 (the former from the now-defunct Southwest Conference, the latter from the Metro and previously the ACC and SoCon), things changed again.  The SEC split into two divisions:

East: Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vanderbilt

West: Auburn, Alabama, Arkansas, LSU, Mississippi, MSU

Each team played its division-mates twice and the others once, for a total of 16 games.  This format remained until 2011-2012, when divisions ceased to exist in SEC basketball.

In 2012-2013, the schedule switched back to 18 games when Missouri and Texas A&M arrived.  As there are 13 opponents and 18 games, some are obviously faced only once each year.  This even includes traditional opponents - there have been years when UK played Tennessee or Vanderbilt only once.  Florida has been the only twice-annual opponent for Kentucky since the new arrangement began.

Regular season championships:

1) Kentucky - 48 (won 50 but vacated in 1988, on probation in 1991)

Outright: 36
Shared: 12
Also won tournament: 17 (plus one vacated)
Outright and won tournament: 13 (plus one vacated)

1933: 8-0 (also won tournament)
1935: 11-0 (shared with LSU)
1936: 6-2
1938: 6-0
1941: 8-1
1943: 8-1
1945: 4-1 (shared with Tennessee, also won tournament)
1946: 6-0 (shared with LSU, also won tournament)
1947: 11-0 (also won tournament)
1948: 9-0 (also won tournament)
1949: 13-0 (also won tournament)
1950: 11-2 (also won tournament)
1951: 14-0 
1952: 14-0 (also won tournament)
1954: 14-0 (shared with LSU)
1955: 12-2
1957: 12-2
1958: 12-2
1962: 13-1 (shared with MSU)
1964: 11-3
1966: 15-1
1968: 15-3
1969: 16-2
1970: 17-1
1971: 16-2
1972: 14-4 (shared with Tennessee)
1973: 14-4
1975: 15-3 (shared with Alabama)
1977: 16-2 (shared with Tennessee)
1978: 16-2
1980: 15-3
1982: 13-5 (shared with Tennessee)
1983: 13-5
1984: 14-4 (also won tournament)
1986: 17-1 (also won tournament)
1988: 13-5 (also won tournament)*** both vacated
1995: 14-2 (also won tournament)
1996: 16-0
1998: 14-2 (also won tournament)
2000: 12-4 (shared with Florida, LSU, Tennessee)
2001: 12-4 (shared with Florida, also won tournament)
2003: 16-0 (also won tournament)
2005: 14-2
2010: 14-2 (also won tournament)
2012: 16-0
2015: 18-0 (also won tournament)
2016: 13-5 (shared with Texas A&M, also won tournament)
2017: 16-2 (also won tournament)

2) LSU - 11 

Outright: 6
Shared: 5
Also won tournament: 0

1935: 12-0 (shared with Kentucky)
1946: 8-0 (shared with Kentucky)
1953: 13-0
1954: 14-0 (shared with Kentucky)
1979: 14-4
1981: 17-1
1985: 13-5
1991: 13-5 (shared with Mississippi State)
2000: 12-4 (shared with Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee)
2006: 14-2
2009: 13-3

3) Alabama - 8

Outright: 6
Shared: 2
Also won tournament: 1
Outright and won tournament: 1

1939: 13-4
1940: 14-4
1956: 14-0
1974: 15-3 (shared with Vanderbilt)
1975: 15-3 (shared with Kentucky)
1976: 15-3
1987: 16-2 (also won tournament)
2002: 12-4

3) Tennessee - 8

Outright: 3
Shared: 5
Also won tournament: 0

1942: 7-1
1945: 8-2 (shared with Kentucky)
1967: 15-3
1972: 14-4 (shared with Kentucky)
1977: 16-2 (shared with Kentucky)
1982: 13-5 (shared with Kentucky)
2000: 12-4 (shared with Florida, Kentucky, LSU)
2008: 14-2


