Bruce Pearl Urges NCAA to Ban Top SEC Program From March Madness

As college basketball enters February, the focus is beginning to shift - not just on positioning for conference tournaments, but also for the NCAA Tournament in March.

Some teams, such as the Arizona Wildcats and Michigan Wolverines, have remained forces all season, while others are starting to hit their stride - even if controversy follows.

The NCAA's current rules are somewhat inconsistent, allowing teams to bring back players with remaining eligibility - even midseason - who have played in the NBA G League, and potentially the NBA. This is the case with Amari Bailey, who is exploring a possible return to UCLA after appearing in 10 games for the Brooklyn Nets.

The trend began with the Alabama Crimson Tide, who added Charles Bediako after he returned to school following a stint in the G League.

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Bediako, 23, went undrafted in 2023 and ultimately signed a two-way deal with the San Antonio Spurs. He also had stints with the Detroit Pistons and Denver Nuggets before returning to college basketball.

IA decision on his ongoing eligibility is expected Feb. 7 and if Bediako is deemed eligible, as many expect, longtime SEC coach Bruce Pearl believes the NCAA should consider banning Alabama from the NCAA Tournament.

"I think they should consider it," Pearl said on OutKick’s Don’t @ Me With Dan Dakick. "I think it's something that should be talked about."

"So, the NCAA, Alabama went ‘Hey, we want to get Bediako eligible. We think there's some argument that he's getting treated differently as an American that played professionally vs. European kids.' It's a good argument to have, but the NCAA said no. They said, ‘No, he's not eligible. You guys are part of the SEC, you're part of the NCAA. You guys choose to be here. Therefore, you choose to play by our rules.' And so, when we don't like the ruling, what do we do? We go to court and get an injunction."

The growing issue is that if the NCAA allows Bediako to be eligible for the rest of the season, and the Crimson Tide gain the major reinforcement he provides, it likely won't stop there.

Teams around the sport could begin to exploit that rule, especially with NIL incentives to bring players with remaining eligibility back from two-way or full G League deals. If Bailey is granted permission to return after appearing in multiple NBA games, it could spark a whirlwind of controversy.

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Newsweek

This story was originally published February 1, 2026 at 10:57 AM.