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· A record-tying 10 SEC teams received postseason bids. The SEC’s eight NCAA Tournament selections tied its previous bests set in 2018 and 2023. Additionally, two SEC teams will be competing in the National Invitation Tournament.
· It is the third straight season and sixth overall that the SEC has received 10 postseason bids.
· The SEC’s eight NCAA Tournament selections tied for the most in the nation (Big 12).
· The SEC’s four top four seeds are the most since 2002.
· The SEC has had 43 NCAA Tournament selections over the last six tournaments (7.2 selections per tournament).
· The SEC is 87-55 (61.3 percent) in the NCAA Tournament since 2012.
· All 14 SEC teams have made at least one NCAA Tournament appearance in the last nine tournaments.
· The SEC has had at least one team advance to the Sweet 16 in 32 of the last 33 tournaments.
· Nine different SEC teams have advanced to the Sweet 16 since the 2018 NCAA Tournament. All 14 SEC members have advanced to the Sweet 16 since 1996.
· The SEC has advanced at least one team to the Elite Eight in nine of the last 13 tournaments.
· Eight different SEC teams (Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi State and South Carolina) have appeared in the Final Four.
· No. 4 seed Alabama is making its 24th NCAA appearance and fourth-straight under Nate Oats. The Tide are 23-23 all-time in the tournament.
· Auburn earned a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament after winning the SEC Tournament championship. The Tigers are making their 13th NCAA appearance and fifth in the last six tournaments. The Tigers are 19-12 (.613) all-time in NCAA Tournament games and 7-4 under Bruce Pearl.
· Seventh-seeded Florida are making their 22nd NCAA appearance and first under second-year head coach Todd Golden. UF holds an all-time 45-19 record in NCAA Tournament.
· Georgia is making its first postseason appearance in seven years. The bid is Bulldog’s 15th to the NIT.
· No. 3 seed Kentucky extended its national record for most NCAA Tournament appearances to 61, earning a No. 3 seed. UK holds the NCAA Tournament record for most games played (184) and ranks second all-time in NCAA Tournament wins with 130.
· LSU returns to postseason play 24 months after the team had no coaching staff and no players on its roster by participating in the NIT. The Tigers are making their ninth NIT appearance overall.
· Mississippi St. secured its second NCAA Tournament bid in as many years under Chris Jans as the Bulldogs earned a No. 8 seed. MSU is making its 13th NCAA appearance.
· South Carolina is making its first NCAA appearance since its 2017 run to the Final Four. It is the 10th appearance in program history for the sixth-seeded Gamecocks.
· No. 2 seed Tennessee is competing in the NCAA Tournament for the 26th time in school history and sixth time in a row. Rick Barnes is leading a team to the NCAA Tournament for the 28th time, tying Bob Knight for fourth-most all-time.
· Texas A&M is making back-to-back appearances in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2010-11. It is the school’s 16th NCAA Tournament appearance.
· Five SEC teams are ranked in the March 18 Associated Press poll: 6th Tennessee, 7th Auburn, 12th Kentucky, 16th South Carolina, and 19th Alabama. Florida is among the teams receiving votes.
· Ten of the SEC’s 14 teams have been ranked in the Associated Press poll at one point this season.
· The SEC’s three Top 10 NET teams are the most in the nation, four Top 20 are the second-most, and seven Top 50 teams are second-most in the nation (as of March 17).
· Five SEC teams (2. Alabama, 5. Kentucky, 10. Auburn, 13. Florida, 28. Tennessee) rank in the Top 30 of KenPom’s offensive efficiency rankings.
· Three SEC teams (3. Tennessee, 5. Auburn, 20. Mississippi State) rank in the Top 20 of KenPom’s defensive efficiency rankings.
· Three SEC teams rank in the Top 5 nationally in attendance: 1. Kentucky (358,702/19,928 avg), 2. Arkansas (343,905/19,106 avg), 4. Tennessee (314,617/19,664 avg).
· Kentucky’s John Calipari (813) and Tennessee’s Rick Barnes (803) are the only two active coaches in Division I with 800 or more wins.
