{"id":892295,"date":"2026-03-18T02:11:55","date_gmt":"2026-03-18T07:11:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/03\/18\/college-basketball-conference-tournaments-2026-last-five-automatic-bids-to-ncaa-tournament-determined-sunday\/"},"modified":"2026-03-18T02:11:55","modified_gmt":"2026-03-18T07:11:55","slug":"college-basketball-conference-tournaments-2026-last-five-automatic-bids-to-ncaa-tournament-determined-sunday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/03\/18\/college-basketball-conference-tournaments-2026-last-five-automatic-bids-to-ncaa-tournament-determined-sunday\/","title":{"rendered":"College basketball conference tournaments 2026: Last five automatic bids to NCAA Tournament determined Sunday"},"content":{"rendered":"

Basketball <\/p>\n

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Basketball Arkansas won its first SEC title since 2000 with a win over Vanderbilt, while Purdue upset Michigan in the Big Ten title game<\/h2>\n
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Mar 15, 2026
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3:31 pm ET<\/span><\/time>
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\n \u2022
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\n 2 min read
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The final five automatic bids to the 2026 NCAA Tournament were handed out on Sunday. The conferences that crowned a champion are the Big Ten, SEC, American<\/a>, Atlantic 10 and the American.<\/p>\n

The first game of the day proved to be one of the best of the entire week. In the Ivy League Tournament Championship, Pennsylvania<\/a> defeated Yale<\/a> 88-84 in overtime to punch its ticket to the Big Dance. Penn star TJ Power<\/a>, a former Duke<\/a> and Virginia<\/a> player, knocked down a 3-pointer at the end of regulation to send the game to overtime.<\/p>\n

Brackets are here! Get your pools ready and enter our Bracket Challenge for your chance to\u00a0<\/strong>win a dream trip<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0to the 2027 Final Four\u24c7.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Power finished with 44 points and 14 rebounds. Penn is coached by former Iowa<\/a> coach Fran McCaffery. With the win, McCaffery becomes the fifth coach in Division I history to lead at least five different teams to the NCAA Tournament (Lehigh, UNC Greensboro, Siena, Iowa, Penn).<\/p>\n

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Bracketology winners and losers: UConn, Houston fumble chance at No. 1 seed before Selection Sunday<\/p>\n

\n David Cobb <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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In the SEC, No. 3 seed Arkansas<\/a> defeated No. 4 seed Vanderbilt<\/a> 86-75 in the SEC Tournament title game. The Razorbacks captured their first SEC title since 2000 with the dramatic victory over Vandy. Stud freshman guard Darius Acuff Jr<\/a>. finished with 30 points and 11 assists. Arkansas coach John Calipari won his first SEC title since 2018, when he was with Kentucky<\/a>. Calipari brings the Razorbacks a conference title in just his second year in Fayetteville.<\/p>\n

Purdue<\/a> upset Michigan<\/a> in the Big Ten title game, while South Florida<\/a> clinched an automatic bid to the Big Dance with a win over Wichita State<\/a> in the American championship.<\/p>\n

