SEC calling foul on its 2 divisions for hoops

I'd do:

UT-UK
Vandy-Belmont

 

Transylvania is extremely disappointed at being left out of this discussion.

 

RPI won't work because you'd reward teams like last year's Tennessee squad that loaded up on great OOC opponents but were already in the shitter when conference play heated up.

But the divisions have to go. The SEC West hasn't been within shouting distance of the East since 40 Minutes of Hell stopped. Even when UK and Florida were wandering through the wilderness a few years ago, the regular season and tourney champs were Tennessee and Georgia.

 

I think you can argue that there's no real hoops rivalry in the SEC but for the last decade or so, with rare exception, the biggest games of the year are the two Florida-Kentucky games.

 

Yeah, you could argue that. But you'd be very wrong. Just ask Ray Mears and Rupp & Joe B.

 

You had to look back 40 years to find a decent rivalry.

 

UK really has no rival in SEC hoops because for the longest time it was SEC hoops. That might be an exaggeration, but it's a slight one.

You could make an argument for UK's rival being Tennessee, Vandy, Florida and LSU. Heck, I could even entertain arguments for Miss State and Arkansas.

As far as true rivals go though, Kentucky really considers Louisville, Indiana, UNC and Duke (they don't play every year, but you know...) as its rivals.

 

Exactly. I'm guessing UK fans care just a little more about that Louisville game than a game against any team in the SEC.

 

Mizzou, I know your shtick is bashing the South, but if you have never been to Memorial Gym you owe yourself a trip. Especially if UK or UT is in town.

 

I must have misread what you wrote; seems to me you were saying there haven't been any rivalries in SEC hoops "but" for the past decade or so. Therefore, going back 40 years to point out a rivalry, that has continued unabated since, was right.

 

Having covered Florida for the past two years, I'm not sure eliminating the divisions and completely changing the scheduling was necessary. I think just reseeding the SEC Tournament would have done the trick.

That said, I think the important thing moving forward is that the league keeps some of the better rivalries intact.

 

God knows, the coaches hate it. Calhoun can't stand it. Results in an enervating conference season, and forces the coaches of the most-talented sides to "manage" their teams so as to have enough juice left for March.