Half of the Final Four - SEC.
Nuff said.

GO GATORS!!!!!!!!!!

LOL, I guess that took the wind out of the Big East sails. Sorry our Hawgs didn't make it in. That game in Dallas was sad to see. Stan Heath has got the talent. He just needs to coach them a little better.

(Oh yea, both a Razorback and Longhorn fan here.)

50 percent is crazy.
even crazier: one of the teams isn't wearing blue and white; rupp is rolling over in his grave.
just for fun, found a 2005 preseason lineup for ncaab on collegehoops.net: lsu was a respectable 24th; flawda was at 56th. kentucky was 8th.
duke first, texas third.
geaux tigers!

So where was all this SEC spirit three months ago?

i honestly feel that success in basketball is just gravy for most sec fans, with the meat laid out on the football field. the exception would obviously be kentucky.
truly, most lsu fans that i know of (and everyone i know back home is an lsu fan), while basketball fans, just don't obsess about it the same as they do football. and that was true even when lsu had arguably some of the best talent in the country with chris jackson, o'neal and stanley roberts.
i went to undergrad in the pacten where loyalties seem to be more divided, if not in favor of basketball.
i don't know if other sec folks would agree with this assessment.

I'm no SEC fan, but that seems to be an accurate statement.....

btw, how does one mention the great LSU hoops talent without mentioning the Pistol??

Basketball in the SEC definitely is a secondary sport. It's really sad considering some of the talent we have and I think the fact that people here don't care contributes to the national impression that the level of play is lacking. I've always enjoyed basketball, so I go to all the home games for the men and women but most people here go if they're giving out free tshirts or hotdogs or if they get convinced its a huge game. Somehow these same people with high ideals of what it is to be a "true fan" when it comes to football considering themselves true fans of basketball when they might go to 2 games all year, men's and women's combined. It gets pretty frustrating for those of us who do care.

I'm not sure I'd say basketball in the SEC is secondary. Maybe just recently. You may be too young to remember the days of Joe B. Hall and Kentucky's greatness but at one time the ACC and North Carolina weren't the only one's that ruled college basketball. Basketball was one of the reasons Arkansas jumped from the old SWC to the SEC. Of course what goes around comes around and Arkansas is rebuilding its program.

LSUTiger08, enjoy this year's Final Fours (yes, your school is one of the few that can enjoy the distinction of teams in both Final fours). Good luck to the Tigers.

Geaux Tigers (I think I got that right).

Joe B Hall's greatness? :confused: He won 1 NC,and they practically ran him out of town.Btw,when people talk about bball being secondary in the SEC,they mean everywhere EXCEPT UK.No way basketball is anywhere near the level of football everywhere else,and it's even close at Vandy.However they've really never been big in either,so they don't count.

Recent phenomenon? Why do you think Rupp has such a gaudy legacy? Because he beat up on all those other SEC football schools for decades.
I'm trying to think of an SEC school besides UK that has even won a NC.I mean one that has won while they were actually an SEC member,so Arkansas doesn't count.I started seriously following basketball in Rupp's last couple years,and I don't think there have been any.

[ March 28, 2006, 08:08 AM: Message edited by: Tim ]

On behalf of y'alls Southern sibling conference, the ACC -- Congrats to the SEC !!

[quote]Tim:
[QUOTE].

I mean one that has won while they were actually an SEC member,so Arkansas doesn't count.I started seriously following basketball in Rupp's last couple years,and I don't think there have been any. [/quote]Arkansas was a member of the SEC when they won it all in '94, though the SWC was still intact at the time without them.

[quote]blueraider:
[quote]Tim:
[QUOTE].

I mean one that has won while they were actually an SEC member,so Arkansas doesn't count.I started seriously following basketball in Rupp's last couple years,and I don't think there have been any. [/quote]Arkansas was a member of the SEC when they won it all in '94, though the SWC was still intact at the time without them. [/quote]I thought it was close,but I had to go to work and didn't have time to do the research.Could be looking at a title for UF this year(my prediction),but even that won't change UF to a bball school,or the SEC into a bball conference.
UK has totally dominated the SEC in hoops for decades,and I can't see that ever changing.

