Strange: Honestly, SEC not ready to challenge Big East

NASHVILLE — When the SEC/Big East Invitational format was announced last year, I felt shortchanged.

Why limit the matches to four games each year? Why not give every team a shot every year like the Big Ten/ACC Challenge does?

That was my original argument. Now, I'm not sure it holds water.

Yes, the SEC got a sweep Tuesday night in the Sommet Center. Vanderbilt beat an awful South Florida team, 71-52. Then Tennessee toughed out a 80-68 win over Marquette.

You take your victories where you can get them, so SEC commissioner Mike Slive was all smiles. However, Tuesday night would be the exception, not the rule, if both leagues were playing with a full slate.

This particular installment got off to an underwhelming start. For the opening tip of Vanderbilt's game, there might have been 2,000 fans scattered around the arena.

The passion meter showed a flat line. It was so peaceful you could clearly hear Vanderbilt coach Kevin Stallings inquire of one of his freshmen, "Steve, where are you going?''

The buzz picked up considerably by the time Tennessee and Marquette hit the court. Still, the arena was only roughly half full, which the ESPN cameras may or may not have been able to disguise.

Just outside the Sommet Center door lay Broadway. But not that Broadway.

And there's one disconnect between these odd basketball bedfellows.

The Big East is Tavern on the Green. The SEC is Tootsie's Orchid Lounge.

Here's another difference: The Big East has eight teams ranked in the top 25. Five in the top 12!

The SEC has only Tennessee, slipping down the rankings to No. 16 this week.

And that's the most compelling reason a limited format behooves the SEC at the moment.

The other double-header is Thursday night in Cincinnati. I don't like Ole Miss' chances against No. 9 Louisville, nor Mississippi State's against Cincinnati and a hometown crowd.

The Big East went 3-1 in the inaugural event last year. South Carolina's overtime win over Providence avoided the sweep.

As the Top 25 indicates, this isn't the year the SEC wants a full measure of the Big East.

Alabama and Auburn have both lost at home to Mercer. South Carolina has lost to College of Charleston.

Kentucky has lost at home to VMI. Arkansas has lost to Missouri State.

Georgia has lost to Loyola-Chicago. Vanderbilt has lost at home to Illinois-Chicago.

Good thing there isn't an SEC/Horizon League Invitational.

LSU, the only unbeaten team, has played absolutely no one.

Marquee wins for the SEC are virtually non-existent. Tennessee's Nov. 28 win over Georgetown (in an unofficial SEC/Big East showdown) is the league's only victory over a ranked team this season.

Until Tuesday night, that is.

UT coach Bruce Pearl, ever the promoter, champions the event. So does his cross-state rival and colleague.

"I like it,'' Stallings said. "It puts us on a big stage.

"It'd be neat if it got to the point where each year more teams were involved.''

The teams involved in the first game have issues.

You won't recognize Vanderbilt from last year, save for center A.J. Ogilvy and guard Jermaine Beal.

South Florida, in fact, looked more familiar than the Commodores with all those SEC expatriates: head coach Stan Heath (Arkansas); assistant coaches Byron Samuels (Tennessee) and Reggie Hanson (Kentucky); starting guard Mike Mercer (Georgia).

The teams involved in the nightcap, Tennessee and Marquette, gave a better account of themselves - and of this event.

The Vols represented their league well against a good team from the best league in the country.

I'm not sure how many SEC teams could do the same.

Mike Strange may be reached at 865-342-6276 or strangem@knoxnews.com.

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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