Two more automatic bids to the 2026 NCAA Tournament were punched on Monday, with Troy and Furman joining the six other teams that have already qualified for the Big Dance. No. 1 seed Troy defeated Georgia Southern 77-61 in the Sun Belt Tournament title game to clinch its spot in the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season and fourth time in program history.
Georgia Southern, the No. 10 seed in the Sun Belt, was on one of the most unlikely conference tournament runs after winning five games in five days in the Sun Belt’s “ladder-format.”
In the SoCon Tournament title game, No. 6 seed Furman upset No. 1 seed East Tennessee State 76-61. Furman last made the NCAA Tournament in 2023, when it pulled off a dramatic upset win over Virginia on a last-second shot. This year will mark the program’s eighth appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
Bracketology True or False: Will Auburn or Indiana get in? Is Kansas a No. 5 seed? Will the ACC get nine bids?
David Cobb
The conference tournaments in the Power Five conferences (ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, and the SEC) will begin later this week. The ACC, Big 12 and Big Ten tournaments start on Tuesday.
Northern Iowa wins Arch Madness
No. 6 seed Northern Iowa defeated No. 5 seed UIC 84-69 in the Missouri Valley Conference title game to punch its ticket to the Big Dance. Northern Iowa will be making its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2016.
In Northern Iowa’s last showing at the NCAA Tournament a decade ago, the Panthers stunned Texas in the first round after Paul Jesperson drilled a half-court shot at the buzzer to give his team a dramatic victory. This will be Northern Iowa’s third tournament appearance since 2010. Northern Iowa has won at least one game in the Big Dance in all three appearances.
High Point dancing in back-to-back seasons
The second automatic bid went to High Point, the No. 1 seed in the Big South Tournament. The Panthers defeated No. 2 seed Winthrop 91-76 in the title game to advance to their second consecutive NCAA Tournament. Last year, High Point lost to Purdue in the first round of the Big Dance.
Queens clinches first-ever NCAA Tournament bid
The third automatic bid of the day went to Queens. The Royals defeated Central Arkansas in overtime in the ASUN title game to clinch their first NCAA Tournament appearance in program history.
BU’s buzzer-beater shocks and upsets Navy in Patriot League semis
Perhaps one of the most shocking results of the day came in the Patriot League, when Boston University upset No. 1 seed Navy. After Navy took a brief lead with less than four seconds remaining, Chance Gladden drilled a 3-pointer at the buzzer to send his team to the conference title game.
Boston University will face Lehigh in the Patriot League title game on Wednesday.
Monday’s conference tournament schedule, scores
2025-26 conference tournament champions
| CONFERENCE | DATES | LOCATION | CHAMPIONSHIP (TV) / CHAMPION |
| America East | March 7, 10, 14 | Higher seed hosts | Saturday, 11 a.m. ESPN2 |
| American | March 11-15 | Birmingham, Ala. | Sunday, 3:15 p.m. ESPN |
| Atlantic 10 | March 11-15 | Pittsburgh, Pa. | Sunday, 1 p.m. CBS |
| ACC | March 10-14 | Charlotte, N.C. | Saturday, 8:30 p.m. ESPN |
| ASUN | March 4,6-8 | Jacksonville, Fla. | Queens Royals (21-13) |
| Big 12 | March 10-14 | Kansas City, Mo. | Saturday, 6 p.m. ESPN |
| Big East | March 11-14 | New York City | Saturday, 6:30 p.m. Fox |
| Big Sky | March 7-11 | Boise, Idaho | Wednesday, 11:30 p.m. ESPN2 |
| Big South | March 4, 6-8 | Johnson City, Tenn. | High Point Panthers (30-4) |
| Big Ten | March 10-15 | Chicago | Sunday, 3:30 p.m. CBS |
| Big West | March 11-14 | Henderson, Nev. | Saturday, 10 p.m. ESPN2 |
| CAA | March 6-10 | Washington, D.C. | Tuesday, 7 p.m. CBS Sports Network |
| Conference USA | March 10-14 | Huntsville, Ala. | Saturday, 8:30 p.m. CBS Sports Network |
| Horizon League | March 2,4,8-10 | Indianapolis | Tuesday, 7 p.m. ESPN |
| Ivy League | March 14-15 | Ithaca, N.Y. | Sunday, 12 p.m. ESPN2 |
| MAAC | March 5-10 | Atlantic City, N.J. | Tuesday, 9 p.m. ESPN2 |
| MAC | March 12-14 | Cleveland | Saturday, 8 p.m. ESPN2 |
| MEAC | March 11-14 | Norfolk, Va. | Saturday, 1 p.m. ESPN2 |
| Missouri Valley | March 5-8 | St. Louis | Northern Iowa Panthers (23-12) |
| Mountain West | March 11-14 | Las Vegas | Saturday, 6 p.m. CBS |
| Northeast | March 4,7,10 | Higher seed hosts | Tuesday, 7 p.m. ESPN2 Long Island Sharks (23-10) awarded AQ |
| Ohio Valley | March 4-7 | Evansville, Ind. | Tennessee State Tigers (23-9) |
| Patriot League | March 3,5,8,11 | Higher seed hosts | Wednesday, 7 p.m. CBS Sports Network |
| SEC | March 11-15 | Nashville, Tenn. | Sunday, 1 p.m. ESPN |
| SoCon | March 6-9 | Asheville, N.C. | Furma Paladins (22-12) |
| Southland | March 8-11 | Lake Charles, La. | Wednesday, 5 p.m. ESPN2 |
| SWAC | March 9-14 | Atlanta | Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ESPNU |
| Summit League | March 4-8 | Sioux Falls, S.D. | North Dakota State Bison (27-7) |
| Sun Belt | March 3-9 | Pensacola, Fla. | Troy (22-11) |
| West Coast | March 5-10 | Las Vegas | Tuesday, 9 p.m. ESPN |
| WAC | March 11-14 | Las Vegas | Saturday, 12 a.m. ESPN2 |
