Prestige Rankings: The Best SEC Men’s Basketball Programs

Mar 15, 2015; Nashville, TN, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks forward Bobby Portis (10) drives the ball against Kentucky Wildcats forward Willie Cauley-Stein (15) during the first half of the SEC Conference championship game at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joshua Lindsey-USA TODAY Sports

3. Arkansas Razorbacks

NCAA Tournament Appearances: 30

Sweet Sixteens: 6

Elite Eights: 4

Final Fours: 3

National Championship Appearances: 2

National Championships: 1

SEC Tournament Championships: 1

The next big jump in the SEC prestige rankings separates the top 3 in the conference from the rest. Arkansas is the first of these three teams, and they have a very solid NCAA Tournament history.

The Razorbacks have made 30 NCAA Tournament appearances, the 2nd most in the SEC. The sheer number of appearances would vault Arkansas up the rankings, but they’ve been successful in their appearances as well.

For over a decade in late 1980’s and early 2000’s, the Razorbacks were a powerful postseason team. From 1988-2001, Arkansas only missed the NCAA Tournament once in 1997. All of their deep tournament runs came in that period of time, including the 1994 National Championship.

Since then, however, the Razorbacks have been less successful. Arkansas made the tournament three straight seasons from 2006-08, but they failed to earn a berth again until the 2015 field.

Arkansas didn’t join the SEC until 1992, but they already have more SEC Tournament championship game appearances than most of the rest of the conference. The Razorbacks won the 2000 SEC Tournament Championship, and they made it to the championship game in 1995, 1999, 2007, 2008, and 2015.

While Arkansas’s best years are a nearly two decades ago, they own a National Championship and have been successful since joining the SEC in 1992. They deserve to be in the top 3 of the conference’s prestige based on their history.