The madness has arrived.
The first men’s basketball conference tournaments start this week, led by the first round of the Atlantic Sun tournament on Monday. The first automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament will be awarded Saturday night in the Ohio Valley tournament title game. In many of these early events, the drama is as high as it gets, because only the winner will hear its name called on Selection Sunday.
Here’s your guide to the 15 conference tournaments that begin between now and Sunday. Brackets are included in those leagues where they’ve already been set. New brackets will be added to this story when they become available, and we’ll be back next Monday for the other 17 conference tournaments.
(Conferences are listed in alphabetical order; all times ET.)
America East
When it starts: Saturday
Where: Campus sites
Title game: Saturday, March 16, 11 a.m, ESPN2
Top seed: Vermont (25-6, 14-1 America East)
The skinny: The regular season wraps up Tuesday night, Vermont is once again the No. 1 seed, as it has been for seven of the past eight AmEast tourneys. The Catamounts are seeking their 10th NCAA Tournament appearance since 2003.
Atlantic Sun
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐒𝐞𝐭…👀🏆🏀
Check out the full bracket for the 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 #𝐀𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐌𝐁𝐁 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩! ⬇️
🔗 | https://t.co/cp1j2HPYd9#ASUNBuilt pic.twitter.com/JlZYncDc8C
— #ASUNBuilt (@ASUNSports) March 2, 2024
When it starts: Monday
Where: Campus sites
Title game: Sunday, March 10, 2 p.m., ESPN2
Top seed: Eastern Kentucky (17-13, 12-4 Atlantic Sun)
The skinny: Led by Isaiah Cozart, who is one of the nation’s top shot-blockers despite standing 6-foot-7, Eastern Kentucky is looking to return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2014. No. 8 seed Queens is ineligible for the automatic bid as it is still transitioning to Division I.
Big South
𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗕𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗞𝗘𝗧.
The stage is officially set for the 2024 @HerculesTires Big South Basketball Championship! 🏀
📰: https://t.co/Pc4EEzvaGD#BigSouthMBB pic.twitter.com/NZ36WjiWgs
— Big South Conference (@BigSouthSports) March 3, 2024
When it starts: Wednesday
Where: High Point, N.C.
Title game: Sunday, March 10, Noon, ESPN2
Top seed: High Point (24-7, 13-3 Big South)
The skinny: High Point earned its first No. 1 seed since 2016 under first-year coach Alan Huss. The Panthers will have to hold off defending champion UNC Asheville and star big man Drew Pember, but High Point gets to host the tournament.
Big Sky
When it starts: Saturday
Where: Boise, Idaho
Title game: Wednesday, March 13, 11:30 p.m., ESPN2
Top seed: Eastern Washington (20-10, 14-3 Big Sky)
The skinny: The league finishes its regular season on Monday night, but Eastern Washington has already clinched the regular-season title for the second straight year. Weber State has one of the best mid-major players in America in 6-foot-6 forward Dillon Jones (20.7 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 5.3 apg).
Coastal Athletic Association
🚨 We have a bracket. 🚨
The matchups are set for the 2024 @jerseymikes Men’s #CAAHoops Championship in Washington, D.C.
Head to Championship Central for more details:
🔗 https://t.co/Lb2wcB4tHv pic.twitter.com/kTjTiCil77— CAA Basketball (@CAABasketball) March 2, 2024
When it starts: Friday
Where: Washington D.C.
Title game: Tuesday, March 12, 7 p.m., CBS Sports Network
Top seed: Charleston (24-7, 15-3 CAA)
The skinny: Charleston won its final nine games to repeat as regular-season champs and looks to make its second straight NCAA Tournament under Pat Kelsey. There will be plenty of challengers, including No. 4 seed UNC Wilmington, which beat Kentucky at Rupp Arena this season.
Horizon
Our 2024 @BarbasolShave #HLMBB Championship bracket has been revealed with @OaklandMBB securing the regular season title and No. 1 seed!
