In recent year’s the SEC hasn’t been known as a basketball conference. They’ve only been okay and relevant in the national spotlight thanks to Kentucky, but they haven’t been great. However, that gap is closing. Just last season many people argued the SEC was the best conference in the nation thanks to the rise of Auburn and Tennessee.
Just five short years ago, the SEC only received three bids to the big dance. That was four teams less than the nation-leading seven bids from the Big 12. In 2016, much of the same applied only it wasn’t just the Big 12 leading the way; every other Power Five conference received seven bids as well.