5) Florida - 7

Outright: 5
Shared: 2
Also won tournament: 2
Outright, and won tournament: 2

1989: 13-5
2000: 12-4 (shared with Kentucky, LSU, Tennessee)
2001: 12-4 (shared with Kentucky)
2007: 13-3 (also won tournament)
2011: 13-3
2013: 14-4
2014: 18-0 (also won tournament)

6) Mississippi State - 6

Outright: 5
Shared: 1
Also won tournament: 0

1959: 13-1
1961: 11-3
1962: 13-1 (shared with Kentucky)
1963: 12-2
1991: 13-5
2004: 14-2

7) Vanderbilt - 3

Outright: 2
Shared: 1
Also won tournament: 0

1965: 15-1
1974: 15-3 (shared with Alabama)
1993: 14-2

8) Georgia Tech - 2

Outright: 1
Shared: 1
Also won tournament: 0

1937: 10-0
1944: 2-0 (shared with Tulane)

8) Auburn - 2

Outright: 2
Shared: 0
Also won tournament: 0

1960: 12-2
1999: 14-2

10) Arkansas - 2

Outright: 2
Shared: 0
Also won tournament: 0

1992: 13-3
1994: 14-2

11) Tulane - 1

Outright: 0
Shared: 1
Also won tournament: 0

1944: 4-0 (shared with Georgia Tech)

11) Georgia - 1

Outright: 1
Shared: 0
Also won tournament: 0

1990: 13-5

11) South Carolina - 1

Outright: 1
Shared: 0
Also won tournament: 0

1997: 15-1

11) Texas A&M - 1

Outright: 0
Shared: 1
Also won tournament: 0

2016: 13-5 (shared with Kentucky)

Teams with no regular season titles: Ole Miss (since 1932), Sewanee (1932-1940), Missouri (2013-present)

Tournament championships:

1) Kentucky - 30 (won 31 but vacated in 1988)

1933 - also won regular season title
1937
1939
1940
1942
1944
1945 - also shared regular season title
1946 - also shared regular season title
1947 - also won regular season title
1948 - also won regular season title
1949 - also won regular season title
1950 - also won regular season title
1952 - also won regular season title
1984 - also won regular season title
1986 - also won regular season title
1988 - also won regular season title*** both vacated
1992
1993
1994
1995 - also won regular season title
1997
1998 - also won regular season title
1999
2001
2003 - also won regular season title
2004
2010 - also won regular season title
2011
2015 - also won regular season title
2016 - also shared regular season title
2017 - also won regular season title

2) Alabama - 6

1934
1982
1987 - also won regular season title
1989
1990
1991

3) Tennessee - 4

1936
1941
1943
1979

3) Florida - 4

2005
2006
2007 - also won regular season title
2014 - also won regular season title

5) Mississippi State - 3

1996
2002
2009

6) Ole Miss - 2

1981 - only finished 8-10 in the league
2013

7) Georgia - 2

1983 - only finished 9-9 in the league, but also made the Final Four
2008 - only finished 4-12 in the league

7) Vanderbilt - 2
1951
2012

9) Georgia Tech - 1

1938

9) LSU - 1

1980

9) Auburn - 1

1985 - only finished 8-10 in the league

9) Arkansas - 1

2000 - only finished 7-9 in the league


Teams with no tournament titles: Sewanee (1932-1940), Tulane (1932-1966), South Carolina (1992-present), Missouri (2013-present), Texas A&M (2013-present)

Total championships

1) Kentucky - 78

2) Alabama - 14

3) Tennessee and LSU - 12

5) Florida - 11

6) MSU - 9

7) Vanderbilt - 5

8) Auburn, Arkansas, Georgia, Georgia Tech - 3

12) Ole Miss - 2

13) South Carolina, Texas A&M, Tulane - 1

16) Missouri, Sewanee - 0

Total "dual" titles (regular and tournament)

1) Kentucky - 18 (plus one vacated)

2) Florida - 2

3) Alabama - 1

Kentucky basketball vs. Alabama all-time (25 different coaches, 17 different arenas)

(Updated after their 2017 SEC tournament meeting)

Kentucky and Alabama have a long history in basketball.  147 total games (fewer than only three UK series - Tennessee, Vandy and Georgia).  

