Conference tournament season arrived a week ago, but the college basketball postseason kicks into high gear this week. That’s because all the big boys — the ACC, Big East, Big 12, Big Ten, SEC and Pac-12 — begin to battle for bubbles and banners. The Mountain West, seeking to send a record six teams to the NCAA Tournament, also promises high-stakes action in Las Vegas, while leagues like the American Athletic, Atlantic 10 and even the Ivy League hope to get more than one team into the big dance. More one-bid leagues also tip off; perhaps this is where we’ll see the next Saint Peter’s or Fairleigh Dickinson emerge.
GO DEEPER
Let the madness begin! Your guide to the early conference tournaments
Here’s Part 2 of your guide to it all. (All times ET; story will be updated when brackets/results become available).
American Athletic
When it starts: Wednesday
Where: Fort Worth, Texas
Title game: Sunday, 3:15 p.m., ESPN
Top seed: South Florida (23-6, 16-2 AAC)
The skinny: South Florida won 15 straight games from Jan. 12 to March 5 to complete a remarkable turnaround under first-year coach Amir Abdur-Rahim, but the Bulls — who lost their finale to Tulsa — aren’t guaranteed a spot in the NCAA Tournament. Florida Atlantic is the league’s only lock, while Memphis — which was ranked as high as No. 10 in the AP poll this season — is dangerous. The bracket will be finalized and announced Sunday night.
Atlantic 10
CO-CHAMPS!
Congrats to @SpiderMBB and @RamblersMBB
The #A10MBB bracket is set. On to Brooklyn and @barclayscenter !
🏆 CHAMPIONSHIP: pic.twitter.com/IirRiw8nfj
— Atlantic 10 MBB (@A10MBB) March 10, 2024
When it starts: Tuesday
Where: Brooklyn, N.Y.
Title game: Sunday, March 17, 1 p.m., CBS
Top seed: Richmond (23-8, 15-3 A10)
The skinny: Dayton, the league’s best team according to metrics and the only surefire NCAA Tournament squad here, finished third behind both Richmond and Loyola Chicago. Richmond has a marginal at-large case, so someone other than the Flyers winning the title would help the conference secure a second bid.
ACC
𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐓 𝐈𝐒 𝐒𝐄𝐓 🏆
🎟️ https://t.co/U4KlNnaEUX
🏀 https://t.co/5fGypXATUz
📰 pic.twitter.com/0Fg7PSY2Kd— ACC Men’s Basketball (@accmbb) March 10, 2024
When it starts: Tuesday
Where: Washington D.C.
Title game: Saturday, 8:30 p.m., ESPN
Top seed: North Carolina (25-6, 17-3 ACC)
The skinny: UNC, Duke and Clemson are NCAA Tournament locks, so ACC/DC will be mostly be rocking around the bubble teams: Virginia, Wake Forest and, potentially, Pitt. It would surprise no one to see the Tar Heels and Blue Devils meet for a third time in the title game.
Big 12
In the meantime… we have an OFFICIAL bracket for the 2024 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men’s Basketball Championship. pic.twitter.com/xzXcBrhe6Y
— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) March 10, 2024
When it starts: Wednesday
Where: Kansas City
Title game: Saturday, 6 p.m., ESPN
Top seed: Houston (28-3, 15-3 Big 12)
The skinny: Houston will be a No. 1 seed next week no matter what, but there will be some jockeying for No. 2 seeds between Baylor, Iowa State and maybe Kansas — though it’s incredibly jarring to see the Jayhawks under Bill Self as the No. 6 seed. With 12 teams inside the KenPom top 70, this league has been a battle royale all season, and the conference tournament could be truly epic.
Big East
Ready for the @TheGarden 😤 pic.twitter.com/zaPRqtcc12
— BIG EAST MBB (@BIGEASTMBB) March 10, 2024
When it starts: Wednesday
Where: New York City
Title game: Saturday, 6:30 p.m., Fox
Top seed: UConn (28-3, 18-2 Big East)
The skinny: No league presents more fascinating bubble scenarios than this one. Villanova, St. John’s, Providence and Seton Hall have all been hovering around the cut line, making the early rounds at Madison Square Garden must-see TV. The health of All-America point guard Tyler Kolek (oblique) will be a big story for No. 3 seed Marquette.
