We knew replicating the magic of the 2024-25 season was going to be impossible. Sending 14 teams to the NCAA Tournament is a generational achievement, not a standard.
But what we are seeing so far in 2025-26 isn't just a regression to the mean. It is a full-blown identity crisis for a lot of the teams that most thought would be very good.
At first glance, the SEC looks fine. Missouri and Vanderbilt are undefeated. Seven other teams have just one or two losses. The standings look pretty. But peel back the curtain, and you find a league that is beating up on cupcakes and folding against actual competition.
The 1 stat that should terrify Kentucky basketball
Here is the only number that matters: The SEC is 12-21 against Power Conference opponents.
Read that again. Twelve wins. Twenty-one losses.
Kentucky is 0-2. Arkansas is 0-2. Florida, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Oklahoma, and Mississippi State are all winless in big games. Even the "good" teams like Auburn and Texas are treading water at .500 or below in these matchups.
A stark contrast to last year
Last season, the SEC finished non-conference play with an absurd 185-23 record (.889). They dominated Quadrant 1 games (32-18).
This year? They have already matched last season's total losses, and we haven't even flipped the calendar to December yet.
Why it matters
This isn't just about bragging rights. This is about March.
When the Selection Committee sits down to seed the bracket, they look at non-conference strength of schedule and big wins. Right now, the SEC is lagging behind other conferences who are performing better. That leads to lower seeds, tougher draws, and fewer bids.
The clock is ticking. Kentucky gets North Carolina and Gonzaga next week. Other teams have chances remaining. But if the league doesn't wake up soon, the "best conference in basketball" is going to look a lot more like a mid-major come Selection Sunday. Micah 7:7