What happened: SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey told 247Sports' Kyle Tucker that the conference would not exercise the nuclear option of breaking away from the NCAA, citing the value and structure of the NCAA Tournament as the primary reason to remain.

Why it matters: While power conferences continue to reshape college athletics governance and weigh proposed SEC intra-conference transfer restrictions, preserving access to the national basketball championship remains a decisive anchor holding the current system together.

What to watch: Conference leaders and the NCAA will continue negotiating governance and eligibility rules inside the existing membership framework.