The exact moment the SEC became a basketball conference is still up for debate. What Rick Barnes can tell you is when his league was barely known for basketball. It was 1987, the beginning of what will someday be a hall of fame career for Tennessee's current coach.

There has been a lot of talk about this year’s men’s NCAA Tournament being chalky. Whether it is because of NIL and the transfer portal, as some have suggested, or it’s a random occurrence, there haven’t been as many upsets and Cinderella runs this year.

Madness is in full swing and the second weekend of the women's tournament begins on Friday with Sweet 16 action in Birmingham and Spokane.

Madness continues Thursday with the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament. As substantial as the first two rounds of the tournament can seem in the first weekend, the field of 16 remaining teams will be cut down to a Final Four by the end of the week.