Two strong messages came out of the SEC running roughshod over the ACC in the recent 16-team Challenge. One was the Alabama Crimson Tide has an upside potential, to overcome tough road challenges. The other was SEC basketball is so damn good, SEC road games are going to be harder to win than ever.
Last year the same event was held, with each conference having 14 teams. The SEC vs ACC outcome was 7-7. This year 32 teams competed for 16 wins and the SEC dominated 14-2. The two SEC laggards were the Kentucky Wildcats and the Auburn Tigers. The Wildcats lost on the road to Clemson, 70-66. Auburn was at Cameron Indoor and lost to Duke 84-78.
The Alabama Crimson Tide beat the North Carolina Tar Heels badly in the Dean Dome, 94-79. Other SEcC wins were even more one-sided. Tennessee beat Syracuse by 26 points; Ole Miss beat Louisville by 23 points; Georgia beat Notre Dame by 21; South Carolina beat Boston College by 22, and the Mississippi State Bulldogs beat the Pitt Panthers by 33 points. All game scores, courtesy of Yahoo, are here and here.
The SEC can lay claim to being college basketball's best conference. There is a downside to the strength of the league. It is that no SEC team will be able to count on easy road wins when league play begins in a few weeks.
Alabama Crimson Tide and SEC Road Schedules
Last season, Tennessee and South Carolina were the SEC's best road teams at 7-2. This season 5-4 will likely be a top performance. Only five of the SEC's 14 teams had winning SEC road records last season. In the 2024 SEC season, Kentucky was 6-3 on the road; Alabama and Auburn were 5-4.
Road games are tough in college basketball when hostile arenas impact games. Visiting players sometimes play tighter in intimidating environments. The individuals most impacted; are the officials. Though officiating results are not generally believed to be intentional, home teams frequently shoot more free throws than road teams.
The Alabama Crimson Tide can prove itself as the SEC's best team. But no matter how good Alabama becomes, the Crimson Tide will lose some tough SEC road games.