Southern Hoops: A History of SEC Basketball
Southern Hoops: A History of SEC Basketball is a nearly century-long chronicle of the sport, directed by Saturdays in the South: A History of SEC Football filmmaker Fritz Mitchell. Featuring the tales of icons like Adolph Rupp and Dale Brown in the men's game, and Pat Summitt and Dawn Staley in the women's game, along with pioneers like Perry Wallace, legends like Pete Maravich, and modern-day titans like John Calipari, the series pays tribute to the immeasurable hardwood history that's transpired in the south, and its significance all across the game over generations.
- 2023-2023
- 1 season
- ESPN Films
- Documentary
Southern Hoops: A History of SEC Basketball is a nearly century-long chronicle of the sport, directed by Saturdays in the South: A History of SEC Football filmmaker Fritz Mitchell. Featuring the tales of icons like Adolph Rupp and Dale Brown in the men's game, and Pat Summitt and Dawn Staley in the women's game, along with pioneers like Perry Wallace, legends like Pete Maravich, and modern-day titans like John Calipari, the series pays tribute to the immeasurable hardwood history that's transpired in the south, and its significance all across the game over generations.
Season 1 Episode Guide
7 Episodes 2023
Episode 1
PART ONE: Naismith to Rupp, 1930-1959
Mon, Jan 30, 2023
Adolph Rupp came to the University of Kentucky in 1930 - a 29-year-old who took classes at the University of Kansas. Two years later, the SEC was formed, and Rupp's Wildcats would dominate play in the conference for decades.
Episode 2
PART TWO: Pioneers, 1960-1970
Mon, Feb 6, 2023
Texas Western's win over Adolph Rupp's Kentucky team in the 1966 NCAA final marks a turning point in the SEC. Vanderbilt's Perry Wallace becomes the conference's first Black player, while at LSU, Pete Maravich rewrites the record books.
Episode 3
PART THREE: Changing of the Guard, 1971-1979
Mon, Feb 13, 2023
Dale Brown brings an infectious personality to LSU while Pat Summitt begins her legendary coaching career at Tennessee. And the year after Adolph Rupp's death, his successor Joe B. Hall leads Kentucky to its first NCAA title in 20 years.
Episode 4
PART FOUR: The Entertainers, 1980-1989
Mon, Feb 20, 2023
Georgia's Dominique Wilkins and Auburn's Charles Barkley headline the SEC's successes in the early 1980s, while LSU's Dale Brown takes two teams to the Final Four. Pat Summitt wins her first two national titles at Tennessee.
Episode 5
PART FIVE: From Country to City, 1990-1999
Mon, Feb 27, 2023
Arkansas joins the SEC and becomes one of the conference's top teams, led by fiery coach Nolan Richardson and his "40 Minutes of Hell" attack. Kentucky returns to prominence, and at Tennessee, Pat Summitt wins three straight NCAA titles.
Episode 6
PART SIX: A Brave New World, 2000-2011
Mon, Mar 6, 2023
At Kentucky, Tubby Smith becomes the third Black coach ever to win a national title. Florida's back-to-back NCAA crowns mark the rise of a new power. The Lady Vols win 2 straight NCAA titles as LSU reaches 5 straight Final Fours.
Episode 7
PART SEVEN: From Old South to New South, 2012-2022
Mon, Mar 13, 2023
John Calipari continues the winning tradition at Kentucky with a national championship in 2012. Four years later, Pat Summitt dies after battling early-onset Alzheimer's disease. Dawn Staley leads South Carolina to a pair of NCAA titles.