🏀: https://t.co/nnyX1aAHIi#OurHorizon 🌇| #MarchStartsHere pic.twitter.com/cyniTOUERV
— Horizon League (@HorizonLeague) March 3, 2024
When it starts: Tuesday
Where: Campus sites for early rounds; title game in Indianapolis
Title game: Tuesday, March 12, 7 p.m., ESPN
Top seed: Oakland (20-11, 15-5 Horizon)
The skinny: Oakland is looking for its first NCAA Tournament trip since 2011 and fourth under Greg Kampe, who is in his 40th (!) season at the helm. Want a Cinderella story? No. 11 seed Detroit Mercy went 1-30 this season.
Missouri Valley
Seeds, Times, & Bracket set for #ARCHMADNESS.
🏆🏀👉 https://t.co/RqO5IXCURl pic.twitter.com/4TCuQ84L41
— MVC Basketball (@ValleyHoops) March 4, 2024
When it starts: Thursday
Where: St. Louis
Title game: Sunday, March 10, 2 p.m., CBS
Top seed: Indiana State (26-5, 17-3 Missouri Valley)
The skinny: Arch Madness is always a must-see but even more so this season with a pair of potential NCAA Tournament teams in Indiana State and Drake. The Sycamores have become a feel-good story this season under Josh Schertz, while No. 2 seed Drake is led by superstar Tucker DeVries. Bradley is good enough to play spoiler.
GO DEEPER
He was a tennis prodigy and high school dropout. Now he’s one of the hottest coaches in the country
Northeast
🚨 📰 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟺 𝙽𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚝 𝙲𝚘𝚗𝚏𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎 #𝙽𝙴𝙲𝙼𝙱𝙱 𝚃𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚗𝚊𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝙵𝚒𝚎𝚕𝚍 𝚂𝚎𝚝@CCSU_MBB Claims Top Seed & Home Court Advantage Throughout Tourneyhttps://t.co/ea2fy40hDb
— Northeast Conference (@NECsports) March 3, 2024
When it starts: Wednesday
Where: Campus sites
Title game: Tuesday, March 12, 7 p.m., ESPN2
Top seed: Central Connecticut State (19-10, 13-3 Northeast)
The skinny: Central Connecticut State edged Merrimack on the final day of the season to earn its first No. 1 seed since 2007. Merrimack is eligible to play in the NCAA Tournament for the first time this year.
Ohio Valley
𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐓 𝐈𝐒 𝐒𝐄𝐓! 🏀
The 2024 OVC Men’s Basketball Championship presented by @united_fidelity is set!
Complete schedule: https://t.co/eWCQKomOe3#OVCit | #OVCTourney pic.twitter.com/YgxyXoUgDR
— Ohio Valley Conference (@OVCSports) March 2, 2024
When it starts: Wednesday
Where: Evansville, Ind.
Title game: Saturday, March 9, 7 p.m., ESPN2
Top seed: Little Rock (20-11, 14-4 Ohio Valley)
The skinny: Little Rock, UT Martin and Morehead State finished in a three-way tie at 14-4, with Little Rock earning the tiebreaker for the No. 1 seed. No. 8 seed Southern Indiana is ineligible for the automatic bid as it is still transitioning to Division I.
Patriot
Patriot League Tournament Bracket. pic.twitter.com/NKqD4jDsNY
— Mid-Major Madness (@mid_madness) March 3, 2024
When it starts: Tuesday
Where: Campus sites
Title game: Wednesday, March 13, 7 p.m., CBS Sports Network
Top seed: Colgate (22-9, 16-2 Patriot)
The skinny: Colgate might be the biggest favorite in any conference tournament, as it ran away with the regular-season crown by a full six games. The Raiders are looking to represent the Patriot League in the fifth straight NCAA Tournament.
