Insiders agree UA remains a good job

FAYETTEVILLE -- The emphasis SEC schools have placed on basketball -- mandated by the late Mike Slive as commissioner after the conference had three teams in the NCAA Tournament in 2013 and 2014 -- is evident the past two seasons.

The SEC had a record eight teams make the NCAA Tournament in 2018, and this season followed it up with seven.

Four SEC teams made the Sweet 16 -- Auburn, Kentucky, LSU and Tennessee -- for the third time. It also happened in 1986 and 1996.

But there's a less cheerful side to the SEC's progress in basketball. It means more coaches are losing their jobs.

Four SEC coaches were fired after competing their seasons, including Mike Anderson, who had a 169-102 record in eight…