Florida's Elite Eight Win Gives SEC Impressive Men's March Madness Record

An extraordinary year for the conference continues.

Florida holds the NCAA regional trophy aloft after advancing to the Final Four. / Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

In 2025, college basketball has been the SEC's sport—and fans around the country are just living in it.

After putting a record 14 teams in the NCAA men's tournament this year, the conference set a new record Saturday when No. 1 Florida defeated No. 3 Texas Tech, 84–79, in the Elite Eight. The win gave the SEC 20 wins this tournament—the most in history.

The record was previously held by the ACC, which won 19 games in 2016 as it reaped early fruits of its expansion.

The SEC appears far from done, with four teams—the Gators, Alabama, Tennessee and Auburn—still alive and kicking.

Florida's win over Texas Tech means the SEC now owns the record for most wins in an NCAA Tournament (20), passing the 2016 ACC (19).

— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) March 30, 2025

Other squads contributing to the league's pile of wins include Arkansas, Kentucky, Ole Miss and Texas A&M. The Aggies were knocked out in the second round, while the Razorbacks, Wildcats and Rebels bowed out in the Sweet 16.

Notably, when the ACC set that record in '16, it did not win the national title—North Carolina fell to Villanova in the championship. It remains to be seen whether the league converts its dominance into a crown.

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