NCAA tournament: SEC (Georgia) has passed ACC (Tech)
Georgia has punctuated SEC's rise in basketball by making tournament. (Jason Getz/AJC)
Georgia obviously is ahead of Georgia Tech in basketball right now.
But has the SEC also moved past the ACC?
When the NCAA tournament field was announced Sunday night, the SEC had more teams (five) in the bracket than the ACC (four — and that includes Clemson, which must play a preliminary round game against Alabama-Birmingham Tuesday).
The ACC has two of the top six teams in the country, Duke and North Carolina, according to RPI. But the conference was obviously down this season. The SEC is on the rise, led by the improvement at Georgia under coach Mark Fox.
This isn’t a debate about “tradition” but rather where things are at right now. After Kentucky beat Florida Sunday, and before the tournament field was announced, coach John Calipari said: “I hope, I really hope, that Georgia’s in. I really hope that Alabama’s in. I really do. This league is better than everybody wants to give it credit for. The coaching and the players are outstanding. And there were talking heads today — I usually don’t listen to Digger Phelps because he’s usually wrong — but he said that when those teams get in the tournament, they win games. And I’m telling you, we lost to both of those teams [Georgia and Alabama]. They will win games.”
(Postscript: Alabama didn’t get in, despite being Georgia in the final regular season game and in the conference tournament.)
Here are the two conference’s tournament teams, including RPI.
♦ ACC: Duke (5), North Carolina (6), Florida State (46), Clemson (57)
♦ SEC: Florida (10), Kentucky (12), Vanderbilt (26), Tennessee (36), Georgia (39).
Seems kind of obvious which conference is better right now, doesn’t it?
By Jeff Schultz
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241 comments Add your comment
Tide Rising
March 14th, 2011
11:44 am
“As for Bama, two games does not a season make. Play SOMEBODY in your OOC and then don’t go 8-6 in your OOC.”-the Truth
theTruth and JSS,
Point taken. Bama was slow to start off the season but once we gelled we won 17 of our last 22- the NCAA is supposed to look at momentum and improvement also as an intangible.
And just as you can complain and say we should have done better nonconference I can look at you and say maybe you should have done better in conference (10-8 vs 13-5 including 5-3 against the East).
I can also say maybe you should have done better in your games against the top 50 (3-9 which is abysmal) or top 100 (5-11). When you look at those stats your season is very unimpressive.
In a scenario where the 2 teams are neck and neck it should have come down to head to head- especially since both head to head games were in the last week. Good luck and go ahead and celebrate getting in while we didn’t. I’ll go ahead and celebrate spanking you twice in one week.
yeah
March 14th, 2011
11:46 am
Worm…maybe you are partly right. But the Big East powers have been recruiting like this for a long time. Some of the crap teams in the ACC still have had top talent flowing through….for example NC State and GT who have recruited 5 stars, one and dones, and put people in the NBA all while playing at a low level in conference and out. Paul Hewitt and Sidney Lowe really wasted a lot of talent… however there is still plenty to go around.
Tide Rising
March 14th, 2011
11:47 am
Beast of the East,
11-3 against the RPI top 50 is well deserving of a no. 2 seed. Nuff said and good luck.
5150 UOAD
March 14th, 2011
11:49 am
DawginLex
The old ACC Big East challenge was every team in the ACC played every team in the Big East. 1 ACC team vs 1 SEC doen’t the Challenge make. The ACC and SEC have the same # of teams. So in one week they could each face another team from the other conference. I also think a few years back the ACC did the challenge against the Big 10 too. That challenge didn’t last as long as the ACC Big East challenge did.
Hewitt Fan
March 14th, 2011
11:50 am
@GTBob
GT beat NC this year..Kennesaw ST beat Gt UGA beat GT..Last year Duke had 2 seniors starters who did not even get drafted!The refs carried Duke to a title..Without the ACC refs, UGA would pound Duke on the glass..Who would guard Trey? Singiler? Travis Lesile would have a field day on Duke lol..UT could easily beat Duke in the second round…Duke is headed out west my friend..Time to see how good they really are!
JoeFan
March 14th, 2011
11:54 am
UGA was just fortunate to get into the tournament. They lost twice to an Alabama team that was clearly better but for inadequate justification left out of the Dance and just narrowly defeated an under coached GT team. Lets see what Fox does after his talent leaves. He still hasn’t proved he can recruit. The statement SEC passes ACC so far doesan’t hold water, yet.
