... and a winning/.500 record in the SEC wouldn't get you into the NCAA tourney?
Seems a little surreal now but it happened fairly regularly in the 2000's and 2010's:
2006-2007 20-13 8-8 SEC
2009-2010 24-11 9-7 SEC
2011-2012 20-14 8-8 SEC
2014-2015 20-13 11-7 SEC
2015-2016 20-12 10-8 SEC
2016-2017 22-14 10-8 SEC
Seems a little surreal now but it happened fairly regularly in the 2000's and 2010's:
2006-2007 20-13 8-8 SEC
2009-2010 24-11 9-7 SEC
2011-2012 20-14 8-8 SEC
2014-2015 20-13 11-7 SEC
2015-2016 20-12 10-8 SEC
2016-2017 22-14 10-8 SEC