This season, SEC teams have dominated College Basketball, leading the Top 25 poll throughout the year. While the SEC has been on the rise in Basketball year over year, the teams haven't been able to bring home a National Championship since Kentucky in 2012. After what has been the most dominant year by the SEC to date, the Conference needs to win the National Championship this year to confirm its standing atop college basketball.
The SEC shattered the Big East's record of 11 bids in 2011 by getting 14 of 16 teams into the NCAA Tournament this year. The SEC is already down to 13 teams as Texas lost to Xavier on Wednesday Night ending the "First Four".
The SEC doesn't just have 13 teams in the 64 team field but, the SEC has some of the Nation's top teams. Auburn is the Nation's top overall seed and Florida is also a one seed coming off of a dominant run in the SEC Tournament. Tennessee and Alabama are two seeds, Kentucky is a three-seed, Texas A&M is a four-seed, Missouri and Ole Miss are six-seeds, and the remaining teams are lower seeds.
Auburn and Florida have looked like Final Four teams for most of the year which means it would be a disappointment if either team fell short. Alabama and Tennessee have been right there with Auburn and Florida and when playing right they're National Championship good. Kentucky has the talent to win the SEC but, they haven't been consistent this season. The Aggies and Ole Miss both play good enough defense to go on deep runs in the Tournament.
After a dominant season, the SEC can't go another year dominating the regular season without winning the National Championship. Since the SEC's last National Championship, the Big East, Big 12, and ACC have all won multiple National Championships.
One of the SEC's "New Guard" has to be the Coach to led the SEC back to cutting down the nets. Nate Oats, Bruce Pearl, Alex Golden, Mark Pope, and Buzz Williams are all new to the SEC without a National Championship. Leaving the NCAA Tournament, one of these coaches will need to leave with a National Championship establishing themselves as one of the best in the sport.
If the SEC can't win in a year where they got 14 teams into the NCAA Tournament, then the SEC may never get the respect the NCAA Tournament committee showed this year again. The SEC has fully bought into College Basketball, now its time for the Conference to cut down the nets.