Most important thing we learned: Alabama and Arkansas have arrived
Remember 2020, when the Crimson Tide and the Razorbacks finished ninth and 10th in the league? Well, it’s taken just two seasons for Nate Oats and Eric Musselman to shift the paradigm and flip the SEC’s balance of power. Alabama and Arkansas finished first and second this time around, each making the Sweet 16 and succeeding in ways that feel sustainable. Oats continues to recruit as well as any coach in the conference. Musselman will always be a threat for top transfers. And the conference’s upper crust is as deep as ever for the foreseeable future.