Greg Sankey discusses SEC season, potential of conference breaking NCAA bid record

Greg Sankey has plenty to be pleased about when it comes to how the SEC has fared in men’s basketball.

There’s a very real chance that the league could get as many as 13 teams in the NCAA Tournament. For Sankey, that’s not enough: he wants to see 14, which would be a record.

“I grew up outside Syracuse, New York, so I was a Big East guy back in the day. I told our staff when we talked about men’s basketball, ‘Never talk about anything less than 14.’ This was back in early January,” Sankey said on ESPN. “We sent a note to our coaches on Monday that, hey, whatever happens with selection — seeds, sites, opponents — focus on that game and understand there’s a tighter whistle in the next couple of weeks, prepare for that, and just prepare to go in and keep advancing.”

For Sankey and the SEC, it’s been quite the journey to get to a place where the conference could even come close to that record. It’s culminated in an impressive SEC tournament in Nashville, which will play host to the event through 2035.

“We brought in great coaches,” Sankey added. “Facilities that have changed, commitments that have been made, moving our tournament here on a permanent basis — which makes it an event — players that want to play in the atmospheres and environment.

Tennessee defeated Auburn to claim a spot in the conference championship game on Saturday. The Volunteers will face either Alabama or Florida.

Sydney Hunte

Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.