The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is poised to make history again in men’s basketball, following a record-breaking season last year where 14 teams from the conference made it into the NCAA tournament and Florida won the national championship. However, changes due to COVID-19 may impact the conference this year.
Impact of COVID-19 on the SEC
According to Texas Coach Sean Miller, who is in his first year after being hired away from Arizona, the absence of players with an extra year of eligibility will be particularly felt by conferences with more resources for recruiting talent.
- Miller’s Insights:
- "This will likely affect power conferences such as my own SEC."
- The SEC had benefited from many talented players exercising their fifth year under previous rules during the pandemic.
With fewer veteran high-end talents available this season compared to last, Miller predicts a shift away from older rosters and potentially fewer bids for top-conference teams in future tournaments.
- Predictions:
- "I think you’ll see more freshmen playing significant roles on college basketball teams."
- Younger players are expected to step up due to the lack of veterans.
Optimism from SEC Leadership
Despite these challenges, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey remains optimistic about the conference’s performance this season. He aims for 16 men’s basketball teams from the SEC to make it into this year’s NCAA tournament.
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Sankey’s Perspective:
- "That would be great," he said, acknowledging the difficulty of achieving this without similar circumstances as last year.
- He expressed hope given recent trends within coaching ranks, highlighting increased competitiveness across various sports leagues, including college basketball.
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Coaching Developments:
- "We’ve seen some really good coaching hires over the past few years."
- The SEC boasts many talented coaches currently leading teams in the league.
In summary, while the SEC faces challenges this season due to the impact of COVID-19 and changes in player eligibility, there remains a sense of optimism and potential for success within the conference.
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