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Definitive ranking of SEC-era basketball programs

Posted on 4/13/15 at 3:29 pm
Posted by TheDude321
Member since Sep 2005
3154 posts
Posted on 4/13/15 at 3:29 pm
Is there a truly "fair" way to rank the SEC's basketball programs? Well, we all know that at the end of the day, earning trophies is all that matters; no one remembers who #2 was. With all that in mind, here are the all-time power rankings for SEC basketball schools since the SEC started in 1933. The point totals were determined as follows: 5 points were earned for a national title, 4 for an NCAA regional title ("Final Four"), 3 for an SEC overall title, 2 for an "other" SEC title (currently the SEC tournament title, although the regular-season title is used here instead from 1933-34 and 1936-50 because the tournament was used to determine the SEC's overall title during that time), and 1 for an SEC division title. Head-to-head results then serve as tie-breakers when necessary.

There are definitely two distinctive epochs of SEC basketball: the pre-expansion era (1933-91) and the post-expansion era (since 1992)--so I split the totals into two groups to make it easier to make sense of. It is noteworthy that the rankings do include three non-NCAA national titles for UK and one for LSU--even if you don't believe in counting those and dock their points out, it does not change the order of finish for either school. So without further adieu:

PRE-EXPANSION RANKINGS (1933-1991)
1 Kentucky (218 points)
2 LSU (42)
3 Alabama (32)
4 Tennessee (27)
5 MSU (15)
6 Georgia (9)
7 Vanderbilt (8)
8 Georgia Tech (7)
9 Auburn (5)
10 Florida (3)
11 Tulane (2)*
12 Ole Miss (2)*
13 Sewanee (0)
*-Tulane is ranked higher than Ole Miss here because it led the series 40-22 during Tulane's tenure in the SEC

POST-EXPANSION RANKINGS (1992-2015)
1 Kentucky (115 points)
2 Florida (62)
3 Arkansas (25)
4 MSU (20)
5 LSU (17)
6 Tennessee (11)
7 Ole Miss (7)
8 Vanderbilt (6)*
9 Alabama (6)*
10 South Carolina (5)
11 Auburn (4)
12 Georgia (3)
13 Mizzou/Texas A&M (0)**
*-Vanderbilt is ranked higher than Alabama here because it led the series 18-12 during these years
**-Mizzou and Texas A&M are ranked the same here because their series is tied 3-3 during these years

ALL-TIME RANKINGS (1933-2015)
1 Kentucky (333 points)
2 Florida (65)
3 LSU (59)
4 Alabama (38)*
5 Tennessee (38)*
6 MSU (35)
7 Arkansas (25)
8 Vanderbilt (14)
9 Georgia (12)
10 Auburn (9)**
11 Ole Miss (9)**
12 Georgia Tech (7)
13 South Carolina (5)
14 Tulane (2)
15 Mizzou/Texas A&M (0)***
17 Sewanee (0)***
*-Alabama is ranked higher than Tennessee here because it led the series 69-62 during these years
**-Auburn is ranked higher than Ole Miss here because it led the series 72-54 during these years
***-Mizzou and Texas A&M are ranked the same here because their series is tied 3-3 during their tenure in the SEC; Mizzou and Texas A&M are ranked higher than Sewanee here because they had 0 points in three years in the SEC, better per capita than Sewanee which had 0 points in eight years in the SEC
This post was edited on 4/13/15 at 8:50 pm
Posted by Korin
Member since Jan 2014
37935 posts
Posted on 4/13/15 at 3:30 pm to
Looks good to me, although I honestly skipped down to the all-time rankings.
This post was edited on 4/13/15 at 3:31 pm
Posted by tigerbait2010
PNW
Member since May 2006
28988 posts
Posted on 4/13/15 at 3:38 pm to
quote:

3 LSU (59)



quote:

4 Alabama (38)*




quote:

7 Arkansas (25)





Start your engines, folks. Here come the biased opinions of what matters more: Bama's second in all time SEC wins or LSU's Final 4 runs and NBA greats


Posted by piggilicious
Member since Jan 2011
37295 posts
Posted on 4/13/15 at 3:42 pm to
quote:

, 3 for an SEC overall title, 2 for an "other" SEC title (currently the SEC tournament title, although the regular-season title is used here instead from 1933-34 and 1936-50 because the tournament was used to determine the SEC's overall title during that time), and 1 for an SEC division title.



Posted by TheDude321
Member since Sep 2005
3154 posts
Posted on 4/13/15 at 3:44 pm to
quote:

Looks good to me, although I honestly skipped down to the all-time rankings.


