12 Team SEC Basketball Tournament

[ll Martain ll]

The thought of MSU or any of the other 9-16 seeds winning 5 games in 5 days to win the tournament sounds pretty unlikely. I'm not saying it's impossible, but what benefit do the Wednesday games provide to the conference other than TV content? Those Wednesday games are usually sparingly attended.

I wonder if the SEC would ever consider going back to a 12 team Thursday through Sunday tournament and just leave out the bottom 4.

 

[mstateglfr]

If there were no auto-bid, then I wouldnt care too much if it went to top 12 only.
But there is an auto-bid, so to me its a non-starter.

I would be pretty pissed if teams 11-14 had the same record MSU was left out of the conference tournament due to some dumb tiebreaker.

 

[patdog]

Only benefit to this is the top 4 seeds are guaranteed no more than 3 games. TV content is a wash. There will be 15 games in any format. There is zero chance they don't take teams into the SEC tournament. Format could be worse. Here's the bracket for the Sunbelt tournament. Southern Miss has to win 7 games in 7 days to win the tournament and get an NCAA bid. Top 2 seeds only have to win 2 games.

 

[columbiadawg2]

Only benefit to this is the top 4 seeds are guaranteed no more than 3 games. TV content is a wash. There will be 15 games in any format. There is zero chance they don't take teams into the SEC tournament. Format could be worse. Here's the bracket for the Sunbelt tournament. Southern Miss has to win 7 games in 7 days to win the tournament and get an NCAA bid. Top 2 seeds only have to win 2 games.
View attachment 767864

Yikes!

 

[DawgatAuburn]

There is zero chance they don't take teams into the SEC tournament.

I'm still shocked the Big 10 is only taking 14 of their 18.

 

[patdog]

I'm still shocked the Big 10 is only taking 14 of their 18.

Wow. I had no idea. Does any other conference not take every team? Seems to me you're just leaving revenue on the table. Granted 4 early round games isn't a lot, but still.

 

[DawgatAuburn]

Wow. I had no idea. Does any other conference not take every team? Seems to me you're just leaving revenue on the table. Granted 4 early round games isn't a lot, but still.

ACC is doing the same. 14 of the 18.

 

[patdog]

ACC is doing the same. 14 of the 18.

Well crap. Maybe I should take back my comment there's zero chance of the SEC not dropping the bottom teams. Although I think right now they're probably pretty happy with the format. But I guess that might change if a 9 seed has to play 5 games in 5 days right before playing in the NCAA tournament. I really think they should just all do away with the ridiculous unneeded byes. SEC should just play 4 rounds and ACC/Big 10 should play 4 rounds with a play-in round for the bottom 4 teams.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

Conference tournaments are worthless if they don’t include all teams and actually give folks an equal chance. The whole point is to give some random team hope at the end. For example, the SEC should just be a straight 16-team single elimination bracket. Seeds don’t matter. The SEC champ is who had the best record in the season. Your reward is that title, and a NCAA seed….not an SECT title.

The people in charge just keep doing everything they can to kill fan engagement.

 

[ZombieKissinger]

We want TV content. This is a great reason for more games