On this day in sports history

Forty years ago, Feb. 28, 1979, the SEC Basketball Tournament was revived. Last season was 1952.

The site of the tournament was The Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center in Birmingham. The Tournament was played from Feb. 28 – March 3, 1979.

Tennessee, coached by Don DeVoe, won the tournament beating Kentucky 75-69. Tennessee received the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The C.D. Chesley Company syndicated the broadcast.

They were a company out of North Carolina who also syndicated Atlantic Coast Conference Basketball.

In the first round on Feb. 28, Alabama beat Florida 81-64. Kentucky bested Ole Miss 82-77. Georgia squeezed by Miss State 75-72. Auburn beat Vanderbilt 59-54.

In the quarterfinals, Kentucky barely squeaked out a win over Alabama 101-100. Auburn beat Georgia 95-91 (4 OT).

In the semi-finals, Kentucky bested LSU 80-67. Tennessee outscored Auburn 75-64.

In the championship game, Tennessee claimed the title of SEC champs by beating Kentucky 75-69 in overtime.

The All-Tournament Team members were: guard, Kyle Macy from Kentucky who was also named MVP; guard, Truman Claytor from Kentucky; forward, Terry Crosby from Tennessee; forward, Reginald King from Alabama; forward, John Stroud from Ole Miss.

Tennessee lost to Notre Dame in the second round of the NCAA Tournament 73-67. LSU lost to Michigan State 87-71 in the second in the NCAA Tournament. Kentucky lost to Clemson 68-67 in OT. That was Kentucky’s fifth game in eight days

In the first round of the NIT, Alabama lost to Ohio State in the consolation game 96-86.

Michigan State led by Magic Johnson won the national championship.