SEC — Toughest Basketball Conference!

[EverythingOrange]

I may have been “sleep-walking” for a while…
But, when / how did this happen? I’m getting old. But, I remember when the ACC / UCLA / Indiana / (Gotta include Kentucky, too) were Kings of college basketball. I remember Arkansas in the early 90s…. But, I have Never seen a stronger basketball conference right now than the SEC! Auburn, Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky, Texas A&M, — Even Vanderbilt is solid! Please tell me how this happened! Almost every SEC basketball game now is exciting & meaningful! — Just trying to get my old wits about me!….

 

[SoilVol]

I may have been “sleep-walking” for a while…
But, when / how did this happen? I’m getting old. But, I remember when the ACC / UCLA / Indiana were Kings of college basketball. I remember Arkansas in the early 90s…. But, I have Never seen a stronger basketball conference right now than the SEC! Auburn, Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky, Texas A&M, — Even Vanderbilt is solid! Please tell me how this happened! Almost every SEC basketball game now is exciting & meaningful! — Just trying to get my old wits about me!….

Well, Greg Sankey was tabbed the SEC commissioner in 2015 and he's more of a basketball guy. In spring of 2016 the SEC only had 3 teams qualify for the NCAA Tournament. Later that year the Sankey hired the former Big East commissioner to a new role "special advisor to the commissioner for men's basketball." They also hired an associate commissioner of men's basketball from the AAC.

The overall review was to instruct all the member schools to stop sucking and actually invest in men's basketball. The SEC always had the intangibles to be a great basketball conference just not the desire from the ADs to focus on it apart from UK.

So more money has been pumped into the programs than ever before, teams have gone out and paid top dollar for some of the greatest coaches in the game (and teams like TN did everything to keep the great one they have), and across the board the league is recruiting better than ever.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

The original Big East has an argument. At the top. Not so much with the bottom half.

 

[HuntlandVolinColo]

I may have been “sleep-walking” for a while…
But, when / how did this happen? I’m getting old. But, I remember when the ACC / UCLA / Indiana / (Gotta include Kentucky, too) were Kings of college basketball. I remember Arkansas in the early 90s…. But, I have Never seen a stronger basketball conference right now than the SEC! Auburn, Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky, Texas A&M, — Even Vanderbilt is solid! Please tell me how this happened! Almost every SEC basketball game now is exciting & meaningful! — Just trying to get my old wits about me!….

You forgot Florida.

 

[HuntlandVolinColo]

I think this is the second phase of depleting the ACC and Big12 of their talent. Phase one was complete destruction of their football program, women's basketball and baseball. Phase two is men's basketball and other sports.

Phase three we become "THE" Hockey Conference. lol

In 10 years, ACC leftovers will be Ivy League II conference.

 

[esarmstrong]

The only two teams in the league that are suspect are LSU and South Carolina. But everyone played extremely well in non-conference games. The SEC/ACC challenge was the red light that went off for the national media about the greatness of this league.

 

[njvols]

I may have been “sleep-walking” for a while…
But, when / how did this happen? I’m getting old. But, I remember when the ACC / UCLA / Indiana / (Gotta include Kentucky, too) were Kings of college basketball. I remember Arkansas in the early 90s…. But, I have Never seen a stronger basketball conference right now than the SEC! Auburn, Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky, Texas A&M, — Even Vanderbilt is solid! Please tell me how this happened! Almost every SEC basketball game now is exciting & meaningful! — Just trying to get my old wits about me!….

The plan, for sure had to be acted upon successfully and strategically, but to me, FB money helped pay for BB expansion, to get the right coaches, then NIL comes in and you get the right players faster. Traditional powers in last 30-40 years are in ACC and Big East, yet you look at most small/private Big East schools, and even some public universities in ACC, and they just can't keep up w/ SEC machine...with no signs of slowing down.

 

[sami]

The original Big East has an argument. At the top. Not so much with the bottom half.

The Big East in the mid-'80's was the best basketball conference on a night to night basis I've ever seen - virtually every game was must see TV. The current SEC is right there in quality depth.

 

[99gator]

Brought to you by football money

 

[Stickseller]

You forgot Florida.

He also forgot Missouri