Dick Vitale rips Arkansas, SEC teams with losing conference records participating in March Madness

With three weeks to go until Selection Sunday, the SEC appears in line to get the most bids of any conference. ESPN’s latest Bracketology Friday showed 12 teams from the league getting into March Madness.

That number includes Arkansas making the field despite a 4-9 record in conference play entering Saturday. To Dick Vitale, teams below .500 shouldn’t be in the bracket.

Vitale cited the need to avoid recognizing “mediocrity at best” when putting the tournament field together. He also pointed out what it means for mid- or low-major teams that had strong years, but would miss the cut for others in Power Conferences that didn’t get to .500.

“You mentioned the fact about Arkansas,” Vitale said in the first half of Alabama vs. Kentucky. “I love John Calipari – he’s a close friend. He’s done a great job, where I thought at Kentucky, he did a tremendous job. Fifteen years, sometimes you wear yourself out a little bit and a change had to be made. However, being in the tournament right now – 4-9 in conference – you’d better start getting some wins [in] conference. You’d better get at least mediocre.

“I don’t care how tough the conference is. The tournament’s not to recognize mediocrity at best. I mean, come on. It’s about, you’re gonna … [put] teams in over teams [that are] 24-2. I mean, come on.”

Despite its 4-9 record in league play heading into Saturday’s matchup against Missouri, Arkansas sits at No. 41 in the NET rankings. The Razorbacks’ resume includes three Quadrant 1 victories, and a win Saturday night would add a fourth to that total.

Despite that, though, Dick Vitale argued teams should have to be at least .500 to make the cut. If they’re below that mark, he said they shouldn’t be in the field.

“My point is, if he gets to at least .500, I can understand,” Vitale said. “If you’re below the .500 mark [in conference play], you don’t belong in the tournament. The tournament’s supposed to be about success.”

The SEC is widely considered the top conference in the country this year, and the metrics support it. Fifteen of the 16 teams in the league are in the Top 80 of the NET rankings and 14 are in the Top 60 as of Saturday evening. According to KenPom, the SEC is the most efficient conference in the nation and sits four whole points ahead of the Big 12, which sits at No. 2.