With the SEC basketball season beginning, Alabama basketball fans are wondering how good is the Crimson Tide and how good (or bad) are the other 15 SEC teams. Nearly every credible college basketball source rates the SEC as the game's best league in the 2024-25 season.
The record for the most teams from one conference in an NCAA Tournament was set by the Big East in 2011, with 11 teams making the Big Dance. As many as 13 SEC teams are projected to make the 2025, 68-team field.
Alabama basketball fans celebrating that prediction might want to look away quickly. One source stated the SEC is the best conference by far, "with the best team in the sport in Auburn, and possibly the best player in the sport in Johni Broome." Through gritted teeth, I can agree for now. It helps that January's 'best team' predictions are always incomplete due to a lack of data and because teams often change significantly from January to March.
In most seasons, the true nature of top teams is not revealed before February. While that may not change in the 2024-25 season, much will be learned in January in SEC play. Going into the first Saturday of SEC games, the worst record among SEC basketball teams belongs to South Carolina, at 10-3. Eight SEC teams, including Alabama Basketball, are 11-2. Auburn and three other SEC teams are 12-1. Tennessee, Florida, and Oklahoma are undefeated at 13-0.
The records may be more than a little misleading. Using Ken Pomeroy's Strength of Schedule (SOS) calculation, 11 SEC teams have an SOS of No. 134 or higher. The SEC's undefeated teams have SOS rankings of No. 173 (Tennessee); No. 227 (Florida), and No. 345 (Oklahoma). Eight other SEC teams have SOS rankings ranging from Arkansas at No. 251 to Texas and Missouri at No. 360 and No. 361.
The SEC has impressive out-of-conference wins, but the seemingly gaudy records for some SEC teams will take a dip.
Alabama Basketball SOS
The most impressive SOS rankings among SEC teams are the Alabama Crimson Tide at No. 11 and the Auburn Tigers at No. 14. Even for the Crimson Tide and the Tigers, SEC road wins will not come easily. Many SEC basketball experts predict a 13-5 SEC record should at least be enough for a regular-season, shared championship.
Alabama begins SEC play, hosting the Oklahoma Sooners at 5:00 PM CST. The full slate of SEC basketball games on Jan. 4 can be seen here.