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College basketball's top conference during the regular season, was the NCAA Tournament just as momentous for the SEC as the months prior?
After sending a record 14 teams to the NCAA Tournament, that answer is undoubtedly a yes, as the SEC continued that success from the regular season into March Madness.
Included in this was the SEC winning their first national championship since 2012, as well as placing two teams in the Final Four. The SEC also had four teams playing in the Elite Eight, along with seven programs having played in the Sweet 16.
So, with the season having now officially come to a conclusion, let's take a look at the final SEC basketball power rankings of the 2024-25 campaign.
South Carolina was the first-of-two SEC teams to not play in the NCAA Tournament. The Gamecocks also did not play in the NIT, meaning that they ended their season at 12-20 overall in year three of the Lamont Paris era.
LSU was the second of those two aforementioned teams to not play in the NCAA Tournament, and similar to South Carolina, did not participate in the NIT either. The Tigers ended the season with a 14-18 overall record in year three under Matt McMahon.
Texas was the first SEC team to make an exit from the NCAA Tournament, falling to Xavier in the First Four by a final score of 86-80 in a game where the Longhorns actually held a sizable lead for a majority of the contest. As a result of this loss, Texas ended the year at 19-16 overall, and failed to make the round of 32 for the first time since 2021.
Making their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2015, Georgia had a rough showing in March Madness where the Bulldogs fell to Gonzaga in the first round, 89-68, in a game where they never led. Georgia's season ended with a 20-13 overall record.
Making their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2017, Vanderbilt had a quick exit from March Madness after a close, 59-56 loss to Saint Mary's in the first round where the Commodores led until the game's final minutes. In the first season under head coach Mark Byington, Vanderbilt ends the year at 20-13 overall.
Making their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2021, Oklahoma fell to UConn in the first round by a final of 67-59, bringing the Sooners year to an end. Oklahoma's record to finish the season sits at 20-14 overall.
Mississippi State has still not made it past the first round of the NCAA Tournament since 2008, as the Bulldogs fell to Baylor by a final score of 75-72 to conclude their season. With the loss, Mississippi State's season ended with a 21-13 overall record.
Missouri had a disappointing NCAA Tournament, as the Tigers were upset by No. 11 seeded Drake in the first round, 67-57. The Tigers ended the season at 22-12 overall.
Texas A&M reached the second round for the second consecutive season after picking up an 80-71 victory over Yale, but saw their NCAA Tournament run come to an end with a 91-79 round of 32 defeat to Michigan. With these results, the Aggies' 2024-25 season officially ended with a 23-11 overall record.
Among the "Cinderella's" from this year's NCAA Tournament, Arkansas rattled off back-to-back upsets over Kansas and No. 2 seed St. John's to reach the program's fourth Sweet 16 over their last four appearances in March Madness. The Razorbacks however went after to fall narrowly to Texas Tech in the Sweet 16, and as a result, concluded year one of the John Calipari era at 22-14.
Ole Miss had a memorable NCAA Tournament in which the Rebels defeated both North Carolina and Iowa State on their way to the Sweet 16, which is where they saw their March Madness time end with a close, 73-70 loss to No. 2 seeded Michigan State. The Rebels ended year two of the Chris Beard era at 24-12 overall.
The Wildcats reached the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2019 with first and second round victories over both Troy and Illinois, but were defeated by Tennessee in a SEC regional semifinal matchup, 78-65. Kentucky's first season under head coach Mark Pope officially ended with a 24-12 overall record.
Alabama made their second consecutive Elite Eight appearance during the NCAA Tournament with wins over Robert Morris, Saint Mary's, and BYU, the latter of which was a historic performance, but saw their season come to an end with an 85-65 loss to top-seeded Duke. With these results, Alabama's season ended with a 28-9 overall record.
The Volunteers reached the Elite Eight for the second consecutive season following victories over Wofford, UCLA, and Kentucky, but saw their time in the NCAA Tournament come to an end with a 69-50 loss against No. 1 seeded Houston. Tennessee's season officially ended with a 30-8 overall record, their first 30+ win season since 2018-19.
Auburn made only the program's second Final Four appearance ever, as well as the first since 2019, during the NCAA Tournament, picking up wins over Alabama State, Creighton, Michigan, and Michigan State along the way prior to falling to Florida in the national semifinals in a classic, 79-73. The Tigers finish the season with one of the highest win totals in program history at 32-6 overall.
Sitting atop our final 2024-25 SEC basketball power rankings are the Florida Gators, who won the program's third national championship to finish one of the best years in team history at 36-4 overall. Along the way, Florida rattled off victories over Norfolk State, UConn, Maryland, Texas Tech, Auburn, and Houston.
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This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire: Florida Gators top final 2024-25 SEC basketball power rankings
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After sending a record 14 teams to the NCAA Tournament, that answer is undoubtedly a yes, as the SEC continued that success from the regular season into March Madness.
Included in this was the SEC winning their first national championship since 2012, as well as placing two teams in the Final Four. The SEC also had four teams playing in the Elite Eight, along with seven programs having played in the Sweet 16.
So, with the season having now officially come to a conclusion, let's take a look at the final SEC basketball power rankings of the 2024-25 campaign.