Alabama has managed a (relatively) decent home mark against the Cats, with 23 wins and 31 losses.  The Crimson Tide's home winning percentage against UK is third in SEC history behind Arkansas and Tennessee.  

And while their 5-23 mark at Rupp doesn't scream "success," those 5 wins are actually tied for second-most by any opponent in that arena (Florida has 7, LSU also has 5).

Many of the games have had high stakes, as the two teams have met 17 times in the SEC Tournament (fewer than only the 18 against LSU) and once in the NCAA Tournament.  UK holds a significant edge in those postseason matchups, at 16-2 overall (15-2 in the SEC Tournament, 1-0 NCAA).

Alabama has an excellent history in SEC basketball as a whole, with 14 combined titles:

- 8 regular season crowns (tied for third with Tennessee, behind UK's 47 and LSU's 11)

- 6 tournament titles (second behind UK's 28)

Only Tennessee (12 combined titles), LSU (12 combined titles), and Florida (11 combined titles) have come close to matching them in the fight against UK's dominance.

Alabama's most famous past coach is Wimp Sanderson.  He certainly had some success, especially against Hall, but the best winning percentage by any 'Bama coach against UK (minimum of 10 games)?  Believe it or not, that belongs to Mark Gottfried.  He was 5-8 against UK, including 5-6 against Tubby, with 2 wins in Rupp.

Let's take a look at the all-time series results...

Kentucky is 110-37 against Alabama (74.8%)

Kentucky is 55-9 at home against Alabama (85.9%)

Rupp Arena: 23-5 (82.1%)

Memorial Coliseum: 17-1 (94.4%)

Alumni Gymnasium: 15-2 (88.2%)

Buell Armory Gym: 0-1 (0%)

Kentucky is 31-23 in Tuscaloosa (57.4%)

Coleman Coliseum (since 1969): 20-17 (54.1%) - UK has never won, nor lost, more than 3 in a row there.

Foster Auditorium (1941-1968): 10-5 (66.7%)

Little Hall (1925, 1936): 1-1 (50%)

Kentucky is 24-5 at neutral sites against Alabama (82.8%)

Birmingham Athletic Club: 5-0 (regular season games from 1933 through 1938)

Jefferson County Armory (Louisville): 4-0 (won four SEC Tournament games in 1940s, including 1942 title)

Georgia Dome (Atlanta): 3-0 (all SEC Tournament games - in 1998, 2007 and 2011)

Bridgestone Arena / Gaylord Entertainment Center (Nashville): 4-0 (all SEC Tournament games - in 2006, 2010, 2016 and 2017)

Garrett Coliseum (Montgomery): 2-1 (won in 1958 and 1960, lost in 1956)

Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center: 2-1 (all SEC Tournament games...won in 1979, lost in 1983, won 1992 title)

The Omni (Atlanta): 1-0 (1986 NCAA Tournament)

Memorial Gymnasium (Nashville): 1-0 (1984 SEC Tournament)

Freedom Hall (Louisville): 1-0 (1998 regular season)

Rupp Arena: 1-1 (lost 1982 SEC Tournament Championship, won 1986 SEC Tournament Championship)

Birmingham City Auditorium: 0-2 (1939 and 1940 regular season games)

By type of game:
SEC regular season home games: 53-7
SEC regular season road games: 31-22
SEC regular season neutral games: 8-3

Total SEC regular season record: 92-32

Pre-SEC regular season home games: 2-2
Pre-SEC regular season road games: 0-1

Overall regular season record: 94-35

SEC Tournament games: 15-2
NCAA Tournament games: 1-0

Postseason record: 16-2

By UK coach:

