Is the SEC getting the shaft regarding tournament consideration??

[yabbadabbadoo]

I know there are a lot of games yet to be played and there is so much left to be inked into everyone's resume, but a quick look at the following just makes a person wonder.

First, I trashed the RPI because any list that has Kansas above UK is obvious void.

I did a quick scan through Kenpom and ESPN's BPI top 50 lists, and here's what they contained:

LEGEND: (Conference, # Kenpom top 50 teams, # BPI top 50 teams, # AP top 25 teams

Big 12-------8, 8, 6
SEC----------8, 7, 1
ACC----------7, 7, 6
BE------------7, 7, 3
Big 10-------6, 7, 3
Pac 12------3, 3, 2
A 10----------3, 3, 1

I can understand, to an extent, why we don't have as many AP top 25 teams, but there are questionable ones in there as well from other conferences. The SEC can't be as weak as many say because look at some of the close games we've been part of, in conference, while killing everyone else. LSU beating WVU, and South Carolina beating Iowa State are some other examples that pop into my mind as good wins for the SEC. I think we live in a society where the same basketball conferences, year after year, get tauted as being better than the rest. I think you could just as easily have Georgia, LSU, and Arkansas in the AP top 25 as any of those teams in the bottom 7 or 8 of the list.

 

[Smashcat]

SEC deserves 5 teams. If 14-5 TAMU (has won 5 straight, RPI #32) keeps it up, they can be the 5th team.
This post was edited on 1/28 12:49 PM by Smashcat

 

[SilentsAreGolden]

B-12 gets at least 5 teams ranked pre-season every year. Then, they don't really get many big OOC wins, but they don't get many bad losses either. That's why they stay ranked, and then when they start beating up each other in conference, it doesn't hurt them because they are just losing to other ranked teams. Remember Kansas was still Top 10 last year with 9 or 10 losses. Kansas, and the other B-12 teams pretty much have this down to a science. They know how to schedule so that they always have a very high SOS.

Tangentially, if you look at their schedules, it is almost a given now that no team will challenge KU for the conference title for the 11th straight yr. WVU barely won their last game, which would have given KU a 2 game cushion, but it will have that soon enough. And since none of them win at KU, it's basically going to be over pretty soon.

 

[UKWildcats#8]

Originally posted by Smashcat:

SEC deserves 5 teams. If 14-5 TAMU (has won 5 straight, RPI #32) keeps it up, they can be the 5th team.
This post was edited on 1/28 12:49 PM by Smashcat

This. A&M beat no one OOC though, so they have a long way to go IMO.

4 teams are solidly in at present with UK as a 100% lock, and Ark, LSU and UGA in very good shape.

 

[cats2010]

The strength of a conference is more related to how many teams are rated in the AP top 25 which is why the SEC gets the shaft and I agree with you they are getting the shaft at the present. Looking at the other ratings of teams the SEC is right there or above everyone else. 7 SEC teams rated in the top 50 BPI and 7 ACC teams the same yet 6 of those 7 or ranked in the AP while UK is the only SEC team. The SEC has the least amount of ranked teams than any other conference and no doubt LSU, Arkansas, and Georgia in the least can play with anyone ranked 15-25. 7 loss Oklahoma team still ranked while LSU, Georgia and Arkansas all have 4 losses apiece. The Oklahoma thrashing of Texas at Texas seems to still be carrying them.

SEC not the best conference by far but it is formidable.

 

[KMKAT]

Any team that beats us will make it in the tournament......that's a risky statement huh?

 

[uk78]

Ironically, I was having this question in my mind last night watching several games. As it turns out our close games against Ole Miss and A & M were not just because we weren't playing well. They are both decent teams. Tenn. and Arkansas looked good too.

We clobbered Kansas early in the year. I know fans won't like me saying it but if the game were to be played now, I think it would be much closer. Kansas had not played against a big front line yet and now have much more time to practice and learn how to play. Yet, they still would likely lose but lead their conference. Kentucky did not clobber Vandy, Ole Miss, or A & M so my point is too much is made of early season contests. Georgetown clobbered Villanova yet are only a so-so team. Again, why should the SEC be considered that weak? I don't think it is the case and just too much is judged by early season games.

 

[GermantownDawg]

Originally posted by KMKAT:
Any team that beats us will make it in the tournament......that's a risky statement huh?

Not at all. It's all about perception.

 

[killaCk]

I did a quick calc comparing ACC and SEC from top to bottom. (I chose ACC because i live in NC)

RPI average for ACC - 70.0667
RPI average for SEC - 75.0714

BPI average for ACC - 62
BPI average for SEC - 64.0714 (could be much lower because the top 11 teams are in the top 67. last three are 143, 155 and 156)


Off hand, yes, the gap that UK has on the rest of conference RANK wise is enough for everyone to jump on board as if the SEC was super weak. SEC is strong in the 20-60 range which is bulk of the tournament.