Sec sends four to the eight male elite, third alloy ever with half of the regional final field
The memorable march of the Southeastern Conference continued in the second weekend of the Men’s NCAA Tournament as it became the third conference to record four teams in the Eight elite and has kept the possibility of an all-according to Final Four alive.
Auburn, the best overall seed of the tournament, became the fourth SEC team to advance to the regional finals with a 78-65 victory against Michigan on Friday evening. The tigers will face the state of the Michigan of second seed on Sunday in the regional final of the South. The Spartans hit Ole Miss from the century in the first regional semifinal of Atlanta.
The 16th century century recorded a record of 14 teams in the 68 field and was ensured of at least three elite teams that entered the housing on Friday evening. Alabama and Florida advanced on Thursday with victories in the regional semifinals and Tennessee and Kentucky played in a regional Midwest All-Sec semifinal in Indianapolis on Friday evening. The second seed volunteers have crossed 78-65 beyond the Wildcats and on Sunday they will have to face Houston or Purdue for a trip to the Final Four.
A conference has never had all four national semifinalists in the NCAA tournament. The century could have four to nobody in San Antonio anywhere next week.
Saturday, seed n. 2 Alabama plays n. 1 Duke in the eastern regional final in Newark, New Jersey, and Florida Faces No. 3 Texas Tech in the western regional final in San Francisco.
“We played in many significant games against many good teams,” said Alabama guard Chris Youngblood on Saturday.
The last nine games of Alabama before the NCAA tournament were against the teams of the sec classified in the Top 25 of the AP at the time of the game, including Auburn, Florida and Kentucky twice each.
“We understand what it takes to win it. We have also lost some close games, so we understand the value of every possession in high -level games like this. So we will be ready,” said Youngblood.
The ACC was the last conference to send four teams to the Eight Elite in 2016, when North Carolina, Notre Dame, Syracuse and Virginia made the regional finals. The Big East was the first to do it in 2009 with Louisville, Pittsburgh, Uconn and Villanova.
The sec has twice placed three teams in the round of eight of the men’s NCAA tournament: 2017 (Florida, Carolina del Sud and Kentucky) and 1986 (Kentucky, LSU and Auburn).
Since the first round, when you are from the 14 secs have been eliminated, the conference is 11-4.
(Photo: Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images)