Beast from the East
March 14th, 2011
11:55 am
Tide Rising,
Thanks. For the record, I think your team should have gotten in, but their early season woes really hurt them. Grant is going to be a good one. He had that team playing some ferocious defense the second half of the season. You just need a couple of guys that can shoot from the perimeter. That was really the only glaring weakness on an otherwise solid team.
Grant to GT?
March 14th, 2011
11:57 am
Uh oh Alabama fans. The idea of coaching in the ACC may be too much to turn down.
you idiot
March 14th, 2011
12:01 pm
Schultz, you are about as dumb as Bradley. It took a lot of strength not to comment on Bradley’s earlier story predicting UGA upsetting UNC in the second round… now I have to read this crap from you?! You people at the ajc are so incredibly stupid and moronic it makes me sick. Next year, when the ACC has more bowl appearances in football, I would bet my life that y’all would not even fathom publishing a column about the ACC surpassing the SEC in football, and Tech surpassing UGA. I mean, get real. What kind of opiates and psychadellic narcotics are you folks ingesting over there? How in the f’ing world does the Macon Telegraph print superior stories to the ajc? You make me want to vomit every time I see that stupid, smug, dick head smile that should have a thought bubble above your head reading “Dee Da Dee” when I read one of your jaw-dropping columns. I quit. Every time I see one of your stupid headlines I pray for a mistype, but the column always reiterates just how incredibly inept you are. I hate you.
JSS
March 14th, 2011
12:03 pm
@ Tide Rising…
I don’t think anything short of them winning the SEC Tournament outright helps them. Those losses yo really bad teams just killed them.
@ Jeff Schultz…
VA Tech just had too many injuries. Seth Greenberg (not one of my favorite people) will one day build a team that can stay healthy. It’s a recurring problem… Moreover, he knows that people question his non-conference schedules and still thumbs his nose at the process….
Buckeye
March 14th, 2011
12:04 pm
you idiot,
How do you really feel?
Tide Rising
March 14th, 2011
12:05 pm
Beast,
You must know your basketball because that pretty much sums up our team. Poor start to the season, great defensive play, but absolutely atrocious perimeter shooting- glaring weakness was a good way to describe it. Anyway, good luck in the tourney. I think UF and UK- which is really hot right now- can both be final four and or nc title caliber teams. After those 2 and after UNC and Duke in the ACC its a pretty good drop off in both conferences.
CrackDaddy
March 14th, 2011
12:05 pm
UNC is a two seed while starting 2 frosh, 2 sophs, and 1 jr. Heel, they’re still babies.
Johnny Vaught
March 14th, 2011
12:06 pm
Not based on that shallow analysis.
5150 UOAD
March 14th, 2011
12:06 pm
HEWITT FAN
with all YOUR POWER and PULL why don’t you see if you can get DUKE to play UGA after the SEASON on a Neutral Floor with your beloved AAU referees and let us see what would happen.
Coach K 36 years as a Head Coach.
2 NIT apperances
4 Championships
4 Runner-ups
3 Final 4’s
1 Elite 8
7 Sweet 16’s
5 2nd rounds
2 1st rounds
If Duke gets some call well I think you can see why. You are such a Basketball genius you should be able to understand this concept. I am sure your Atlanta Celtics get a lot of calls because of who they are or because the Refs are scared of your fans.
GTBob
March 14th, 2011
12:08 pm
GT beat NC this year..Kennesaw ST beat Gt UGA beat GT..Last year Duke had 2 seniors starters who did not even get drafted!
This is why UGA would blow out Duke? Try harder. I’m sure all of the basketball experts in the country agree with you that Duke would have no chance against UGA.
papadawg
March 14th, 2011
12:08 pm
The Dawgs first passed GT in football and now Basketball, life is good
woebegong
March 14th, 2011
12:10 pm
Simple solution for one so disapointed in the journalist at AJC. Don’t read the damn paper then. You just wasted a lot of space on this blog.
