SEC sends a disappointing three teams to the 2013 NCAA Tournament
Mississippi Rebels guard Marshall Henderson (22) raises his hands to the crowd after the Rebels defeated the Florida Gators during the championship game of the SEC tournament at Bridgestone Arena. The Rebels beat the Gators 66-63. (Don McPeak-USA TODAY Sports)
Kentucky and its superstar band of elite freshmen captured the imagination of the entire country … in 2012.
The 2013 version of the Wildcats served as a single example of how most of the SEC performed this year … disappointing.
Overall, only three teams out of the nation’s most dominant football conference will be making a run at basketball’s top prize after several teams on the bubble (outside of Ole Miss) disappointed in the conference tournament.
Without further ado …
3-seed, South region: Florida Gators (regular season champions)
9-seed, Midwest region: Mizzou Tigers
12-seed, West region: Ole Miss Rebels (conference tournament champions)
The SEC as a whole did not perform up to the standards of a big-time conference in 2013. However, that does not mean one of these three talented squads can’t make some noise in the Dance and make the league as a whole proud.
Ole Miss played huge with everything on the line against Florida to win the conference tournament, and they will take on 5-seed Wisconsin in the first round. The Badgers will try to slow things down, while the Rebels will try to run out of the gym. If guard Marshall Henderson and Co. can do what they please, we may see one of those patented 5-12 upsets.
