Look who’s number 1 in the country. Image: Getty Images
The Southeastern Conference does not have a program dominated exclusively by football. League leadership believes a monopoly like 12 of the previous 16 national barbecue championships can be achieved, including the last three championships with three different schools.
A small but significant step was taken Monday when the Auburn men’s basketball team finished second in an Associated Press poll for the first time in school history after a week and a resounding victory over Kentucky on Saturday.
The Tigers received 45 of 61 first-place votes and led college basketball. Voting began in the 1948-49 season and Auburn became the sixth school to accomplish this feat under the SEC banner.
Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, and Tennessee have already completed previous conference buildings. The two current SEC rosters, Missouri and South Carolina, also top the list, but are members of the current Big 12 and the Atlantic Coast Conference.
So what’s so special about adding another team to Ledger? Vanderbilt, who was No. 2 in the 1965-66 season, hasn’t moved up the rankings since 2016, and the sport hasn’t changed much since the turn of the century. This is more than most SEC members have accomplished to date. This is another data point for the SEC to continue investing in esports.
SEC men’s basketball is sometimes forgotten. The growth of girls’ basketball, baseball and softball is outpacing the growth of the second most profitable sport in most schools. Only two SEC schools have won national championships. Kentucky has eight, but has only won once since 1999. Florida’s doublings in 2006 and 2007 were the only non-Wildcats net cuts in league history. Far from rave reviews.
The SEC is not without elite coaches. John Calipari is a living legend with his latest title. Alabama native Nate Oates has built the Crimson Tide into a nationally recognized force with no end in sight thanks to his success in the recruiting process. Texas A&M’s Buzz Williams has won everywhere he’s been and it only takes a few years for him to be successful on campus. How about an Eric Musselman turn in Fayetteville and a consistent Rick Barnes in Rocky Top? Pretty impressive.
Which brings us back to Auburn and Bruce Pearl. The 61-year-old former Tennessee head coach may be training his tuhu. This is not discussed. His previous obnoxious behavior is also questionable, but that shouldn’t detract from the Tigers’ recognition as the best college basketball team in the country.
The investment in the construction of the Auburn Arena in Plains is now paying off tremendously, and the noise from the crowd during the games feels spontaneous, more like European soccer or professional wrestling. And what about Olympic champion Sunny Lee, who now also competes for the high school gymnastics team at Auburn Gym? The Tigers have come up with a few things in general.
Let’s hope Auburn’s basketball ratings, no matter how long they stick around, aren’t just an afterthought. Nothing can doubt the conference’s impact on football. But wouldn’t the SEC want more dominance in this area? Perhaps die-hard fans hungry for baseball in Mississippi or softball in Florida can share the secrets to a successful turnout.
The SEC men’s basketball team is not experiencing a recession. Could be so much better. Just take a look at the list of great women’s team coaches. Duane Staley, Kim Mulkey, Gary Blair, Mike Nigbos, Robin Pingerton, Kelly Harper, Johnny Taylor. They are all very talented. The number of national championships won under his programs is also expected to increase dramatically over the next decade.
Currently, Auburn will travel to Missouri for its first-team college basketball game on Tuesday night. Old Auburn lost on his last visit to Columbia. If history repeats itself, the improved image of the country participating in the conference will most likely play a role.
