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SEC's NCAA performance a source of pride to East Regional finalists

NEW YORK - For a noted football league, the Southeast Conference hasn't done badly in the NCAA basketball tournament. In fact, the SEC has shown football-type dominance.

NEW YORK - For a noted football league, the Southeast Conference hasn't done badly in the NCAA basketball tournament.

In fact, the SEC has shown football-type dominance.

The SEC has three teams in the Elite Eight. No other conference has more than one.

At least one SEC team is guaranteed a spot in the Final Four, since No. 7-seeded South Carolina (25-10) will meet No. 4 Florida (27-8) in the East Regional final at 2:20 p.m. Sunday at Madison Square Garden.

Perennial SEC power Kentucky will meet North Carolina in the South Regional final at 5:05 p.m. Sunday.

Since 2006, the SEC has won eight football national championships and had three other teams play in the title game. In that span the SEC has won three national men's basketball titles - consecutive championships by Florida in 2006 and 2007 and Kentucky in 2012. Kentucky is the only SEC team to have been runner-up during this period, in 2014.

After earning an Elite Eight appearance with a wild 84-83 overtime win over Wisconsin on Friday, the Florida players were more than happy to speak up for their conference.

"We don't get a lot for credit for being the best conference - people say the ACC or Big Ten," said Florida guard Chris Chiozza, who became the hero Friday with an improbable game-winner. "Everybody in our conference knows we are the best conference; we have three teams in the Elite Eight."

Had it not been for his heroics, Chiozza and his teammates wouldn't be having this conversation. After Wisconsin's Nigel Hayes hit two free throws to give the Badgers an 83-81 lead with 4 seconds left, Chiozza made an unforgettable play.

He took the inbounds pass, dribbled the length of the court, and hit a leaning three-pointer at the buzzer for the win.

"It felt good when it came out of my hand, but I was running so fast I wasn't sure if I put too much on it or not enough," said Chiozza, who predictably said he heard from many people between the end of the game and Saturday's media session.

He put just enough on the shot, earning him the right to defend his league.

"Somebody said watching SEC basketball is like watching SEC football, it's just a different game," Chiozza said. "It is physical, hard-nosed, so it's a battle."

The players say they've known all along about the basketball strength. The public has been slow to come around.

"I think it is huge for the SEC and can show people how good our basketball teams are," said Florida's Canyon Barry, the SEC sixth man of the year. "The SEC has been kind of overlooked in this tournament."

Not now.

South Carolina and Florida split their first two games this season.

Florida is the more balanced team, with three double-figure scorers and five others averaging between 6.1 and 9.7 points. Leading the way is 6-2 sophomore KeVaughn Allen, who is averaging 14.1 points after exploding for a career high 35 against Wisconsin.

South Carolina is paced by SEC player of the year Sindarious Thornwell, who is averaging 21.4 points, but 25.6 in the three tournament wins.

In the last two games, the Gamecocks knocked off No. 2 Duke, 89-81, and No. 3 Baylor, 70-50.

"We have always had a swagger," said guard P.J. Dozier, who is averaging 13.7 points this season. "Now it's on the big stage. That's what we signed up for."

Like Florida, South Carolina is a little sensitive about the way the SEC is viewed by outsiders, but Gamecocks coach Frank Martin has a simple solution.

"I just let people know I don't appreciate that negativity," Martin said. "But the only way to get people to [shut up] is by doing what these guys have done."

mnarducci@phillynews.com

@sjnard