SEC Programs

[ToddStrong]

Okay so Florida really has been a pretty decent basketball program for long enough that we can't be shocked about their success. They made the F4 in 1994 and made it again in 2000, 2006, 2007, 2014 and 2025. Winning three titles and numerous conference titles. They even made an elite 8 under Mike White in their dark days. Blah blah blah, they're a pretty good program.

But in the last six seasons we've seen Auburn make two F4s, both in which they blew their shots in 2019 and 2025. They were the number one overall seed this year and as long as Pearl is there they should be a threat. Just last year Alabama made a Final Four for the first time, they followed that up with an elite 8. They were top ten all year and Oates has them poised to stay on top.

Tennessee just made their fourth elite 8 under Barnes. They reached number one at one point and made it to the SEC tournament final. They beat Auburn on that run. They've been awarded a one seed and multiple 2 seeds in that span. They also were pretty good under Pearl before he got canned for allegations, so they've been pretty good under two different guys.

We've recently seen Ole Miss make a Sweet 16, a long with Arkansas. Both teams lost in heartbreaking finishes. LSU has made it to a couple Final Fours in the last 25 years, Oklahoma made one in 2002. Texas has made a couple and just hired Sean Miller who has done well his entire career. He won't have to worry about paying players under the table anymore and with Texas's resources, watch out.


My question is who will breakthrough and join Arkansas, Florida, and Kentucky as programs to win a National Title for the SEC. Will Kentucky be the next champion from what is now the best basketball league going forward? I've never seen a better team not win it all than 2014..But that's been over a decade ago. In that period UCONN has won three titles. Kansas and North Carolina has won one. Louisville won one but it got stripped. Heck Baylor even won one.

It's a different era today. Florida just proved that by winning with zero top 150 recruits, but they went and sniped overlooked guys like Clayton, Richard, Condon and more. They essentially let mid majors like Iona develop players for them. That's going to be the method people use now. Just like it used to be the method of collecting McDonalds all Americans as Duke did this past season. But they lost to a more experienced Houston team. Florida was able to beat Houston because they assembled a squad of guys that were capable of winning in multiple ways unlike Duke who just overwhelmed everybody before their inexperience came back to bite them.

Seems very familiar to the way 2014 Kentucky lost, the way Calipari teams always lost except for that 2012 squad.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

My best guess would be alabama or auburn.

UT just isn't built to win it all. Solid to good teams but can't even make the final four. I will say I believe Barnes has only taken UT to 2 elite 8s as they have just 3 in their pathetic history but trending up last 2 seasons.

 

[BlueBomb]

UT just isn't built to win it all. Solid to good teams but can't even make the final four.

I wouldn't be making fun of a team that can't make a Final Four. At least not right now.

 

[WeWant9]

I think Pearl will do whatever he can to try and win a title, but not sure it’ll happen for Auburn. I’d probably pick Bama, if Oats sticks around.

 

[Gators300]

Seems very familiar to the way 2014 Kentucky lost, the way Calipari teams always lost except for that 2012 squad.

Not a Kentucky fan, but one of the things I distinctly remember about that team is that it had several great experienced players that complimented Davis. I think Lamb and Jones were 2nd year players, but you had Darius Miller who I distinctly remember coming in and doing real damage in some clutch moments. Had Vargas as well, who I think was also a senior.

I don't follow Kentucky that closely, but I don't remember Calipari having many teams like that, with a nice collection of one and done as well as more experienced, (and talented) players. For that era, it seems like that kind of formula would have gotten him a few more titles in his prime.

 

[chasingwildcat]

Not a Kentucky fan, but one of the things I distinctly remember about that team is that it had several great experienced players that complimented Davis. I think Lamb and Jones were 2nd year players, but you had Darius Miller who I distinctly remember coming in and doing real damage in some clutch moments. Had Vargas as well, who I think was also a senior.

I don't follow Kentucky that closely, but I don't remember Calipari having many teams like that, with a nice collection of one and done as well as more experienced, (and talented) players. For that era, it seems like that kind of formula would have gotten him a few more titles in his prime.