For the record, Arkansas beat Duke 76-72 to win the National Championship in 1994. They were, of couse, a member of the SEC.

No offense Raze,cause I usually enjoy your posts.
Maybe your computer doesn't allow you to read the previous post before yours,but the correction to my mistake,and my own admission of screwing up,were the last posts prior to your post.And I posted my mea culpa last night,and I stand corrected.

So Soo-eeeee that, Hog Man!

[ March 29, 2006, 09:03 AM: Message edited by: Tim ]

It is nice to see the SEC perform well in the NCAA. I would love to see a LSU vs. Fla title game. If you would have told me in October that there would be 2 SEC schools in the final 4 I would have bet my house the Big Blue would have been one of them)

SEC basketball appears to be on the upswing. Bruce Pearl is working wonders at UT; Alabama, LSU, Arkansas & Florida are on an uptick and Dennis Felton will have Georgia in the NCAA Tourney soon. I don't think Odom is getting the most of the talent at South Carolina (but it was nice to see the 'cocks whip up on Louisville last night.

I do agree that the SEC is and always will be a football conference. Other than UK, I think only Arkansas truly has a passion for basketball. Sure, there are pockets of fans at Fla, LSU, Bama, etc. who live and die basketball but the pigskin rules in the SEC.

I would like to say that whiile we certainly love our hoops in the bluegrass state, UK Fans also support our woeful football team. 60 to 70K is the norm for most of the home games, not bad considering we have only been to 2 bowl games in the last 20 years. eek!

Anyway.....

Geaux Tigers (men & women) and Gators.

60 to 70k per game? that's pretty damn loyal fans. just out of curiosity, what's the enrollment at uk? what about basketball? are all games sold out? are season tickets totally locked up for generations? don't mean to be ignorant, but just don't know much about uk.

Thanks for the post Gumbeaux. I think UK football fans are like cub fans. Maybe if we stopped showing up for games the product on the field might get better! LOL

As to your questions:

The enrollment on the Lexington campus is about 25,000 and then maybe another 5K to 7K are enrolled at Lexington Community College (considered a part of UK). I might be off a little.

As to basketball, Rupp seats approx 23,000 of those seats I think about 17K are for season ticket holders and the remaining 6K or so are for students. Season tickets are virtually impossible to get. I am pretty sure that season ticket holders are allowed to pass them down through one generation. However in actuality tickets never seem to turn over (unless you have very deep pockets).

There is not a waiting list like the one in Green Bay. Instead UK holds a lottery every year for any tickets up for grabs. Last year I think there were 5 sets of tickets in the lottery. I think over 15K people applied (not sure on that number).

Usually you can buy some left over upper arena student tickets for the games over semester break or for some "cupcake city" games.

It is not unheard of for fans to pay $4K or $5K to a scalper like premiumtickets out of cincy for lower level season tickets. That is why I think alot of UK fans flock to the SEC Tourney. They can (hopefully) see UK play 3 games in 3 days and get a little vacation to boot and not deal with the hassle of trying to get tix to Rupp.

If we have more of these 10+ loss seasons more tickets might become available!

Enjoy your weekend of hoops! I am very envious of LSU athletics. You guys (and gals) are good in virtually every sport from football to baseball to track to basketball.

Well, all the analysts said that the SEC was having a down year after all of thier top players left early or graduated...

pretty amazing what they have accomplished this in the season and the tournament.

a total of 6 teames in the tournament, tring them for second. 2 teams in the finfal 4 with a chance to have and all SEC championship, and a South Carolina team with just defended thier NIT championship (has only happened once before)

Now... from top to bottom, i would still say the big east is better. thier worst teams can still play with the best in teh country, while MSU lost by 40 points to weak kentucky team.

the SEC will probably always be a football conference, but i think this year has really made people stand up and take notice of our basketball skill.

look at the way LSU has played in this tournament. they made it look like it was almost impossible to score many times... it makes you wonder how they lost so many games in the regular season.

looking at only the tournament though... the ACC got noone past the sweet 16, where they had as many teams as the MVC. the big 10, big 12, and big east tourny champs went out early in the tourny. I would really like to see a win loss percentage per conference for this tourney, I bet the CAA would be on top with thier 80%.

