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Weekend Brunch: Why the SEC’s depth may be unprecedented in 2024-25

It just means more?

That may be the case with SEC basketball during the 2024-25 season.

Just months after this conference had eight teams reach the 2024 NCAA Tournament, things are aligning for the SEC to even have more representation during March Madness in 2025.

As of today, the SEC has 11 of its 16 teams — Alabama, Auburn, Texas A&M, Arkansas, Florida, Tennessee, Texas, Mississippi State, Georgia, Kentucky, and Ole Miss — ranked in the ROTHSTEIN 45. That doesn’t include South Carolina — who made the NCAA Tournament last season — or Oklahoma, who joins the league next year along with Texas after it narrowly missed March Madness a few months ago.

Player retention is a major reason why the SEC looks to be set up for success.

If Mark Sears (21.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.0 assists) withdraws from the 2024 NBA Draft and returns to Alabama, six of the SEC’s top 10 scorers from last season — Sears, Wade Taylor IV (Texas A&M), Walter Clayton (Florida), Josh Hubbard (Mississippi State), Johni Broome (Auburn), and Tramon Mark (Texas) — would be set to return. Mark (16.2 points, 4.3 rebounds) played last season at Arkansas before opting to transfer to Austin.

Alabama, Auburn, Texas A&M, Florida, Tennessee, Texas, and Mississippi State are all set to return multiple key players from teams who reached the NCAA Tournament while Georgia and Ole Miss appear to be vastly improved from last season.

The SEC had eight teams reach March Madness in 2024, but the conference didn’t perform exceptionally well in the bracket, finishing with a combined record of 8-8. Alabama though, did reach the Final Four for the first time in program history.

It will be interesting to see how things unfold at the top of the league in 2024-25.

For years, the SEC was viewed as Kentucky, Florida, and then everyone else when John Calipari was in Lexington and Billy Donovan was in Gainesville.

Things are completely different now.

With Calipari about to begin his first season at Arkansas after a 15-year tenure with the Wildcats, the SEC is in a bit of a transition. Kentucky — who’s about to begin its first season under Mark Pope — is currently projected 10th among SEC teams in the ROTHSTEIN 45, while Alabama (two), Auburn (11), Texas A&M (12), Arkansas (13), Florida (19), and Tennessee (21) represent the league’s top tier. The Crimson Tide will have a legitimate chance to enter next season as the top team in the country if Sears returns to school.

While the Big 12 has received a lot of offseason attention — and for good reason — for the number of teams that it currently has atop the early season rankings (four of the top five teams in the ROTHSTEIN 45 — Kansas, Houston, Baylor, and Iowa State — are from the Big 12), the SEC has ultimately made headlines because of the potential of its depth.

Will Kentucky be good enough to crack the top half?

How much of an impact will Texas have in its first year in the conference?

And can this league flirt with 10 bids to the 2025 NCAA Tournament?

Welcome to the new, 16-team SEC.

It still just means more.

On The Side

  • Miami transfer Wooga Poplar visited Villanova on Thursday and will visit Oregon soon, his father told College Hoops Today. The 6-5 Poplar averaged 13.1 points and 4.8 rebounds last season.
  • Providence is expected to replace Creighton in the 2024 Battle 4 Atlantis, a source told College Hoops Today. Arizona, Gonzaga, West Virginia, Louisville, Indiana, Oklahoma, and Davidson are the other seven teams in the field.
  • Louisville’s Pat Kelsey will be next week’s guest on the College Hoops Today Podcast.
  • The NCAA’s early entry withdrawal deadline for the 2024 NBA Draft is Wednesday, May 29th at 11:59 PM ET.
  • St. John’s will play New Mexico on Sunday, Nov. 17th at MSG. It will be the fourth-ever head-to-head meeting between Rick and Richard Pitino.

Leftovers