· SEC teams reached the 100-point mark 15 times in league play this season. That is more than any season in the last 25 years. The previous high was in 2020-21 when it was done five times. Fifteen of the last 25 seasons saw one or fewer teams reach the century mark in SEC games.
· ESPN’s College Gameday visited SEC arenas three times this season. The first stop was Bud Walton Arena (Kentucky at Arkansas on Jan. 17), followed by Neville Arena (Kentucky at Auburn on Feb. 17) and then Coleman Coliseum (Tennessee at Alabama on March 2).
· The SEC won the final three games of the first ACC/SEC Challenge to take a 7-7 tie with the ACC. The ACC/SEC Challenge marks the third interconference challenge the SEC has been a part of. The SEC also had events against the Big East (2007-08 to 2012-13) and Big 12 (2013-14 to 2022-23).
· Eight former SEC players were named to the 2024 NBA All-Star roster: Bam Adebayo (MIA/UK), Devin Booker (PHX/UK), Anthony Davis (LAL/UK) Anthony Edwards (MIN/UG), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC/UK), Tyrese Maxey (PHI/UK), Julius Randle (NYK/UK), and Karl-Athony Towns (MIN/UK).
· 60 SEC players have been selected in the last six NBA Drafts. That leads all conferences: 50 ACC, 41 Big Ten, 37 Pac-12, 29 Big 12 and 19 Big East.
· 92 players from SEC schools were on 2023-24 NBA Opening Day rosters. Twelve of 14 SEC schools are represented and at least one SEC player is on 29 of the 30 NBA rosters.
· The SEC led all conferences with 10 players selected in the 2023 NBA Draft. Six first round selections also led the nation.
· Three SEC teams won holiday tournament titles this season: Auburn (Legends Classic), Mississippi State (Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off), South Carolina (Arizona Tip-Off).
NCAA Tournament Schedule (All Times Eastern):
Thursday, March 21
West Region First Round – Charlotte, N.C.
8 Mississippi St. vs. 9 Michigan St. CBS 12:15p
Midwest Region First Round – Pittsburgh, Pa.
6 South Carolina vs. 11 Oregon TNT 4:00p
South Region First Round – Pittsburgh, Pa.
3 Kentucky vs. 14 Oakland CBS 7:10p
Midwest Region First Round – Charlotte, N.C.
2 Tennessee vs. 15 Saint Peter’s TNT 9:20p
Friday, March 22
East Region First Round – Spokane, Wash.
4 Auburn vs. 13 Yale TNT 4:00p
South Region First Round – Indianapolis Ind.
7 Florida vs. 10 Colorado/10 Boise State TBS 4:30p
South Region First Round – Memphis, Tenn.
9 Texas A&M vs. 8 Nebraska TNT 6:50p
West Region First Round – Spokane, Wash.
4 Alabama vs. 13 Charleston truTV 7:35p
Saturday, March 23
West Region Second Round – Charlotte, N.C.
8 Mississippi St./9 Michigan St. vs. 1 North Carolina/TBD
Midwest Region Second Round – Charlotte, N.C.
2 Tennessee/15 Saint Peter’s vs. 7 Texas/TBD
Midwest Region Second Round – Pittsburgh, Pa.
6 South Carolina/11 Oregon vs. 3 Creighton/14 Akron
South Region Second Round – Pittsburgh, Pa.
3 Kentucky/14 Oakland vs. 6 Texas Tech/11 NC State
Sunday, March 24
East Region Second Round – Spokane, Wash.
4 Auburn/13 Yale vs. 5 San Diego St./12 UAB
West Region Second Round – Spokane, Wash.
4 Alabama/13 Charleston vs. 5 Saint Mary’s/12 Grand Canyon
South Region Second Round – Memphis, Tenn.
9 Texas A&M/8 Nebraska vs. 1 Houston/16 Longwood
South Region Second Round – Indianapolis Ind.
7 Florida/10 Colorado/10 Boise St. vs. 2 Marquette/15 Western Ky.
National Invitation Tournament
Tuesday, March 19
North Texas at 4 LSU SEC Network 7:00p
Xavier at 4 Georgia ESPN 7:00p