How do you determine the best though? well, i guess thats for everyone out there to decide. I say its the Big East since every team in it is strong. but if we want to go off the tourney alone, i think the SEC definatly comes out on top

I rest my case.
SEC!
SEC!

Congratulations to the Billy Donovan and the Gators. It just goes to show how coaching and hard work can reap rewards. I was a little surprised that they beat UCLA so easily; credit Donovan's defense which forced UCLA into a two man game with the other three spectating most of the time.

Floride beat LSU twice with this same five-guard offense (for lack of a better name, the big men play like guards), leading to dunk after dunk after dunk. I'm a huge LSU fan but knew they would lose to Florida if the reached the chamionship game, something I really did not want to see.

I hope they don't run me out of the state of Louisiana for saying this because I love LSU, but after all that trash talking and smack from the LSU Frontcourt about the UCLA program, and their complete disrespect for its players and tradition, they very probably got what they deserved. Hopefully they've learned that they must now respect the talent and humanity of their opponents. Or, at the very least, if you're going to talk smack, then prove it on the court.

Conference results in the NCAA tourney:

SEC......13-5....72%
Pac-10...8-4....67%
ACC.......6-4.....60%
big east..11-8*..58%
Big 12....4-4....50%
Big 10....3-6....33%

(*=record for most losses ever by a conference in a single NCAA tourney)

Congrats to the SEC on a great 2nd half of the year. Correct me if I am wrong, but I don't think Florida lost a game outside SEC play. That is damn impressive. My alma malter did beat them twice in the regular season though wink .

Tar Heel,

I think the Big East had a record number of losses based on sending a record number of teams into the NCAA. If a team from a conference doesn't win the National Championship, all conferences will end up losing a number that equates to the number of teams it sent into the NCAA tourney.

Interestingly enough, even with the ACC's record, having no team advance past the sweet 16 kinda keeps things into perspective and makes the SEC accomplishments that more impressive.

I find it hysterical that the two most maligned conferences did the best. So much for the "experts," huh? The SEC obviously did fabulously well, but I'm damned proud of my PAC-10.

Not to be a Big 10 homer,but didn't the exact same thing happen last year when everyone said the Big 10 was down and they got 2 teams to the Ff4? The tournament is all about matchups,and that was readily apparent this year more than any single year I can remember.

I said last year that none of the 2005 Ff4 would repeat,and I'm willing to bet the same is true next year as well.In fact,I think there is so much parity that the idea of a Duke or UNC going to mutiple consecutive Ff4s is probably a thing of the past. wink

I’ve seen several mock drafts that have LSU’s Tyrus Thomas (1st or 2nd) going to Chicago via New York, and, his buddy Big Baby (somewhere between 8th and 12th) going to the Rockets. No quarrel with either pick or projected team. But I also see where J.J. Redding is projected to the New Orleans Hornets (don’t even mention Oklahoma to me!). I love this guy; not only because of the grace and honesty he displayed through a season of endless taunts, but also because of what he accomplished on the court. When you look at his record, he has to be considered the best college basketball player this year. But…..I’m just not seeing how he’s going to fit in here. He doesn’t jump well, so can’t alter shots or shoot over anybody; is too weak and thin to fight through screens or defend against them; and can’t create his own shot. I would think he would fare better on a team with superstars who routinely draw double and triple teams, leaving him unattended for those wide open triples he eats for lunch. My buddy, LSUtiger, suggested he’d do well on a team whose guards run a lot of penetrate-and-dish, setting him up that way. Because the Hornets have neither a bona fide superstar, nor a crafty ball handler at point, I still doubt he'll get many clean lloks at the basket. As I said, I like JJ (he’s a classy dude) and wish him the best, but I hope the mock drafts are wrong.