John Calipari: 12-2 (5-0 home, 3-2 road, 4-0 SECT)

Billy Gillispie: 2-0 (1-0 home, 1-0 road)

Tubby Smith: 8-5 (2-2 home, 2-3 road, 1-0 in Louisville, 3-0 in SECT)

Rick Pitino: 9-2 (5-0 home, 3-2 road, 1-0 SECT)

Eddie Sutton: 7-3 (2-2 home, 3-1 road, 1-0 SECT, 1-0 NCAAT)

Joe B. Hall: 18-12 (11-2 home, 5-8 road, 2-2 SECT)

Adolph Rupp: 53-10 (28-1 home, 14-6 road, 5-2 in Birmingham, 2-1 in Montgomery, 4-0 in SECT)

John Mauer: 0-1 (home in 1929)

Ray Eklund: 1-0 (home in 1926)

Clarence Applegran: 0-1 (road in 1925)

George Buchheit: 0-1 (home in 1923)

By opposing coach:

Avery Johnson (since 2016): 0-5 against Kentucky (all against Calipari)

Anthony Grant (2010-15): 2-7 against Kentucky (all against Calipari)

Mark Gottfried (1999-2009): 5-8 against Kentucky (0-2 vs. Billy G, 5-6 vs. Tubby)

David Hobbs (1993-98): 0-7 against Kentucky (all against Pitino)

Wimp Sanderson (1981-92): 11-18 against Kentucky (2-4 vs. Pitino, 3-7 vs. Sutton, 6-7 vs. Hall)

CM Newton (1969-80): 7-18 against Kentucky (6-11 vs. Hall, 1-7 vs. Rupp)

Hayden Riley (1961-68): 3-9 against Kentucky (all against Rupp)

Eugene Lambert (1945, 1948, 1957-60): 0-6 against Kentucky (all against Rupp)

Johnny Dee (1954-56): 1-2 against Kentucky (all against Rupp)

Floyd Burdette (1947-52): 0-10 against Kentucky (all against Rupp)

Hank Crisp (1925-42, 1946): 6-20 against Kentucky (4-19 vs. Rupp, 1-0 vs. Mauer, 0-1 vs. Eklund, 1-0 vs. Applegran)

Malcom Laney (1945): 0-1 against Kentucky (Rupp)

Paul Burnum (1943): 1-1 against Kentucky (Rupp)

Charlie Bernier (1923): 1-0 against Kentucky (Buchheit)

Which SEC opponents have won the most at Rupp Arena?

(updated through first 8 home games of 2017 SEC season)

Few visiting teams escape Rupp Arena with a victory.  UK has gone undefeated at home quite a number of times in their current confines, including:

Calipari:
2016
2015
2012
2011
2010

Tubby:
2005 (undefeated at home in SEC play, lost to KU)
2003 (undefeated at home in SEC play, lost to Michigan State)
2001 (undefeated at home in SEC play, lost to Penn State)
2000

Pitino:
1996
1993
1991
1990

Sutton:
1986

Hall:
1984
1982 (but did lose at Rupp in SEC Tournament)
1981
1978

But how have specific conference foes (and their coaches) fared?

Alabama: 5-23 in SEC regular season, 1-1 in SEC Tournament

2006 (Mark Gottfried vs. Tubby Smith) - won 68-64 (both were unranked)

2002 (Mark Gottfried vs. Tubby Smith) - won 64-61 (Bama was #14, UK was #8)

1989 (Wimp Sanderson vs. Eddie Sutton) - won 71-67 (both were unranked)

1987 (Wimp Sanderson vs. Eddie Sutton) - won 69-55 (UK was #9)

1980 (C.M. Newton vs. Joe B. Hall) - won 78-64 (UK was #4)

NOTE: They also won in 1982 SEC Championship in Rupp, and lost in 1986 SEC Championship.

