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UT close losses serve as learning tool

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4So, it appears that I spoke presciently about SEC basketball.
To quote a college basketball coach I once covered, remarking about the depth of his
conference: “Every game is a war.”
The Southeastern Conference is bearing that out. As of Sunday night, there still were nine
teams from the league occupying spots in the wire-service Top 25 polls and two more on the
periphery. Is it possible that 11 teams could get invitations to The Dance come March?
That might be a bit ambitious, given the friendly fire through which SEC teams have to navigate.
Case in point, Saturday night, Tennessee lost a lead in the last :45 of its game at No. 1 Auburn
and succumbed 53-51. There were some suspect decisions and poor execution in the final
minute in that game that fomented the defeat.
For example, Tennessee had the ball with 30 seconds to play and decided not to use a time out.
The Vols didn’t score and Auburn capitalized. Next, with fewer than 15 seconds to play,
Tennessee opted, finally, to use a time out. Coming out of the break, the Vols promptly turned
the ball over. The Vols had a last-second shot go awry and Auburn won 53-51.
Already, Tennessee has suffered setbacks to Florida, Vanderbilt and Auburn and has Kentucky
upcoming Tuesday night. To me, Tennessee-Kentucky is a pick-em game, even though the
game is scheduled to be played in Knoxville. Trust me, things aren’t going to get any easier for
any of these SEC teams.
Conversely, if you were an Auburn fan, you have to be happy that you were able to rally in the
last minute to take down a former No.1-ranked team when your team easily could have lost.
If there is an upside, Tennessee can use this loss as a learning experience. There are lessons
to be learned from winning and losing. The Vols were in a position to win the game and the
shots just didn’t fall. When you go through a minefield like the SEC night in and night out, even if
teams lose, there are elements from which to build.
I don’t believe SEC teams will face anyone any tougher in The Dance than they faced during the
regular season. The fact that SEC teams will be even more battle tested as a result of the
conference tournament, whomever emerges is going to be a contender.
It’s conceivable that two, perhaps three SEC teams could wind up in the Final Four. That’s a
pretty heady projection, but it’s not without precedence. In 1976, Indiana and Michigan, both
from the Big 10, played for the national title. Same for Villanova in 1985 when it beat Big East
rival Georgetown for the crown. If I recall correctly, it seems like Georgia and LSU were both in
the Final Four during the late 1970s, though I could be wrong.
Whoever emerges from the SEC will be battle-scarred, but also will have its work cut out.
If successful, you can bet the pundits at ESPN, who relished Ohio State and Notre Dame in the
football championship, will be on the warpath against the SEC.

Jim Steele is a correspondent for Richardson Media Group and may be reached on X
@steelesports and via email at pressbox1@gmail.com.