SEC shatters record for most men's NCAA Tournament teams from one conference
The Southeastern Conference entered Selection Sunday with a chance to make history.
Not only did the top conference in men's college basketball make history, but it destroyed it with 14 teams making the cut for the 2025 NCAA Tournament. Texas snuck in as a No. 11 seed and will play Xavier in the First Four.
The previous record for the most teams a conference sent to the NCAA Tournament was 11, set by the Big East in 2011. UConn won the national championship that season.
Here's what you need to know about the SEC teams in the 2025 NCAA Tournament:
How many teams did SEC get in March Madness?
The SEC had two No. 1 seeds in Auburn and Florida, with Auburn being the No. 1 overall seed. Alabama and Tennessee earned No. 2 seeds, while Kentucky earned a No. 3 seed. Texas A&M was a No. 4 seed, while Ole Miss and Missouri are No. 6 seeds. Mississippi State is a No. 8 seed, while Georgia and Oklahoma earned No. 9 seeds.
John Calipari led Arkansas to a No. 10 seed in his first season there, as did Vanderbilt's Mark Byington.
SEC teams in NCAA Tournament
Here's a look at all the SEC teams in the NCAA Tournament and their seeds:
- Auburn (No. 1 overall)
- Florida (No. 1)
- Alabama (No. 2)
- Tennessee (No. 2)
- Kentucky (No. 3)
- Texas A&M (No. 4)
- Ole Miss (No. 6)
- Missouri (No. 6)
- Mississippi State (No. 8)
- Georgia (No. 9)
- Oklahoma (No. 9)
- Vanderbilt (No. 10)
- Arkansas (No. 10)
- Texas (No. 11)
March Madness record for most teams from one conference
The SEC set the record by sending 14 teams to the NCAA Tournament. The Big East set the previous record in 2011 with 11 teams in the tournament.
Here's a look at the conferences with the most teams sent to the NCAA Tournament:
- 1. SEC, 2025: 14 teams
- 2. Big East, 2011: 11 teams
- T3. ACC, 2018: 9 teams
- T3. ACC: 2017: 9 teams
- T3. Big East, 2012: 9 teams
- T6. Big Ten, 2019: 8 teams
- T6. SEC, 2018: 8 teams
- T6. Big East, 2013: 8 teams
- T6. Big East, 2010: 8 teams
How many schools in the SEC?
With the addition of Texas and Oklahoma ahead of the 2024-25 academic year, the SEC has 16 teams in the conference. Only South Carolina (12-20, 2-16) and LSU (14-18, 3-15) did not qualify for the NCAA Tournament this season.
Both newcomers in the Sooners and the Longhorns did qualify in their first season in the conference.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How many SEC teams are in March Madness? Conference sets record
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