Is the Southeastern Conference one of the most underrated conference in the NCAA?

Question

Does anyone think that the SEC gets no love? Last year it was all about the Big East and the SEC had LSU and Florida in the Final Four, then Florida won the National Championship. This year, the SEC only got in 5 teams, but those 5 teams went 7-2 in the tournament (the best of all conferences) and have three teams in the Sweet 16 (Florida, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt). Yet they still aren't getting any respect.

Do you agree? And if not, tell me why (not just opinions, I'd like to see stats to back up your answers)?

Commentators didn't believe the SEC should have gotten in 4 teams, much less 5. When the Gators dropped a couple games late in the season, they got shunned. And commentators on both ESPN and CBS Sportsline picked LONG BEACH STATE to beat Tennessee, as well as Vandy to lose their 1st round game. Yet all 3 are in the Sweet 16 and they still aren't picked to go any further. It was the same thing last year, so that's why I say underrated

With the exception of Florida, who people have getting beat by either Kansas or UCLA

And EVERYONE had Kentucky losing to Villanova in the 1st round. I'm talking Digger, Seth Davis, Clark Kellogg and the whole bunch of them.

Answer 1

ABSOLUTELY!!!!!!
I follow SEC basketball every single year (Kentucky fan) and I am amazed at how hard it is to win on the SEC road. Ole MIss was 14-1 at home, Florida was undefeated, Vandy only lost one as well as UT. UK only lost 2. I mean really. Look at the stats in the east. Only one team (South Carolinia) didn't have a winning schedule.
Florida-13-3
Vandy-10-6
UT-10-6
UK-9-7
Georgia-9-8
FIVE TEAMS MADE IT IN TO THE NCAA'S!!!!!
3 of the five are still in it. If you still think that the SEC is underrated. You have MUCH to learn.

Answer 2

The SEC gets no love? How do you define "love" in this regard - ESPN anchors parading down the streets of Bristol shouting "SEC basketball rules?" The SEC is a good league. I haven't heard many people say otherwise. Is it a great or clearly superior league? Admittedly, the general public does not share this perception, if you think the SEC is great or clearly superior you will conclude that the league is underrated. People often think their team and/or league is underrated. People are often wrong about this. I've fallen into the trap myself and probably will again. Maybe it has to do with the fact that we love our teams so much and can't understand why so many others don't. They just don't see how good our team/league really is we conclude. Whatever the reason, it happens and it is happening to you. Here is some objectivity regarding the quality of SEC basketball:

The league, historically and presently, is top heavy. In the past the top was Kentucky and now it's Florida. There's a reason Florida sailed through their conference sched. The rest of the conference isn't that great. It wasn't until they had already wrapped up the title and got bored that they started to get tested. The post season blowouts of Arkansas and now Georgia make clear that they didn't deserve anymore bids than they got, so what's left? Vanderbilt - decent, but not a contender, Tennessee - decent, fun to watch, also not a contender, and Kentucky - decent, but, like Duke, a shadow of its former self.

Along with the Pac 10 and Big 12, the SEC is one of the top 3 leagues this year. They are a good, but by no means great league. That is how much love I am giving them. That is how much love they deserve.

Answer 3

Sweetie - you are 100% right. Last year the BigEast had 9 teams in and everyone was SOOO sure that UConn or another BigEast team was gonna win and so stuck that the BigEast got the most teams in ever, but all 9 teams failed to make it to the final 4. This season the Big10 and BigEast were both hyped to no end while the BigEast has just 2 left and the Big10 has 1 left. Im not saying the SEC was the best conference from top to bottom but teams such as UT and Vandy were highly underrated and even Florida right now is being disrespected. Everyone is somehow picking OSU over UF despite the fact that OSU shouldnt even be in it, they got some help from the officiating and help from the other coach in bad coaching to stay in the tourney b/c Ron Lewis hit a 3 with seconds left to tie the game with Xavier (XAVIER!!!) when if X wouldve fouled Lewis before the 3 the game wouldve been over. However Florida never trailed during the final 15 minutes with their game against Purdue - won fairly easily and everyone is saying theyve lost it. WTF?

The SEC is THE PREMIER ATHLETIC CONFERENCE...from bball, football, and even baseball they are the best of the best year in and year out. They never get love b/c look at where the media is based. East Coast and mainly West Coast. The SEC is in the midwest where we traditionally are forgotten about despite being the best...it happens but we continue to prove it year after year.

Answer 4

Underrated??? You got the defending national champions in Florida, one of the greatest programs in Kentucky, a stellar program at LSU, (Shaq, Pistol Pete, and the terrific team who made the 2006 Final Four), got Vandy making a run this year. So underrated I don't think so, I mean it isn't deep like the ACC or Big 12, but still they are doing fine in the SEC Conference.

Answer 5

The Pac-10 still has 3 teams in the sweet 16. UCLA ,USC and Oregon. with a 7-3 record. they would be 7-2 if they left Stanford at home,the conferences 6th team

Answer 6

I tell em all the time on my fantasy leauge that SEC is toughest conference in football and basketball but no one wants to belive me.....I got Tenn over OSU and Florida winning it all in my bracket