In addition, the Big Easy, the City That Care Forgot, doesn’t seem like a good fit for a devout northerner (does he even know what a Second Line is? Is he the type to appreciate or join in a spontaneous parade? Is he comfortable in a city where inebriated ladies routinely flash boobs from balconies and gay men routinely parade about in crotchless peacock costumes? There’s nothing devout about Bourbon Street!). On the other hand, religious or not, he’s sure to like the food (I’m guessing he’s never had gumbo or sucked crawfish heads either), and, we are a city that loves a challenge; so maybe we can convert him to the fun side of life. After a year of constant questioning of his sexual preference, and, a quicker than expected exit from the tournament, he probably needs this town more than we need him. If the mock drafts are right and JJ does end up in a Hornet’s uniform; and if coach can fit him in the offense; and if he buries his open shots, I guarantee you Nawlins won’t give a damn about his athletic shortcomings, his religion affiliation, his goody-two-shoes image, or his sexual preference.

The local news channels just reported that Tyrus Thomas, LSU's power forward, will definitely enter the NBA draft and won't be returning next season. They also reported that Big Baby Glen Davis is definitely returning to LSU next season; apparently he's been told that he needs to work on his game more.

This does not relate to basketball, but couldn't find an SEC Football thread. Breaking news just posted at SECtalk.com):

Alabama Booster Logan Young Found Dead

By Chris Conley
Contact
April 11, 2006
The prime suspect was originally believed to be Logan Young’s son, but that now appears to be only part of the story. It is being widely reported on local talk shows in Baton Rouge, Tuscaloosa, and Memphis that Logan’s death had nothing to do with his booster activities, the Univ. of Tennessee (who was implicated in similar booster scheme last year during Logan Young’s trial), Coach Fulmer, or the University of Alabama, but is instead related to his son’s drug debt.

Apparently, Logan’s son had run up a huge drug debt, owed big money, couldn’t get his dad to cover the debt, so then led the dealers directly to his dad’s home where they tried to persuade him to pay up; he refused so they bludgeoned him to death (Dumb, if you ask me, since now everybody loses). It looks like the son and the dealers were involved in this murder. Sad.

If anybody out there has the latest news about this, please keep us posted.

Sorry. Here's The Quote:

Alabama Booster (Logan) Young Found Dead

By Chris Conley
Contact
April 11, 2006
Memphis police were at a Chickasaw Gardens home Tuesday morning where Alabama booster Logan Young was found dead.
Homicide detectives were at the scene at 226 Goodwyn, but there were no details about Young’s death.

Young, an avid Alabama fan, was convicted of racketeering, bribery and structuring a financial transaction to evade reporting requirements.
At the trial, Trezevant High coach Lynn Lang testified that he had indeed, given substantial amounts of laundered money to Alabama football recruit Albert Means, who it was revealed never took the college-entrance test. Lang also implicated other schools in the "bidding war" for Means.

The story began when Trezevant assistant coach Milton Kirk went to The Commercial Appeal with his story that Young funneled the money to Lang to get Means to play football for Alabama.

[ April 11, 2006, 06:24 PM: Message edited by: Thomas ]

Aw, you're just saying that because the Big Ten did so poorly this year wink
Seriously, though, I know that the argument about match-ups is made by a lot of analysts. I remember Clark Kellogg making that statement when asked about the Big 10 bowing out this year. My problem with that is that all games are about match-ups, whether regular season or tournament. Some teams match up better against certain other teams, both in conference play and outside of their conferences. That doesn't keep the experts from using the regular season to bash certain conferences. For example, if a PAC-10 team plays an ACC team during the regular season and loses, it is used to show that the PAC-10 team (and, by extension, the conference) is weaker. Now, if they meet in the NCAA tournament and the opposite happens, why does it not indicate the same thing? Nothing is different. They're playing the same game by the same rules. That's my problem with the match-up argument.