GOOOOOO DAWGSSSSSSS
Tide Rising
March 14th, 2011
12:11 pm
JSS,
Sure. We had some bad losses early in the season. My point though is that it was early and we dramatically improved and won 17 of our last 22, we dominated a division of a big 6 conference, and although the west was weak we went 4-2 against the east during the regular season including a win at UT and a win over UK. Against the 4 east division teams that went to the tourney we lost only to UF, split with UK, beat UT at UT, and swept UGA. That’s 4-2 against the teams in our own conference that did go to the tourney. How do you explain that?
5150 UOAD
March 14th, 2011
12:13 pm
woebegong
You know what would be no fun. LOL. We know Mark and Jeff write stories for facts and to get BLOG hits too. That what makes it fun. Atlanta has so many people from so many places the blogs can get a view from just about any teams fans. It is all fun for the most part.
Beast from the East
March 14th, 2011
12:13 pm
woebegong,
Well said!
bulldogmaniac
March 14th, 2011
12:15 pm
It must stink for techies knowing that the bee’s are behind UGA in the 2 MAJOR sports!
you idiot
March 14th, 2011
12:15 pm
@woebegong,
I may have wasted a lot of space on this blog, but you have wasted even more space on this Earth! Doesnn’t Athens have their own news paper? The Athens Herald, I believe? The ajc stands for the Athens Journal Const.
Oh yeah, I hate you too.
John
March 14th, 2011
12:18 pm
UGA definitely ahead of GT in athletics…but the SEC is not above the ACC in basketball. Not how many teams you get in the tourney…it’s how far they go. 0 will be in the Final Four, possibly even the Elite Eight. You won’t say the same about the ACC.
Paul in RDU
March 14th, 2011
12:20 pm
2010-2011 is probably the worst year ever in ACC basketball and there is no doubt that the SEC was better – this year. Let’s see how long the SEC stays better than the ACC. GT is about to get a new coach, as is NCSU. Clemson looks like they hired a winner in Brownell. Hamilton, Krzyzewski, Williams and Williams aren’t going anywhere.
Supersize that order, mutt
March 14th, 2011
12:24 pm
Don’t be surprised if Tech goes hard after Bobby Knight.
Brian F.
March 14th, 2011
12:26 pm
Love the fact that none of the so called National experts are picking the Dogs. Gotta Love that. Upset waiting to happen. If we play well, we can beat Washington.
Jeff Schultz
March 14th, 2011
12:28 pm
Dawggirl — No problem. Tony’s a friend and his contributions will be missed.
Pull My Finger
March 14th, 2011
12:29 pm
Hey, wait! Tech’s going to the N.I.T. (Not In Tournament)…………..BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
Jeff Schultz
March 14th, 2011
12:29 pm
You Idiot — Are you having a bad day?
woebegong
March 14th, 2011
12:30 pm
%550,
It does indeed get the blogs going and this is good from Jeff’s point of view because 1. His bosses know he has a good readership and 2. By launching a little controversey in each story, it stimulates the readers even more to comment and accomplishes nbr. 1. Lets face it, we all have our different views but we can express them without be so dang hateful and disrespectful of others. Most of the comments on here made by knowledgable fans, all have so merit. I admit, I am not a big fan of BB, but I grew up as a teen in the heart of the ACC, and realize that they almost always seem to be in the middle of the dance, either winning it, or disrupting it for other teams. The SEC is good this year and I agree Alabama should have been in the big dance as well.
One thing I am sure that most folks have not given any consideration to9 though, is “Sometimes, success can be the enemy”. The Chairman of the turnament committee is also the AD of Ohio State I believe. Not saying that he had it in for Alabama, but their track record against Alabama, in almost any sport is not good. Maybe if we were in the same position, we might just be a tad less excited to see Alabama in the big dance, reasoning that they won it all in football two years ago and have dominated us, along with the rest of the SEC for about the last 10 years, so let them sit out this one. Just saying, but it just seems like human nature to me.
Now I know this will bring out some nasty, objectionable comments, and that is OK. Just trying to find a reason, that could possible explain it, but like I said, not a big BB watcher so, if I am wrong, so be it. Just trying to help Jeff get his blog more hits, LOL.
GOOOOOOOOOO DAWGSSSSSSSSSSS
woebegong
March 14th, 2011
12:32 pm
Can’t ya just feel the love in this blog, Jeff? LOL.