Well, the rankings are all based strictly on accomplishments, no conjecture. UF has certainly earned more than its share of trophies in recent years.
Posted by cjared036
Houston, tx
Member since Dec 2009
9569 posts
Posted on 4/13/15 at 3:45 pm to
It is rather amazing to me that UGA basketball is a joke. I feel that they should be one of the best programs in the SEC.
Posted by TheDude321
Member since Sep 2005
3154 posts
Posted on 4/13/15 at 3:46 pm to
quote:




Do you think the SEC tournament title is worth more than the overall SEC title?
Posted by Rebel Land Shark
Member since Jul 2013
30161 posts
Posted on 4/13/15 at 3:47 pm to
I'm surprised we're not lower
Posted by piggilicious
Member since Jan 2011
37295 posts
Posted on 4/13/15 at 3:48 pm to
i personally think neither of them count for much. i'm mainly just laughing at how this is even remotely fair when 4 of the teams obviously are missing out on what 60+ years of opportunity for any of those 3, 2 or 1 points.



Posted by UMRealist
Member since Feb 2013
35360 posts
Posted on 4/13/15 at 3:49 pm to
oh shite, not last
Posted by tigerbait2010
PNW
Member since May 2006
28988 posts
Posted on 4/13/15 at 3:50 pm to
yeah, Arkansas and Mizzou's conference titles should definitely count for something, which would make the ranking system actually pretty damn accurate
Posted by TheDude321
Member since Sep 2005
3154 posts
Posted on 4/13/15 at 3:54 pm to
quote:

It is rather amazing to me that UGA basketball is a joke.


Agreed. To their credit, they did make a Final Four run nine years before the league expanded in '92, something that only UK (9 appearances at the time and LSU (3 appearances at the time) accomplished in that era.
Posted by thunderbird1100
GSU Eagles fan
Member since Oct 2007
68257 posts
Posted on 4/13/15 at 4:09 pm to
quote:

The point totals were determined as follows: 5 points were earned for a national title, 4 for an NCAA regional title ("Final Four"), 3 for an SEC overall title, 2 for an "other" SEC title (currently the SEC tournament title, although the regular-season title is used here instead from 1933-34 and 1936-50 because the tournament was used to determine the SEC's overall title during that time),


Seems like you left a lot of room out for getting points. How is making the NCAAT not at least worth 1 point but winning the SECT worth 2 or hell a freaking division "title" worth 1?

To me making the NCAAT should be worth 1 point, SEC "Division" title should be axed from the equation. Getting to a Sweet 16 = 2 points, E8 3 points, F4 4 points, Championship win = 5 points. NCAAT Points don't stack (so if in 2013 you won a national title, you get 5 points, not 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 points added up).

More emphasis is needed in your equation on the NCAAT.
This post was edited on 4/13/15 at 4:11 pm
Posted by TutHillTiger
Mississippi Alabama
Member since Sep 2010
43700 posts
Posted on 4/13/15 at 4:26 pm to
Looks about right to me. Good job
Posted by SouthOfSouth
Baton Rouge
Member since Jun 2008
43456 posts
Posted on 4/13/15 at 4:29 pm to
Actually looks pretty right.
Posted by volfan30
Member since Jun 2010
40948 posts
Posted on 4/13/15 at 4:53 pm to
quote:

More emphasis is needed in your equation on the NCAAT.



Agreed. Tournament sport. No way should those 8-8 SEC West titles Stansbury was winning count more than an elite 8. Very silly imo.
Posted by Korin
Member since Jan 2014
37935 posts
Posted on 4/13/15 at 4:55 pm to
quote:

i personally think neither of them count for much. i'm mainly just laughing at how this is even remotely fair when 4 of the teams obviously are missing out on what 60+ years of opportunity for any of those 3, 2 or 1 points.

Which is why he also made rankings just going back to 92.
Posted by bamasgot13
Birmingham
Member since Feb 2010
13619 posts
Posted on 4/13/15 at 4:59 pm to
quote:

Here come the biased opinions of what matters more: Bama's second in all time SEC wins or LSU's Final 4 runs and NBA greats


Help me out, who are the greats (plural)? I'm not an LSU basketball aficionado.
Posted by hogminer
Bella Vista, AR.
Member since Apr 2010
9620 posts
Posted on 4/13/15 at 4:59 pm to
quote:

ALL-TIME RANKINGS (1933-2015)
1 Kentucky (328 points)
2 Florida (65)
3 LSU (59)
4 Alabama (38)*
5 Tennessee (38)*
6 MSU (35)
7 Arkansas (25)
8 Georgia (12)
9 Auburn (9)**
10 Ole Miss (9)**
11 Vanderbilt (8)
12 Georgia Tech (7)
13 South Carolina (5)
14 Tulane (2)
15 Mizzou/Texas A&M (0)***
17 Sewanee (0)***



You should at least give Arkansas another 16 points for final 4 appearances that were earned before joining the conference. Especially since none of the expansion teams are getting any points for conference titles and conf. tourn. titles before joining the SEC.
Posted by therick711
South
Member since Jan 2008
25056 posts
Posted on 4/13/15 at 5:00 pm to
quote:

Help me out, who are the greats (plural)? I'm not an LSU basketball aficionado.



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