By Harry King
LITTLE ROCK — The postseason security of teams in the SEC baseball tournament vs. the jitters of those in the basketball tournament says something about the depth of the league’s national presence.
In baseball, the eight teams that qualify for the league tournament head for Hoover, Ala., concerned about seeds and travel plans for the NCAA Tournament. For them, the SEC Tournament can be for tinkering with the pitching rotation or resting a regular.
In basketball, only three of the SEC 12 teams that show up in Nashville, Tenn., next week are certain of a spot in the NCAA field. Six others have no chance.
In baseball, fourth place and sometimes fifth in a six-team division is good enough to get into the national tournament. In basketball, a division championship is no guarantee.
Last May, the octet in Hoover were three of the 16 No. 1 seeds, four of the No. 2s, and a No. 3.
Thrice during the current decade, more baseball teams qualified for the NCAA Tournament than the SEC Tournament, including Arkansas in 2008. Seven times, the SEC had at least eight teams in the field, including a record nine in 2004, 2005, and 2008.
Kentucky, Vanderbilt, and Tennessee, all of the Eastern Division, are ensconced in the NCAA basketball tournament. Three others, including the best in the Western Division, are up in the air.
Even if Mississippi State beats Tennessee today, the Bulldogs cannot afford a loss to a lowly opponent in Nashville. Unless Florida defeats Kentucky on Sunday, the Gators will be in a similar predicament. Ole Miss’s situation is more precarious, even if the Rebels secure the No. 2 seed from the Western Division with a victory in Fayetteville this afternoon.
In baseball, SEC teams are thinking College World Series for good reason. Since 1990, the SEC has sent 38 teams to Omaha and league teams have won seven of the last 20 national titles. Arkansas was among the four SEC teams to reach the Super Regional and one of two to get to Omaha.
In basketball, success in the NCAA Tournament has been limited the past two years. A year ago, the SEC had only three representatives, the least since 1990. That year, the league claims four, but includes Arkansas, then in the Southwest Conference.
Last year, only LSU advanced to the second round. In 2008, three of the six SEC teams lost in the first round and two more exited in round two. Second-seeded Tennessee lost badly to Louisville in the third round.
The baseball-basketball comparison came about because of the overlap of Razorback teams — nationally-ranked baseball is in California and 14-16 basketball is in Fayetteville.
The baseball team is talking about returning to Omaha; the basketball team will not be involved in postseason play unless it wins at least two games, maybe three, in Nashville.
Whether it’s a sign of mediocrity in the Western Division or what, the Razorbacks can still salvage a No. 2 seed despite a two-week losing streak. Depending on today’s results, the Razorbacks could be as low as a No. 4.
As the No. 3 or No. 4, they will draw either Georgia or South Carolina. Arkansas beat the Bulldogs in Athens and the Gamecocks in Fayetteville. If Arkansas wins today, the first-round opponent should be Tennessee on Friday.
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Harry King is sports columnist for Stephens Media’s Arkansas News Bureau. His e-mail address is hking@arkansasnews.com.