Arkansas: 3-11 in SEC regular season, lost in 1993 SEC Tournament

2014 (Mike Anderson vs. John Calipari) - won 71-67 (OT) (UK was #17)

1994 (Nolan Richardson vs. Rick Pitino) - won 90-82 (Ark was #3, UK was #4)

1992 (Nolan Richardson vs. Rick Pitino) - won 105-88 (Ark was #9, UK was #8)

Auburn: 2-26 in SEC regular season, lost in 1982 SEC Tournament

1988 (Sonny Smith vs. Eddie Sutton) - won 53-52 (UK was #1)

1983 (Sonny Smith vs. Joe B. Hall) - won 75-67 (UK was #6)

Florida: 7-34 in SEC regular season

2014 (Billy Donovan vs. John Calipari) - won 69-59 (UF was #3, UK was #14)

2007 (Billy Donovan vs. Tubby Smith) - won 64-61 (UF was #1, UK was #20)

2006 (Billy Donovan vs. Tubby Smith) - won 79-64 (UF was #17, UK was unranked)

1998 (Billy Donovan vs. Tubby Smith) - won 86-78 (UK was #7)

1989 (Norman Sloan vs. Eddie Sutton) - won 59-53 (both were unranked)

1988 (Norman Sloan vs. Eddie Sutton) - won 58-56 (UK was #4)

1985 (Norman Sloan vs. Joe B. Hall) - won 67-55 (both were unranked)

Georgia: 4-35 in SEC regular season

2009 (Pete Herrmann vs. Billy Gillispie) - won 90-85 (both were unranked)

2004 (Dennis Felton vs. Tubby Smith) - won 65-57 (UK was #5)

2002 (Jim Harrick vs. Tubby Smith) - won 88-84 (UK was #8)

1985 (Hugh Durham vs. Joe B. Hall) - won 79-77 (UGA was #18, UK was unranked)

LSU: 5-24 in SEC regular season, 0-2 in SEC Tournament

2009 (Trent Johnson vs. Billy Gillispie) - won 73-70 (LSU was #18, UK was unranked)

1989 (Dale Brown vs. Eddie Sutton) - won 64-62 (both were unranked)

1987 (Dale Brown vs. Eddie Sutton) - won 76-41 (both were unranked)

1980 (Dale Brown vs. Joe B. Hall) - won 65-60 (LSU was #11, UK was #5)

1979 (Dale Brown vs. Joe B. Hall) - won 93-89 (UK was #9)

Mississippi: 1-27 in SEC regular season, 0-2 in SEC Tournament

1998 (Rob Evans vs. Tubby Smith) - won 73-64 (Miss was #18, UK was #7)

Mississippi State: 2-26 in SEC regular season

2009 (Rick Stansbury vs. Billy Gillispie) - won 66-57 (both were unranked)

1995 (Richard Williams vs. Rick Pitino) - won 76-71 (MSU was #23, UK was #4)

Missouri: 0-3 in SEC regular season
none

South Carolina: 2-22 in SEC regular season, 0-2 before joining SEC

2009 (Darrin Horn vs. Billy Gillispie) - won 78-77 (UK was #24)

1997 (Eddie Fogler vs. Rick Pitino) - won 72-66 (USC was #6, UK was #3)

Tennessee: 4-36 in SEC regular season, lost 101-40 in 1993 SEC Tournament

2006 (Bruce Pearl vs. Tubby Smith) - won 75-67 (UT was #11, UK was unranked)

1999 (Jerry Green vs. Tubby Smith) - won 47-46 (UK was #6)

1979 (Don DeVoe vs. Joe B. Hall) - won 66-55 (both were unranked)

1977 (Ray Mears vs. Joe B. Hall) - won 71-67 (OT) (UK was #2)

Texas A&M: 1-2 in SEC regular season, won at Rupp pre-SEC in 1978

2013 (Billy Kennedy vs. John Calipari) - won 83-71 (both were unranked)

Vanderbilt: 2-36 in SEC regular season

2007 (Kevin Stallings vs. Tubby Smith) - won 72-67 (UK was #25)

2006 (Kevin Stallings vs. Tubby Smith) - won 57-52 (both were unranked)


So, the teams with the most SEC regular season wins at Rupp:

1) Florida - 7

2) Alabama and LSU - 5

And the teams with the best winning percentage...

