SEC Teams in NCAA Tournament? How Many Should Conference Get?

SEC teams in the NCAA Tournament? Some analysts are just saying three teams are a lock to make the tournament field when the pairings are announced this afternoon. Those three teams are Florida, Kentucky and Vanderbilt.

Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama are all considered bubble teams as we head into the 2011 Big Dance.
The Volunteers are expected to get into the field from the latest projections. That makes 4 teams from the SEC in the NCAA tournament field.

If you look across the board at other major conferences, it really seems unfair that the Big East is projected 11 teams and the Big Ten will possibly get 7. The Big 12 is expected to take 6 teams while the ACC is projected to get 5 in the tournament field. Remember, this is an expanded field this year and the SEC is barely getting 4 teams into the Big Dance? I think the SEC deserves 5-6 and I have posted some major games why the Southeastern Conference completely stacks up with other power conferences below.

Why is the SEC being overlooked? The RPI certainly has a lot to do with it. But is there a bias against the SEC because it is known as a football school? Why doesn't the SEC get more than 4 teams into the big dance when they were ultra competitive with other power conferences? I am not saying the SEC should get 7-10 teams into the Big Dance. I don't believe they deserve that number but I think 5-6 would be correct this season.

First of all, I want to address the Big East illusion. There is absolutely no reason for 11 teams in one single conference to make the tournament from the Big East. The Big East swallowed many spots last season and still didn't produce a National Championship. Is there an East coast media bias that helps this conference get over 10 schools into the Big Dance? How can the Big East get 11 teams into the tourney? Why did they even play a regular season if everyone pretty much gets in? I just don't get it. Maybe there aren't enough 20-11 teams from other conferences who fit the bill. But call me crazy-I just absolutely will never get why 11 teams from a conference get in. I don't doubt the top 6-7 teams deserve the opportunity for postseason play come March.
But 11 teams is bordering on ridiculous. That would mean every single team above .500 overall will get into the tournament. So who do you leave out in the Big East. Villanova finished the season with 5 straight losses. Marquette had 14 overall losses. These teams should be riding the bubble or clearly out of the picture-not Tennessee or Georgia.

So I've looked up some basketball games this year that kind of prove my point. I know they are non-conference December and November games. Some critics will say teams get better past those months. If that's the case, I think Alabama should be included in the field for winning the SEC West despite not having any great non-conference wins to their credit. So what other games do you have to compare the conference to conference teams other than the November and December games? You don't. That's why these games are huge for the purposes of seeding in the NCAA tournament. That's literally all we have to compare how individual conferences do against other conferences.

Let's look at some of the key games this season that I think help illustrate why the SEC is getting robbed of reputation when it comes to basketball.

Kentucky beats Notre Dame 72-58 December 8,2010
The Wildcats didn't even win the SEC Eastern Division. Yet, they knocked off the Fighting Irish in convincing fashion at Freedom Hall in December. Yet Notre Dame finished second in the Big East this season. If we are comparing apples to apples-shouldn't the SEC get at least half the teams the Big East gets in if the lower teams are comparable. I know critics will say that's the major difference. I don't think South Carolina, Arkansas, LSU or even Auburn deserve a shot. That's not my argument. My argument is the top 5 in the SEC match up with any conference. If all we have to look at is early non-conference games, then let's judge the games for how they finished. Kentucky won by double digits. Yet the SEC is held only in the same regard as a mid-major conference having a good year. It's important to note on the same night, Arkansas did beat Seton Hall. In fairness to Seton Hall, the Pirates did knock off Alabama(who won a weaker SEC West.)

Vanderbilt beats North Carolina 72-65 November 21,2010
The Commodores finished third in the SEC East and only posted a 9-7 record in conference play.
Shouldn't this win mean a little more considering that North Carolina won the ACC regular season title?
Vanderbilt also knocked off Marquette at home this season but did lose on a neutral court to West Virginia.
I think this split against Big East teams only helps support my theory.

Tennessee beats Villanova 78-68 November 26, 2010
The Volunteers might provide the actual best support for my case. Tennessee knocked off Villanova by 10 in late November. Tennessee finished 8-8 in the SEC East. Tennessee isn't even a lock right now to make the NCAA tournament. If we are coming to the conclusion that the Big East is the best conference ever, shouldn't Tennessee absolutely be in without a shadow a doubt?

Tennessee beats Pittsburgh 83-76 December 11, 2010
The Vols also handed the Panthers a loss in Knoxville. The Panthers were the Big East regular season champs. Does that not show that the SEC was not only competitive with the Big East this season but sometimes even better? The Volunteers without a tournament bid makes absolutely no sense if the Big East gets 11 teams into the tourney. Absolutely no sense.

Georgia loses to Notre Dame in 2 OT 89-83 on November 25, 2010
Georgia is on the bubble? The Bulldogs gave 2nd place Big East power Notre Dame everything and then some in a double overtime loss in November. Like Tennessee, Georgia finished 9-7 in the SEC. The Bulldogs had 20 plus wins and the bulk of their losses came within the conference to NCAA tourney teams like Kentucky, Vandy, Florida and Tennessee.

So how many teams will the SEC actually get into the tournament this season?
I think they'll get four but I truly believe that five or six deserve to get in(especially if the Big East gets 11.) Alabama could have also have an incredible argument after picking up steam after an incredibly slow start to the season. The SEC could potentially put the blame on their own divisional selection process for not getting a greater number of teams into the field. The East/West division split didn't do Alabama any favors.

Alabama won the West-but since the West was generally considered weaker they probably aren't going to make the cut in the NCAA tournament this year. I think there's a significant argument to put Alabama into the field based on winning the Western Division in the SEC with an outstanding record. The Tide had to play some of the leagues best and actually posted wins against Kentucky and Tennessee. The critics will point out losses by Alabama to Seton Hall, Iowa and Providence. I agree those are good arguments if you weigh those November and December games with heavier emphasis-which brings me back to my original theory that the SEC deserves 5 teams because of those non-conference wins.