Big Ten
When it starts: Wednesday
Where: Minneapolis
Title game: Sunday, March 17, 3:30 p.m., CBS
Top seed: Purdue
The skinny: Iowa and Michigan State are the two teams to watch here as far as the bubble. Purdue has a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament locked up and likely will be the overall No. 1 even if it doesn’t win this event.
Big West
🏀MBB | Bracket Locked in for the 2024 Hercules Tires Big West Men’s Basketball Championship #OnlyTheBold x #MarchMadness
— The Big West (@BigWestSports) March 10, 2024
When it starts: Wednesday
Where: Henderson, Nev.
Title game: Saturday, 9:30 p.m., ESPN2
Top seed: UC Irvine (24-8, 17-3 Big West)
The skinny: The Anteaters won the regular-season title by two games on the strength of a top-40 defense; no other Big West team has a top-100 defense. UC San Diego finished second but is not eligible for this tournament in its final year of transitioning to Division I. So UC Davis is the No. 2 seed.
Conference USA
The 2024 CUSA Men’s Basketball Championship Bracket 🏀🏆
The action starts Tuesday, March 12 from Huntsville, AL!#NoLimitsOnUs | pic.twitter.com/IOU0lchL76
— Conference USA (@ConferenceUSA) March 9, 2024
When it starts: Tuesday
Where: Huntsville, Ala.
Title game: Saturday, 8:30 p.m., CBS Sports Network
Top seed: Sam Houston State (20-11, 13-3 C-USA)
The skinny: Sam Houston State, in its first year since moving over from the WAC, edged Louisiana Tech for the regular-season crown after starting just 10-9 on the season.
Ivy League
THE SEEDS ARE SET.
No. 1 @PrincetonMBB
No. 2 @YaleMBasketball
No. 3 @cornell_mbb
No. 4 @BrownU_MBBFull information for #IvyMadness presented by @TIAA. ⤵️
🔗 » pic.twitter.com/f6sNrYwX0h
— Ivy League (@IvyLeague) March 10, 2024
When it starts: Saturday
Where: New York City
Title game: Sunday, March 17, Noon, ESPN2
Top seed: Princeton (24-3, 12-2 Ivy)
The skinny: Only four teams from the Ancient Eight make this two-day event. Princeton, coming off last year’s Sweet 16, could finish 25-4 if it loses in the title game; would that be enough for an unlikely Ivy at-large bid?
MAAC
𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭
We had fireworks today, as expected 👏
With the regular season concluding today, here is the official bracket for the 2024 @HerculesTires Men’s #MAACHoops Championship🏆: https://t.co/GuaFd6o78s#MAACHoops x #maAChoops24 pic.twitter.com/wHTmROTUob
— #MAACHoops (@MAACHoops) March 10, 2024
When it starts: Tuesday
Where: Atlantic City, N.J.
Title game: Saturday, 7:30 p.m., ESPNU
Top seed: Quinnipiac (23-8, 15-5 MAAC)
The skinny: Quinnipiac set a school record for wins and won its first MAAC title. Saint Peter’s the 2022 Cinderella, is the No. 5 seed.
MAC
The 2024 MAC Men’s Basketball Tournament Bracket is SET! 🏆🏀
🎟️: | #MACtion pic.twitter.com/oJeJ8hrPx0
— #MACtion (@MACSports) March 9, 2024
When it starts: Thursday
Where: Cleveland
Title game: Saturday, 7:30 p.m., ESPN2
Top seed: Toledo (20-11, 14-4 MAC)
The skinny: The league race was a battle between Toledo and Akron most of the year, until the Zips lost their last two games of the season. Toledo has been one of the most consistent mid-major programs under coach Tod Kowalczyk, who has won or shared six of the last seven regular-season titles. Is this the year the Rockets’ luck in the conference tournament finally changes and the school makes its first NCAA Tournament since 1980?
MEAC
The 2024 Men’s Tournament bracket is set🏀🏆#MEACHoops | #MEACPride pic.twitter.com/MFa0E25lTY
— Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (@MEACSports) March 8, 2024
When it starts: Wednesday
Where: Norfolk, Va.
