Accomplished and respected coach John Calipari made his stance clear on how he views the SEC in 2025 and how many teams deserve an NCAA Tournament bid.
Arkansas Head Coach John Calipari Voices Opinion on How Many SEC Teams Deserve a Spot in the Big Dance
Calipari, formerly the head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats for 15 seasons and now assuming the same position for the Arkansas Razorbacks, was asked this week about the strength of the SEC, which he answered with a strong opinion reasoned with his experience and past comparisons.
John Calipari was asked about the strength of the SEC this year.
“When I first got in the league there were three teams in the tournament. Those first four, five years I was begging for seven, eight teams and I was full of crap…. Now you’re talking about this league deserving… pic.twitter.com/lx7xDjIbHB
— Davis Baker (@DavisBakerTV) February 20, 2025
“When I first got in the league, there were three teams in the tournament,” Calipari said. “Those first four, five years, I was begging for seven, eight teams, and I was full of crap … Now you’re talking about this league deserving 12.”
Calipari continued, citing the pushback he hears when he brings up the idea.
“Well, don’t build all these big leagues then — for the money,” he said. “Don’t do that because now you got a bunch of us in one league.”
He then referenced the ACC and Big East conferences of the past, which had what seemed like a lot of teams that made the NCAA Tournament — but none had 16 teams in them at the time as the SEC does now.
Joe Lunardi of ESPN, who’s best known for his NCAA Tournament Bracketology, currently has 12 SEC teams listed in his latest bracket update. That does include Calipari’s Razorbacks squad, who are in Lunardi’s “Last Four In” grouping.
Arkansas holds a 15-11 record, including 4-9 in the SEC. Five games remain on their schedule — four of which are current tournament teams, according to Lunardi.
The conference has proven to be a bloodbath this year. Currently, five teams sit in the Top 10 of the AP Poll. Four more teams are ranked in the Top 25, making the total nine SEC teams that are ranked.
KEEP READING: SEC Tournament Projections
Although the Razorbacks have had a tough time in conference play, they began the season 11-2 and ranked No. 23 in the nation. Their non-conference schedule included a victory over the current No. 12 Michigan Wolverines.
In the world of NET Rankings, essentially every team in the SEC is considered to be in Quad 1, save for the LSU Tigers and South Carolina Gamecocks at the bottom of the standings. Despite that, Arkansas has three Quad 1 wins to their name, a rather middling number.
Whether they make it into the Tournament or not, Calipari made it clear where he stands on the excellence and deserved recognition of the SEC in 2025.
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