SEC teams have been virtually unstoppable this season, boasting an impressive 10 teams in the latest AP Top 25, with Auburn leading at No. 1 and four of the top eight teams represented. However, as ESPN analyst Jay Bilas pointed out, potential obstacles lie ahead in their pursuit of a national title.
In a Monday appearance on the McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning show, Bilas highlighted the challenges of the SEC Tournament. “Winning the SEC Tournament is going to be harder than winning the national championship, because you’re doing it day after day and facing better teams throughout, unlike in the NCAA Tournament,” Bilas warned (via On3Sports.com), concerned that this grueling experience might deplete the teams’ stamina. “If you win the SEC Tournament, how much gas are you going to have left in the tank after that?”
Bilas also noted the unique officiating styles in the SEC, comparing games to football. “Some of those games are football games. … That’s not going to be the same whistle they get in the NCAA Tournament,” he said. Nevertheless, he believes that the intense competition will ultimately strengthen SEC teams against others when the tournament arrives.
Regardless of how the season unfolds, Bilas insists that the SEC is enjoying a historic year. “There’s never been a conference like this,” he stated, emphasizing that the SEC’s achievements, both in nonconference play and beyond, are unprecedented. “The last time any conference had such success was during my playing days in the ACC in 1984, with stars like Michael Jordan and Len Bias. However, the ACC had eight teams, while the SEC is doing this with 16. It’s incredible to have 16 teams this good; I’ve never seen anything like it.”