Congratulations

You get a great coach and future is bright for your program

 

[HogFan2012]

I would hope AR but if not them I also pull for KY, yes I even watch games.

The rest of the teams I really don't care about.

If I had to pick might go with Texas. I think Aurbun and Bama have wasted their chance.

 

[BleedBlue13]

It’s turning into the football sec, I think within 2 years Texas will be up in that 4th/5th spot and challenging the top teams. They have a coach now and if that Texas money comes thru they could rise quickly. I like the Sec being strong, so many good coaches now I know conferences rise and fall but it may be solid for a long while.

 

[TheRaunchyRupp]

I think Pearl will do whatever he can to try and win a title, but not sure it’ll happen for Auburn. I’d probably pick Bama, if Oats sticks around.

This is the question mark that would hold me back from picking Bama. I’m assuming it would have to happen in the next couple years at most

 

[rdgtr]

The SEC has many promising coaches ,
i.e Porter Moser (Oklahoma), Chris Beard (Ole Miss), Mark Pope (Kentucky), Dennis Gates (Missouri); as well as, veteran coaches with great success, i.e, Nate Oats (Alabama) & Rick Barnes (Tennessee).

However, the next SEC school to most likely win their first national title is Auburn & Bruce Pearl.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

I wouldn't be making fun of a team that can't make a Final Four. At least not right now.

UK has been to 17 final fours. UT 0.

That's facts. Not making fun of them but they are not a national title winning type program.

 

[BlueBomb]

UK has been to 17 final fours. UT 0.

That's facts. Not making fun of them but they are not a national title winning type program.

You said they aren’t built to win it all. Sounds like you’re referring to the current state of the program. Not historically.

 

[blue cincy]

SEC is showing itself. The number of legit coaches is the most I can remember. There are now 6 to 8 teams that will be able to make a run in the tourney with about 4 of those teams able to make a run at a ship. Cannot ask for much more. Whoever wins the SEC, SEC tourney each year will have earned it. Only thing holding SEC back at all is the way the games are officiated. I would rather watch, Big 12 or ACC, AAC, Big East game before watching an SEC game. SEC and BIG 10 have some very ugly basketball to watch. I love watching UK before SEC play. Not sure why it is the way it is.

 

[bowfreak]

You said they aren’t built to win it all. Sounds like you’re referring to the current state of the program. Not historically.

I don't think they are built to win 4 games in a row much less 6 against good teams. At some point you have to score to win and the the hacking and grabbing ONLY doesn't consistently beat good teams. Barnes is a good coach but his UT teams always struggle to score.

 

[Edgarman]

UK has been to 17 final fours. UT 0.

That's facts. Not making fun of them but they are not a national title winning type program.

Keep in mind guys, before we shame other teams. past performance has zero bearing on future performance. We have not won in 13 years. Pope really has not proven anything except middle of the pack in the SEC. FL, Bama, Auburn, and TN advanced beyound us this year. We honestly do not know what Pope is capable of doing and we won't know for two more years. I know we can't continue to build our team from the portal year after year. We need to recruit high end kids that we can develop for two to three years. Cal actually recruited the hell out of high end talent but could not or did not retain them for the second or third year. It takes seasoned veterans that have played together atleast one year to win a title.

 

[CRZ4UK]

Keep in mind guys, before we shame other teams. past performance has zero bearing on future performance. We have not won in 13 years. Pope really has not proven anything except middle of the pack in the SEC. FL, Bama, Auburn, and TN advanced beyound us this year. We honestly do not know what Pope is capable of doing and we won't know for two more years. I know we can't continue to build our team from the portal year after year. We need to recruit high end kids that we can develop for two to three years. Cal actually recruited the hell out of high end talent but could not or did not retain them for the second or third year. It takes seasoned veterans that have played together atleast one year to win a title.