Title game: Saturday, 1 p.m., ESPN2
Top seed: Norfolk State (21-10, 11-3 MEAC)
The skinny: Norfolk State will be looking for its third tournament title in the past four seasons after losing in last year’s final to Howard. Playing the tournament in its home city can’t hurt.
Mountain West
𝘽𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 #𝙈𝙒𝙈𝙖𝙙𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨
Here’s your first look at the men’s championship bracket 🏀 pic.twitter.com/3N9cbvyoZn
— Mountain West (@MountainWest) March 10, 2024
When it starts: Wednesday
Where: Las Vegas
Title game: Saturday, 6 p.m., CBS
Top seed: Utah State (26-5, 14-4 MWC)
The skinny: The Mountain West has been arguably the most fun league to watch this season, with fantastic finishes and top contenders trading punches. Can the conference get a record six NCAA Tournament teams? It will probably depend on how New Mexico fares this week. The league is so deep that San Diego State, last year’s national runner-up and a top-16 seed in the selection committee’s early bracket reveal last month, finished fifth.
Pac-12
The #Pac12MBB Tournament bracket is set 👀
Snag your tickets at pic.twitter.com/6wgeHrUFHO
— Pac-12 Conference (@pac12) March 10, 2024
When it starts: Wednesday
Where: Las Vegas
Title game: Saturday, 9 p.m., Fox
Top seed: Arizona (24-7, 15-5 Pac-12)
The skinny: This is the end. The last major event in the Pac-12’s storied history. The league is limping to the end in basketball, trending toward just two NCAA Tournament bids unless a team like Colorado or Utah can make some noise in Vegas. At least it has a legit national title contender in Arizona and one of the best stories this season in No. 2 seed Washington State.
GO DEEPER
Let the madness begin! Your guide to the early conference tournaments
SEC
The Bracket.
🔗 https://t.co/VhogXpLaYc#SECMBB x #SECTourney pic.twitter.com/F8v8rA0Ph6
— Southeastern Conference (@SEC) March 10, 2024
When it starts: Wednesday
Where: Nashville
Title game: Sunday, March 17, 1 p.m., ESPN
Top seed: Tennessee (24-7, 14-4 SEC)
The skinny: This is one of the deepest leagues in the country, with seven teams angling for single-digit NCAA Tournament seeds, plus an intriguing bubble team in Texas A&M. No. 2 seed Kentucky won at Tennessee on the final day of the regular season and is a must-watch every time out.
GO DEEPER
Kentucky’s exhilarating season continues with thrilling win over Tennessee
SWAC
𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕭𝖗𝖆𝖈𝖐𝖊𝖙 – 2024 SWAC Men’s Basketball Tournament 🏀
Quarterfinals tip-off on Wednesday, March 13th at 2 pm CST at Bartow Arena in Birmingham!
Watch live on ESPN+ #SWACMBB | #BuildingChampionsForLife pic.twitter.com/GhFGfAEkjI
— Southwestern Athletic Conference (@theswac) March 10, 2024
When it starts: Wednesday
Where: Birmingham, Ala.
Title game: Saturday, 9:30 p.m., ESPNU
Top seed: Grambling (17-14, 14-4 SWAC)
The skinny: Grambling finished the 2023 calendar year 2-10 but still secured the regular-season title. The winner of this event is all but guaranteed a spot in the First Four as a No. 16 seed.
WAC
When it starts: Wednesday
Where: Las Vegas
Title game: Saturday, 11:30 p.m., ESPN2
Top seed: Grand Canyon (27-4, 17-3 WAC)
The skinny: Bryce Drew’s Antelopes beat San Diego State in the nonconference and would have been in line for a possible at-large bid if not for some close league road losses. They’re led by Tyon Grant-Foster, the former Kansas and DePaul player who collapsed at halftime of a 2021 game and sat out for 16 months. Tarleton State finished second but is ineligible for the NCAA Tournament as it completes its transition to D1. The bracket will be finalized Sunday.
(Photo of Duke’s Kyle Filipowski from 2023 ACC tournament: Grant Halverson / Getty Images)