Basketball Sunday’s conference tournament schedule<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
AAC<\/a><\/td>\nBirmingham, Ala.<\/td>\nFinals<\/td>\nScoreboard<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Atlantic 10<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\nPittsburgh<\/a>, Pa.<\/td>\nFinals<\/td>\nScoreboard<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Big Ten<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\nChicago<\/td>\nFinals<\/td>\nScoreboard<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ivy League<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\nIthaca, N.Y.<\/td>\nFinals<\/td>\nScoreboard<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
SEC<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\nNashville, Tenn.<\/td>\nFinals<\/td>\nScoreboard<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Basketball 2025-26 conference tournament champions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\t\t\t\tCONFERENCE<\/strong><\/td>\n\t\t\t\tDATES<\/strong><\/td>\n\t\t\t\tLOCATION<\/strong><\/td>\n\t\t\t\tCHAMPIONSHIP (TV) \/ CHAMPION<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\t\t\t\tAmerica East<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\nMarch 7, 10, 14<\/td>\nHigher seed hosts<\/td>\nUMBC<\/a><\/strong> Retrievers (24-8)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
American<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\nMarch 11-15<\/td>\nBirmingham, Ala.<\/td>\nSouth Florida Bulls (25-8)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Atlantic 10<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\nMarch 11-15<\/td>\nPittsburgh, Pa.<\/td>\nVCU Rams<\/a> (27-7)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
ACC<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\nMarch 10-14<\/td>\nCharlotte<\/a>, N.C.<\/td>\nDuke Blue Devils (32-2)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
ASUN<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\nMarch 4,6-8<\/td>\nJacksonville<\/a>, Fla.<\/td>\nQueens Royals<\/a>\u00a0(21-13)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Big 12<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\nMarch 10-14<\/td>\nKansas City<\/a>, Mo.<\/td>\nArizona Wildcats<\/a> (32-2)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Big East<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\nMarch 11-14<\/td>\nNew York City<\/td>\nSt. John’s Red Storm<\/a> (28-6)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Big Sky<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\nMarch 7-11<\/td>\nBoise, Idaho<\/a><\/td>\nIdaho Vandals<\/a><\/strong> (21-14)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\t\t\t\tBig South<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\nMarch 4, 6-8<\/td>\nJohnson City, Tenn.<\/td>\n\t\t\t\tHigh Point Panthers<\/a>\u00a0(30-4)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\t\t\t\tBig Ten<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\nMarch 10-15<\/td>\nChicago<\/td>\nPurdue Boilermakers (27-8)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Big West<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\nMarch 11-14<\/td>\nHenderson, Nev.<\/td>\nHawaii Rainbow Warriors<\/a> (24-8)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\t\t\t\tCAA<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\nMarch 6-10<\/td>\nWashington<\/a>, D.C.<\/td>\nHofstra Pride<\/a> (24-10)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Conference USA<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\nMarch 10-14<\/td>\nHuntsville, Ala.<\/td>\nKennesaw State Owls<\/a> (21-13)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Horizon League<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\nMarch 2,4,8-10<\/td>\nIndianapolis<\/td>\nWright State Raiders<\/a> (23-11)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ivy League<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\nMarch 14-15<\/td>\nIthaca, N.Y.<\/td>\nPennsylvania Quakers (18-11)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
MAAC<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\nMarch 5-10<\/td>\nAtlantic City, N.J.<\/td>\nSiena Saints<\/a> (23-11)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
MAC<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\nMarch 12-14<\/td>\nCleveland<\/td>\nAkron Zips<\/a> (29-5)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
MEAC<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\nMarch 11-14<\/td>\nNorfolk, Va.<\/td>\nHoward Bison<\/a> (23-10)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Missouri Valley<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\nMarch 5-8<\/td>\nSt. Louis<\/td>\n\t\t\t\tNorthern Iowa Panthers<\/a>\u00a0(23-12)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\t\t\t\tMountain West<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\nMarch 11-14<\/td>\nLas Vegas<\/td>\nUtah State Aggies<\/a> (28-6)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Northeast<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\nMarch 4,7,10<\/td>\nHigher seed hosts<\/td>\nLong Island Sharks (24-10)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\t\t\t\tOhio Valley<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\nMarch 4-7<\/td>\nEvansville<\/a>, Ind.<\/td>\n\t\t\t\tTennessee State Tigers<\/a>\u00a0(23-9)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\t\t\t\tPatriot League<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\nMarch 3,5,8,11<\/td>\nHigher seed hosts<\/td>\nLehigh Mountain Hawks<\/a> (18-16)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
SEC<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\nMarch 11-15<\/td>\nNashville, Tenn.<\/td>\nArkansas Razorbacks (26-8)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
SoCon<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\nMarch 6-9<\/td>\nAsheville, N.C.<\/td>\nFurman Paladins <\/a>\u00a0(22-12)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Southland<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\nMarch 8-11<\/td>\nLake Charles, La.<\/td>\nMcNeese Cowboys<\/a> (28-5)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
SWAC<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\nMarch 9-14<\/td>\nAtlanta<\/td>\nPrairie View A&M Panthers<\/a> (18-17)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Summit League<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\nMarch 4-8<\/td>\nSioux Falls, S.D.<\/td>\nNorth Dakota State Bison<\/a><\/strong> (27-7)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\t\t\t\tSun Belt<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\nMarch 3-9<\/td>\nPensacola, Fla.<\/td>\nTroy Trojans<\/a> (22-11)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
West Coast<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\nMarch 5-10<\/td>\nLas Vegas<\/td>\nGonzaga Bulldogs<\/a> (30-3)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
WAC<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\nMarch 11-14<\/td>\nLas Vegas<\/td>\nCalifornia Baptist Lancers<\/a> (25-8)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
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Basketball
\n Our Latest College Basketball Stories<\/p>\n<\/h2><\/div>\n<\/section>\n
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Read More<\/a> Cameron Salerno<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Basketball Basketball Arkansas won its first SEC title since 2000 with a win over Vanderbilt, while Purdue upset Michigan in the Big Ten title game Mar 15, 2026 at 3:31 pm ET \u2022 2 min read Imagn Images The final five automatic bids to the 2026 NCAA Tournament were handed out on Sunday. The conferences […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":892296,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[124942,3681,1850],"tags":[16302],"class_list":{"0":"post-892295","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nba","8":"category-basketball","9":"category-college","10":"tag-nba"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/892295","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=892295"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/892295\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/892296"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=892295"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=892295"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=892295"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}