The football conference that took college basketball by storm

The SEC, known for elite football programs and fans that treat the sport like a religion, is the dominant basketball conference entering the NCAA Tournament.

Auburn, the top college basketball team in the country, was called first on Selection Sunday. A few moments later it was Texas A&M’s turn. Then Ole Miss. Then Mississippi State. By the full reveal of the 2025 NCAA Tournament’s bracket, 10 more SEC schools would be named. 

The conference has 16 programs — and an unprecedented 14 made into the NCAA Tournament, including four of the top eight teams in the bracket. The aforementioned Tigers, Florida, Tennessee and Alabama were all seeded No. 1 or No. 2.

“It’s a dominating performance,” ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla told NBC News. “I’m not sure there’s ever been a conference that is this clearly far ahead of everyone else in a given year.”

Not bad for a league most people associate with football. The SEC has 13 national championships since 2006, routinely brings in the best high school recruits, produces the most NFL talent and boasts fan bases that treat the sport like a religion.  

But in 2025, the roundball — not the pigskin — reigns supreme. 

https://www.nbcnews.com/sports/college-basketball/ncaa-tournament-sec-basketball-football-rcna195955

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