I’m more concerned with Sankey than Pope. He has made it a mission to bring back SEC basketball. The teams were competing but SEC fans still don’t care about basketball. The SEC tournament was 90% UK in Nashville. 10% all other fan bases combined. Sankey hates that. We get the worst whistle in basketball. Have for years. The SEC doesn’t want a dominant UK. Other fans will checkout completely.
Contrast that to the ACC where they put Duke on a pedestal. NC too. No way NC makes the tournament without help. The leagues are night and day different.

 

[BelfryKYCatFanatic]

However, the next SEC school to most likely win their first national title is Auburn & Bruce Pearl.

I think they had their best shot this past season but they couldn't get it done.

They went 5-4 after their win in Lexington. Karma came back and bit them in the a$$ after their little juvenile dance. They seemed kind of immature for their age.

 

[UKBB4Ever]

There’s one basketball program in the SEC.

It’s UK. Always been that way. Always will be.

UK and Fl are the only charter members of the SEC to win a basketball NT.

They will fall off like always and another nobody will pop up here and there.

 

[ToddStrong]

I was shocked to discover that Florida has more national titles in basketball than Michigan State. They are only two behind another "blue blood" in Indiana. Arizona and Maryland are deemed powers , but they only have one title a piece to go along with two Final Fours a piece.

Syracuse is another program I was shocked to discover has less Final Fours and titles than Florida. UCONN has won all six of their titles after the year 1999.

So Kentucky is clearly tier one. I guess the other tier one programs would be UNC, Duke, Kansas and UCLA. Indiana really hasn't done much since Bob Knight left, they do have five titles though.

So if you asked most fans to rank the top five programs of all time I guess you'd probably put Kentucky at one or two. UCLA has more titles but haven't won one since 1993 I think. Kentucky has two since then. Duke has three, UNC and Kansas both have two.

So.
1.)Kentucky
2.)Duke
3.)UNC
4.)Kansas
5.)UCLA
6.)UCONN
7.)Indiana
8.)Michigan State
9.)Florida
10.)Villanova
11.)Louisville
12.) Georgetown
13.)Cincinnati
14.)Maryland/Arizona/Syracuse/Virginia/Michigan/Ohio State/Cincinnati/NC State/Arkansas/Oregon/Wisconsin/Marquette/Baylor

Then it's a bunch of teams that have made Final Fours but never won a title.

1.)Gonzaga
2.)Houston
3.)Purdue
4.) Texas Tech
5.) Butler
6.)Utah
7.)Auburn
8.) Minnesota
9.) Texas
10.)Oklahoma
11.)Georgia Tech
12.)Oklahoma State
13.) LSU
14.) Memphis
15.)Alabama
16.)Miami
17.)Florida State

Then you have your mid majors like VCU, San Diego State, Florida Atlantic, Loyola Chicago, Wichita State, Dayton, George Mason. All have made it to the Final Four once.

Lastly you have your schools like Xavier and Creighton who've made multiple deep runs but no Final Fours.

 

[blue cincy]

I was shocked to discover that Florida has more national titles in basketball than Michigan State. They are only two behind another "blue blood" in Indiana. Arizona and Maryland are deemed powers , but they only have one title a piece to go along with two Final Fours a piece.

Syracuse is another program I was shocked to discover has less Final Fours and titles than Florida. UCONN has won all six of their titles after the year 1999.

So Kentucky is clearly tier one. I guess the other tier one programs would be UNC, Duke, Kansas and UCLA. Indiana really hasn't done much since Bob Knight left, they do have five titles though.

So if you asked most fans to rank the top five programs of all time I guess you'd probably put Kentucky at one or two. UCLA has more titles but haven't won one since 1993 I think. Kentucky has two since then. Duke has three, UNC and Kansas both have two.

So.
1.)Kentucky
2.)Duke
3.)UNC
4.)Kansas
5.)UCLA
6.)UCONN
7.)Indiana
8.)Michigan State
9.)Florida
10.) Maryland/Arizona

1996 UK, 1998 UK, 2012 UK. That is now many in that time frame.

 

[ToddStrong]

Three. For some reason that one over Utah escaped my mind. It bought Tubby Smith a lot of goodwill before we found out he won off the back of Pitino imo.