Supersize that order, mutt
March 14th, 2011
12:33 pm
Jeff, can you confirm that Tech has inquired about Bobby Knight’s availability? Thanks for the hard work you do.
woebegong
March 14th, 2011
12:36 pm
Do you think Bobby Knight would come out of retirement to coach again. Man, what a steal that would be for any team. He is over the top sometimes in his actions on the court, but he flat out knew how to coach, 92% of his kids got their degree on his teams, and he made that state when he was the coach.
BravesFan79
March 14th, 2011
12:37 pm
Within 2 seasons, GT will again be a power, and the ACC will regain dominate status over the SEC in basketball.
headley lamar
March 14th, 2011
12:39 pm
Lets see what Fox does after his talent leaves. He still hasn’t proved he can recruit.
He has already signed the number 4 guard in the entire nation for next year. Those are the kind of guys UGA NEVER got before. If he got talent to come to Nevada, UGA shouldn’t be a problem
Jeff, can you confirm that Tech has inquired about Bobby Knight’s availability?
Tech and Knight would be a perfect combo. He would fit right in with the coaches assaulting players etc.
headley lamar
March 14th, 2011
12:41 pm
Personally ive always thought the ACC was extremely overrated.
Back in the 80’s they were something special but aren’t and haven’t been for a long time now.
Georgie Fan 909
March 14th, 2011
12:43 pm
http://kenpom.com/conf.php?c=SEC
Um…SEC is lucky to be considered a Top 6 conference in basketball.
UGA Rules
March 14th, 2011
12:44 pm
Hard to say….the tournament will likely determine which is better. I doubt a one year uptick by SEC places them above the ACC. We’ll see how good Fox is after he loses our two NBA players. We still lost a lot of games with these two exceptional players.
dawgrific
March 14th, 2011
12:47 pm
I love how the techies, desperate to cling to something. ANYTHING, will not just admit the obvious, and that is that the SEC is clearly better this year in hoops, especially if we are doing a “most good teams” thing comparison
Dan
March 14th, 2011
12:48 pm
Jeff – agreed SEC has passed the ACC in basketball for now.
Hard to recall when the ACC was the gold standard of college basketball for decades, a distinction now held by the Big East.
ACC sold its soul to unsuccessfully attempt to upgrade in football, which destroyed the round robin schedule for basketball.
It would help for the ACC to field more competitive teams in the Atlanta and Washington media markets, but for the forseeable future the Duke-UNC duopoly will rule over what is otherwise of conference of basketball dregs
Supersize that order, mutt
March 14th, 2011
12:49 pm
headley lamar, is your name Jeff?
Alphare
March 14th, 2011
12:50 pm
I cannot believe some of you guys are so high on RPI. The top 25 teams have RPI between 0.6793 to 0.6073(diff=0.072).
But from 26 to 80 are 0.6064 to 0.5545(diff=0.052). So these 55 teams are pretty much piled up together in RPI.
Georgia’s 47th RPI is 0.5774 compared to 80th Bama at 0.5545. The diff=0.023. Does this number mean UGA is better than BAMA?
Why BAMA beat UGA twice in one week if 0.023 is so magical?
dawgrific
March 14th, 2011
12:52 pm
Also, shifting gears a bit, 11 Big East teams and no Bama (except uab, also ridiculous) is ridiculous to me, especially after that conference has been so over rated the last couple of years, based on tourney results.
headley lamar
March 14th, 2011
12:52 pm
headley lamar, is your name Jeff?
No. Its Shane.
My nickname playing ball was Goose after Goose Gossage.
You can use either one. Or Headley
headley lamar
March 14th, 2011
12:53 pm
Why BAMA beat UGA twice in one week if 0.023 is so magical?
Fortunately for Georgia the NCAA committee looks at all 30 or so games.
Not just 2.
Steve
March 14th, 2011
12:54 pm
UGA has a basketball team? Do they ride donkeys?
Supersize that order, mutt
March 14th, 2011
12:54 pm
has anyone ever called you “mutt” before?
dawgrific
March 14th, 2011
12:55 pm
I am quite happy, but Bama should have gotten in, especially over the 11th big east team, as well as over the uab’s, clemson’s and harvard’s of the world.
dawgrific
March 14th, 2011
12:56 pm
Colorado got screwed too, but we beat them so there