Some may say its football that flows through the veins of the SEC, but women’s basketball is much overlooked.
SEC teams have earned appearances in 25 of 31 NCAA Final Fours. This accomplishment cannot be matched by other conferences. The SEC posted an impressive 166-52 against non-conference teams during the 2012-2013 season.
SEC teams have won 361 NCAA Tournament games against 187 losses. This averages out to about 11.3 NCAA wins per year. Also, the SEC was the first league to ever have seven teams invited to the NCAA Tournament and earned this honor nine times.
With eight national championships, ten runner-up finishes, 112 first-team All-American honors, the SEC has gone above and beyond in women’s basketball.
The Southeastern Conference has even carried over into intercollegiate sporting events.
The SEC had 24 former players make the 2013 WNBA opening day rosters in 2013. Overall, the SEC has had 121 former players go on to play in the league.
The tradition lives on in this new year and the SEC is women’s basketball is building up in week 9.
SEC, SEC, and More SEC
Five of these women’s basketball teams are in the top 25 polls and will hand-off some heated match-ups.
–LSU @ Tennessee
The Lady Tigers are making their way up to good ole’ Rocky Top on Thursday and will be some competition for the Lady Vols.
LSU stands 10-2 and no. 16 in both polls this week.
It’s two losses hang off of NC State and no. 7 Louisville, earlier in the season.
Last year, LSU took a loss just shy of two points to Tennessee. The Tigers 62-64 finish posed as one of twelve losses last season. The Lady Tigers finished out in the Sweet 16 against California, by a 10-point loss.
Tennessee will stand as the second ranked team that LSU has played this year.
The Lady Vols have managed to stay on top throughout these past couple of weeks, with a 6-point loss to Stanford in late-December. Tennessee has out-scored most of its opponents by over ten-points, except for a 9-point win over Virginia.
The Volunteers finished last season in the Elite 8, taking an 86-78 loss to Louisville. This year, the big orange will be some stiff competition throughout the season.
The two will tip off on Thursday in Knoxville at 6 p.m.
Big Games Coming Up in the SEC
-Tennessee @ Georgia- Jan. 5
-Kentucky @ South Carolina-Jan. 9
-Tennessee vs. #2 Notre Dame- Jan. 20
-Georgia vs. Kentucky- Jan. 30
The Polls: Week 9
AP Top 25
1. Connecticut (13-0), 2. Notre Dame (11-0), 3. Duke (12-1), 4. Stanford (11-1), 5. Tennessee (11-1), 6. Kentucky (12-1), 7. Louisville (13-1), 8. Maryland (12-1), 9. Baylor (10-1), 10. North Carolina (11-2)
USA Today Coaches Poll
1. Connecticut (13-0), 2. Notre Dame (11-0), 3. Duke (12-1), 4. Stanford (11-1), 5. Tennessee (11-1), 6. Kentucky (12-1), 7. Louisville (13-1), 8. Maryland (12-1), 9. Baylor (10-1), 10. Iowa State (11-0)
Here’s a Look at the Rest of your SEC Schedule:
Thursday, January 2nd
-Alabama vs. Kentucky: 2 p.m.
-Arkansas vs. South Carolina: 7 p.m.
-Florida vs. Mississippi State: 6 p.m.
-Georgia @ Vanderbilt: 8 p.m.
-LSU @ Tennessee: 6 p.m.
-Ole Miss vs. Missouri: 6 p.m.
-Texas A&M vs. UTEP: 6 p.m.
Sunday, January 5th
-Alabama @ Texas A&M: 2 p.m.
-Arkansas @ Missouri: 2 p.m.
-Auburn @ Mississippi State: 2 p.m.
-Florida @ Kentucky: 2 p.m.
-Georgia vs. Tennessee: 3 p.m.
-LSU vs. Tulane: 2 p.m.
-South Carolina vs. Vanderbilt: 12 p.m.