1) Texas A&M: 33% (1-2)

2) Arkansas: 21% (3-11)

3) Alabama: 18% (5-23)

And the most successful coaches?

1) Dale Brown.  4 wins (but 14 losses).

2) Billy Donovan.  4 wins (but 15 losses).

3) Norman Sloan.  3 wins (but 6 losses).

UK's record against each school in the SEC Tournament

(updated after 2015 tournament)

Kentucky is 124-25 in the SEC tournament, and have taken home 28 titles (the rest of the league has 27 combined).

Against each school:

Mississippi: 15-0 (100%)
Georgia Tech: 5-0 (100%)
Auburn: 13-1 (92.9%)
Georgia: 9-1 (90%)
Louisiana State: 16-2 (88.9%)
Arkansas: 8-1 (88.9%)
Alabama: 13-2 (86.7%)
Tulane: 6-1 (85.7%)
Mississippi State: 8-2 (80%)
Florida: 13-4 (76.5%)
Tennessee: 11-4 (73.3%)
South Carolina: 3-2 (60%)
Vanderbilt: 4-5 (44.4%)

Some thoughts, and additional facts:

1) I hate Vanderbilt.  They're like our SEC Tournament version of UConn.  Their only two titles (1951 and 2012) were both won at our expense, and they also defeated us in 1981, 1989 and 2013.  Our victories against them were in 1940, 1947, 1992 and 2003.  Really strange that we haven't met more frequently.

2) No surprise that we dominate Ole Miss and Auburn, just as we have in the regular season.

3) It is, however, a bit surprising that UK has a combined 24-3 record against Arkansas and LSU, two teams that have been very difficult opponents in the regular season.

4) We still haven't faced Missouri or Texas A&M.

Will there be a 5th bid for the SEC? If so, who gets it?

We all hate our conference rivals throughout the regular season, but it's good to have some conference bragging rights at tournament time.

One positive is that at least our overall conference RPI is OK this season - 4th behind the Big Ten, Big East and Big 12, and ahead of the MWC, ACC and Pac 12.

The issue at hand is whether we can get a 5th team in. In the 20 tournaments since the SEC expanded to 12 teams, the SEC has had at least 5 bids in 14 tournaments (70% of the time), and 6 bids in 8 years (40% of the time).

The only exceptions:
1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 2010 = 4 bids
2009 = 3 bids

Kentucky and Florida are locks.
Mississippi State and Vanderbilt are nearly locks as well, barring collapses.

Lunardi currently has Alabama listed as an 8 seed, comfortably in the tournament. But as we all know, they've suspended a number of star players and just lost at lowly LSU. They are in real danger of blowing their bid, and most likely will, unless those players return to action.


Some details on the three teams with a chance, all of whom have 5-5 league records:

Alabama - around 30th in the RPI, with a great win over Wichita State and one bad loss at South Carolina. Two SEC road wins, and 4 of 6 remaining games are at home. If it weren't for the suspensions, I think they would easily make it into the tournament.

Ole Miss - around 50-55 in the RPI, with two good wins over Miami and Mississippi State, and one bad loss at Auburn. One SEC road win, and they have 3 home and 3 road remaining.

Arkansas - around 65-70 in the RPI. A great team at home (undefeated in league play and an excellent win over Michigan, although one puzzling early loss to Houston). A horrible team on the road. They have chances to improve their rating with home wins over Florida and Alabama...but they'll also probably lose at Tennessee and take an RPI blow from that.

My unfortunate conclusion is that if Anthony Grant can't right the ship quickly, the SEC will only have four bids.