10 SEC men’s teams receive playoff bids

10 SEC teams received postseason offers, eight teams won NCAA Tournament offers, and two SEC teams earned an invitation to the National Invitational Tournament. These record-breaking 8 men’s basketball teams entered the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2018 and are tied for the most in the nation (Big Ten). This is the second straight season and fifth overall that the SEC has received 10 postseason offers.

The SEC has had 35 NCAA Tournament selections in the past five tournaments. The SEC is 78-49 (60.5%) in the NCAA Tournament since 2012. All 14 SEC teams have made at least one NCAA Tournament appearance in the past eight tournaments.

Alabama won the No. 1 seed overall in the NCAA Tournament. The Crimson Tide are playing in their third straight NCAA tournament for the first time since 1989-92. This is the school’s 23rd appearance in the NCAA with an overall record of 21-22. Alabama is the first SEC school to be ranked No. 1 in the final Associated Press poll since Kentucky in 2015. This is the 12th time overall that an SEC school has been ranked No. 1 in the final poll.

NOTABLES:

• The SEC has seen at least one team qualify for the Sweet 16 in 31 of the last 32 tournaments.
• Nine different SEC teams have qualified for the Sweet 16 in the past five NCAA tournaments. All 14 members of the SEC have transitioned to the Sweet 16 since 1996.
• The SEC has advanced at least one team to the Elite Eight in nine of the last 12 tournaments.
• The SEC has advanced a team to all six Final Fours of the last 11 tournaments.
• Eight different SEC teams (Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi State and South Carolina) competed in the Final Four.
• Alabama is the fourth different SEC school to be ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press poll since the 2018-19 season (Auburn 2022, Kentucky 2020, and Tennessee 2019).
• Arkansas is entering its third straight NCAA Tournament and has a 48-34 record in NCAA play. The Razorbacks have appeared in the Elite Eight each of the past two years.
• Auburn is making its 12th appearance in the NCAA Tournament and fourth in the last five events. The Tigers are 18-11 (.621) all-time in NCAA Tournament games.
• Florida will make its 12th all-time appearance at the NIT, holding a 14-13 record in the event and with three semifinal appearances.
• Kentucky extended its national record for most NCAA tournament appearances to 60. The UK holds the NCAA record for most games played (182) and ranks second with 129 wins.
• Mississippi State is making its 12th NCAA appearance, including its eighth since 2002. The Bulldogs are 11-11 all-time in the NCAA.
• Missouri is set to participate in its 29th NCAA Tournament and first in two years. The Tigers, who earned their highest seed since 2012, are 22-28 all-time in the event.
• Tennessee earned a fifth straight NCAA Tournament berth and 25th overall. The Vols are 23-24 all-time in the tournament. Rick Barnes is in his 27th appearance as head coach and his fifth at the helm of the Big Orange.
• Texas A&M will make its 15th appearance overall in the NCAA Tournament, as the Aggies hold a 13-15 record in the big dance. Buzz Williams will take his third different team to the NCAA Tournament.
• Vanderbilt makes his second consecutive NIT appearance and 14th overall. The Commodores won the event in 1990.
• Five teams receive a mention in the Associated Press Top 25 for March 13 highlighted by Alabama (1st), Texas A&M (17th), Tennessee (20th) and Missouri (23rd). Vanderbilt and Arkansas are among the teams receiving votes.
• Two teams place in the Top Five in the NCAA Selection Sunday NET Rankings (1st nationally), five in the Top 30 (2nd nationally), and eight in the Top 50 (2nd nationally).
• Five SEC teams are ranked among the top 25 defensive teams in the nation according to KenPom: Tennessee 2nd, Alabama 3rd, Mississippi State 6th, Arkansas 16th, Auburn 29th and Florida 30th.
• Three SEC coaches rank among the nation’s winningest active Division I coaches: John Calipari (4th with 788 wins), Rick Barnes (6th with 777 wins) and Bruce Pearl (15th with 634 wins).
• The SEC, ACC and ESPN announced Nov. 28 the roster of the SEC/ACC Challenge for men’s and women’s basketball, which will begin as part of the 2023-24 season.