16. South Carolina Gamecocks
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- Previous Ranking: No. 16
South Carolina was the first-of-two SEC teams to not play in the NCAA Tournament. The Gamecocks also did not play in the NIT, meaning that they ended their season at 12-20 overall in year three of the Lamont Paris era.
15. LSU Tigers
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- Previous Ranking: No. 15
LSU was the second of those two aforementioned teams to not play in the NCAA Tournament, and similar to South Carolina, did not participate in the NIT either. The Tigers ended the season with a 14-18 overall record in year three under Matt McMahon.
14. Texas Longhorns
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- Previous Ranking: No. 13
Texas was the first SEC team to make an exit from the NCAA Tournament, falling to Xavier in the First Four by a final score of 86-80 in a game where the Longhorns actually held a sizable lead for a majority of the contest. As a result of this loss, Texas ended the year at 19-16 overall, and failed to make the round of 32 for the first time since 2021.
13. Georgia Bulldogs
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- Previous Ranking: No. 12
Making their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2015, Georgia had a rough showing in March Madness where the Bulldogs fell to Gonzaga in the first round, 89-68, in a game where they never led. Georgia's season ended with a 20-13 overall record.
12. Vanderbilt Commodores
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- Previous Ranking: No. 14
Making their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2017, Vanderbilt had a quick exit from March Madness after a close, 59-56 loss to Saint Mary's in the first round where the Commodores led until the game's final minutes. In the first season under head coach Mark Byington, Vanderbilt ends the year at 20-13 overall.
11. Oklahoma Sooners
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- Previous Ranking: No. 11
Making their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2021, Oklahoma fell to UConn in the first round by a final of 67-59, bringing the Sooners year to an end. Oklahoma's record to finish the season sits at 20-14 overall.
10. Mississippi State Bulldogs
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- Previous Ranking: No. 9
Mississippi State has still not made it past the first round of the NCAA Tournament since 2008, as the Bulldogs fell to Baylor by a final score of 75-72 to conclude their season. With the loss, Mississippi State's season ended with a 21-13 overall record.
9. Missouri Tigers
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- Previous Ranking: No. 6
Missouri had a disappointing NCAA Tournament, as the Tigers were upset by No. 11 seeded Drake in the first round, 67-57. The Tigers ended the season at 22-12 overall.
8. Texas A&M Aggies
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- Previous Ranking: No. 8
Texas A&M reached the second round for the second consecutive season after picking up an 80-71 victory over Yale, but saw their NCAA Tournament run come to an end with a 91-79 round of 32 defeat to Michigan. With these results, the Aggies' 2024-25 season officially ended with a 23-11 overall record.
7. Arkansas Razorbacks
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- Previous Ranking: No. 10
Among the "Cinderella's" from this year's NCAA Tournament, Arkansas rattled off back-to-back upsets over Kansas and No. 2 seed St. John's to reach the program's fourth Sweet 16 over their last four appearances in March Madness. The Razorbacks however went after to fall narrowly to Texas Tech in the Sweet 16, and as a result, concluded year one of the John Calipari era at 22-14.
6. Ole Miss Rebels
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- Previous Ranking: No. 7
Ole Miss had a memorable NCAA Tournament in which the Rebels defeated both North Carolina and Iowa State on their way to the Sweet 16, which is where they saw their March Madness time end with a close, 73-70 loss to No. 2 seeded Michigan State. The Rebels ended year two of the Chris Beard era at 24-12 overall.
5. Kentucky Wildcats
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- Previous Ranking: No. 5
The Wildcats reached the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2019 with first and second round victories over both Troy and Illinois, but were defeated by Tennessee in a SEC regional semifinal matchup, 78-65. Kentucky's first season under head coach Mark Pope officially ended with a 24-12 overall record.
4. Alabama Crimson Tide
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- Previous Ranking: No. 4
Alabama made their second consecutive Elite Eight appearance during the NCAA Tournament with wins over Robert Morris, Saint Mary's, and BYU, the latter of which was a historic performance, but saw their season come to an end with an 85-65 loss to top-seeded Duke. With these results, Alabama's season ended with a 28-9 overall record.
3. Tennessee Volunteers
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- Previous Ranking: No. 2
The Volunteers reached the Elite Eight for the second consecutive season following victories over Wofford, UCLA, and Kentucky, but saw their time in the NCAA Tournament come to an end with a 69-50 loss against No. 1 seeded Houston. Tennessee's season officially ended with a 30-8 overall record, their first 30+ win season since 2018-19.
2. Auburn Tigers
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- Previous Ranking: No. 3
Auburn made only the program's second Final Four appearance ever, as well as the first since 2019, during the NCAA Tournament, picking up wins over Alabama State, Creighton, Michigan, and Michigan State along the way prior to falling to Florida in the national semifinals in a classic, 79-73. The Tigers finish the season with one of the highest win totals in program history at 32-6 overall.
1. Florida Gators
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- Previous Ranking: No. 1
Sitting atop our final 2024-25 SEC basketball power rankings are the Florida Gators, who won the program's third national championship to finish one of the best years in team history at 36-4 overall. Along the way, Florida rattled off victories over Norfolk State, UConn, Maryland, Texas Tech, Auburn, and Houston.
Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion.
This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire: Florida Gators top final 2024-25 SEC basketball power rankings
Continue reading...