Southern
The men’s stage is set 🏀 | #SoConHoops
Click the link below for the full schedule, tickets and more⬇️
https://t.co/hsQDgSk8xm pic.twitter.com/dpEcJNzSIK
— The Southern Conference (@SoConSports) March 3, 2024
When it starts: Friday
Where: Asheville, N.C.
Title game: Monday, March 11, 7 p.m., ESPN
Top seed: Samford (26-5, 15-3 Southern)
The skinny: Samford dominated the league and has won a school-record 26 games already. The Bulldogs are seeking their first SoCon tournament title.
Southland
When it starts: Sunday
Where: Lake Charles, La.
Title game: Wednesday, March 13, 5 p.m., ESPN2
Top seed: McNeese State (26-3, 15-1 Southland)
The skinny: The regular season continues until Wednesday when a bracket will be set. But Will Wade’s McNeese State Cowboys have already clinched the No. 1 seed.
Summit
𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐟𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐝𝐨 …
The 2024 #SummitMBB Championship Bracket‼️
Sioux Falls is going to be fun 🤩
🗞️: https://t.co/od0Pp0Djcl#ReachTheSummit x #March2TheSummit pic.twitter.com/GkNTAsJbFn
— The Summit League (@TheSummitLeague) March 3, 2024
When it starts: Friday
Where: Sioux Falls, S.D.
Title game: Tuesday, March 12, 9:30 p.m., CBS Sports
Top seed: South Dakota State (19-12, 12-4 Summit)
The skinny: South Dakota State won the league by two games, and the Jackrabbits are looking for their eighth tournament title since 2012. Kansas City, which was 10-15 on Feb. 8, closed out with six straight wins to take the No. 2 seed. The nation’s leading scorer, Tommy Bruner, plays for No. 7 seed Denver.
Sun Belt
𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞 𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗕𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗞𝗘𝗧.
Have a look at the official bracket for the 2024 @HerculesTires #SunBeltMBB Championship. ☀️🏀
📰 » https://t.co/2BTNm8yw0G pic.twitter.com/i9y7PnFFDb
— Sun Belt (@SunBelt) March 2, 2024
When it starts: Tuesday
Where: Pensacola, Fla.
Title game: Monday, March 11, 6 p.m., ESPN2
Top seed: Appalachian State (26-5, 16-2 Sun Belt)
The skinny: James Madison got all the attention early, winning at Michigan State in the first week of the season and cracking the AP Top 25. But Appalachian State — which beat Auburn in December — swept the Dukes. There’s an outside chance both could make the NCAA Tournament.
GO DEEPER
Inside James Madison’s remarkable rise
West Coast
It’s official‼️ The seeds are locked in for the @MyCreditUnion1 #WCChoops Championship
🎟️ https://t.co/ofOZIPvLBE pic.twitter.com/A16EXL2B5N
— WCC Basketball (@WCChoops) March 3, 2024
When it starts: Thursday
Where: Las Vegas
Title game: Tuesday, March 12, 9 p.m., ESPN
Top seed: Saint Mary’s (24-7, 15-1 West Coast)
The skinny: Saint Mary’s claimed the regular-season title, but Gonzaga finished strong by winning on the road against the Gaels and No. 3 seed San Francisco in the final week. Saint Mary’s and the Zags should both make the NCAA Tournament no matter what happens in this event since both got byes to the semifinals. Could a surprise winner make this a three-bid league?
Conference tournaments starting next week:
American: March 13-17
Atlantic 10: March 12-17
ACC: March 12-16
Big 12: March 12-16
Big East: March 13-16
Big Ten: March 13-17
Big West: March 13-16
Conference USA: March 12-16
Ivy League: March 16-17
MAAC: March 12-16
MAC: March 14-16
MEAC: March 13-16
Mountain West: March 13-16
Pac-12: March 13-16
SEC: March 13-17
SWAC: March 13-16
WAC: March 13-16
(Top photo of Colgate celebrating last year’s Patriot League tournament title: Adrian Kraus / AP)
