SEC Men's Basketball 2021-22 was all about the home brew.
Regular-season champion Auburn went 16-0 at Auburn Arena. Runner-up Tennessee went 16-0 at Thompson-Boling Arena. Runner-up Kentucky went 18-0 at Rupp Arena.
According to ESPN Stats and Info, that's the first time since 1958-59 the top three finishers in the league all went unbeaten at home.
This week, however, all 14 league members are leaving home. No more friendly confines. No more creature comforts. No more comfort zone. It's SEC Men's Basketball Tournament time, this year with a curveball. Nashville, take a break. For the first time since 2009, starting Wednesday, the SEC will set up shop at Amalie Arena in beautiful, sunny downtown Tampa, Florida.
That's right, gone is Kentucky's sizable crowd advantage when the Big Blue Nation crosses the border to turn Bridgestone Arena into Rupp Arena West. Lexington to Tampa is a 12-hour drive. Gone is Tennessee's home-state advantage when the Rocky Top rowdies paint the honky-tonks on Broadway Avenue a checkerboard orange-and-white. Knoxville to Tampa requires 9 hours and 35 minutes on the highway.
This year, Auburn should have the advantage. Bruce Pearl's Tigers did win the league, after all, going 15-3 in conference play. They're the tourney's top seed, followed by Tennessee, Kentucky and Arkansas. And Tampa is a manageable seven-hour car trip from the loveliest little village on the plains.
Away from Auburn Arena, however, the Tigers have not been quite so fierce. They beat lowly Missouri by a single point and hapless Georgia by a single bucket. They lost at Arkansas (in overtime), at Florida (by a point) and at Tennessee (by five points). Last Wednesday, they needed an extra five minutes to hold off Mississippi State in Starkville.
Not that Auburn's top competitors were road warriors, either. Tennessee lost by 28 at Kentucky and scored all of 48 points in a 10-point loss at Arkansas. Kentucky lost at LSU, Auburn, Tennessee and Arkansas. And Arkansas lost at Mississippi State and Texas A&M before Eric Musselman snapped the Hogs into place. Even then, the Razorbacks lost by a point at Alabama and trailed Tennessee 50-29 at halftime Saturday before rallying to put a scare into the Vols before losing 78-74.
Outside the top four, the only other league team to at least break even on the road was Texas A&M. In fact, Buzz Williams' Aggies bring the Big Mo to Tampa, having won five of their last six overall, including road triumphs at Ole Miss and Alabama (by 16). Those searching for a Tampa dark horse could do worse than the Aggies.
Meanwhile, how about the Cats? Kentucky has won the tournament 31 of 60 times. UK's 71-63 tune-up win at Florida on Saturday was a workman-like effort. Oscar Tshiebwe was Oscar Tshiebwe with 27 points and 15 rebounds. After suffering some recent slippage at getting stops, UK defended better in Gainesville, though the Gators are not known for their offensive firepower.
"I told the team this game is about seeding," said Calipari in his postgame Zoom on Saturday.
It's all about the NCAA Tournament seedings now. You would think the same about the SEC Tournament, though the NCAA Selection Committee has a history of ignoring what happens in league tournaments. In most cases, the members appear to have their minds and their brackets already made up before Selection Sunday.
Still, the conference tournament title is a pride thing. Calipari is on record as saying it wouldn't hurt his feelings if they canceled the postseason party, yet Kentucky has won it six of the 11 times Calipari has been on UK's bench. Four of those six titles have come in Nashville. Not to worry, next season the league returns to Nashville for the first year of eight straight at Bridgestone Arena.
First, however, Florida is calling. Given the way the league has performed this year, the team that cuts down the nets on Sunday afternoon might be the team that can make Tampa feel like home sweet home.
