Michael Dann/OVC
No. 3 seed Morehead State outlasted No. 1 seed Little Rock 69-55 in the Ohio Valley Tournament title game Saturday to claim the first automatic bid to the 2024 NCAA Tournament. The Eagles also went dancing in 2021 at the beginning of what is now a streak of four straight seasons with 20 or more wins under coach Preston Spradlin. Riley Minix led the way for Morehead State with 26 points while Drew Thelwell added 21.
Little Rock wasn’t the only No. 1 seed to meet its demise Saturday. Top-seeded Central Connecticut State bowed out of the NEC Tournament with a 66-56 loss to No. 6 seed Wagner in the semifinals. In the Big South, No. 1 seed High Point found itself on the wrong end of second-half rally from No. 5 seed Longwood, falling 80-79 in overtime to the Lancers.
Three more NCAA Tournament bids will be awarded Sunday as the ASUN, Big South and Missouri Valley crown their tournament champions. No. 2 seed Stetson is hosting No. 4 seed Austin Peay in the ASUN title game, while No. 2 seed UNC Asheville is taking on No. 5 seed Longwood for the Big South crown.
The headliner of Sunday’s action will be in the Missouri Valley Tournament, where No. 1 seed Indiana State is battling No. 2 seed Drake for a title after the two split their regular-season series. Also in Sunday’s action: the Patriot League and SoCon will be winnowing their fields from four to two in semifinal action while the Big Sky, CAA and Summit each play quarterfinal games.
As automatic bids to the NCAA Tournament are secured, we’ll be noting each of them here.
Saturday’s conference tournament scoreboard
2024 conference tournament schedules, champions
All times ET
Conference City Dates Final (TV) / Champion ACCWashington D.C.March 12-16Saturday, March 16
8:30 p.m. (ESPN) America EastCampus SitesMarch 9, 12, 16Saturday, March 16
11 a.m. (ESPN2) AmericanFort Worth, TexasMarch 13-17Sunday, March 17
3:15 p.m. (ESPN) ASUNCampus SitesMarch 4-5, 7, 10Sunday, March 10
2 p.m. (ESPN2) Atlantic 10BrooklynMarch 12-14, 16-17Sunday, March 17
1 p.m. (CBS) Big 12Kansas CityMarch 12-16Saturday. March 16
6 p.m. (ESPN) Big EastNew York CityMarch 13-16Saturday, March 16
6:30 p.m. (Fox) Big SkyBoise, IdahoMarch 9, 10-13Wednesday, March 13
11:30 p.m. (ESPN2) Big SouthHigh Point, North CarolinaMarch 6, 8-10Sunday, March 10
Noon (ESPN2) Big TenMinneapolisMarch 13-17Sunday, March 17
3:30 p.m. (CBS) Big WestHenderson, NevadaMarch 13-16Saturday, March 16
9:30 p.m. (ESPN2) Coastal AthleticWashington, D.C.March 8-12Tuesday, March 12
7 p.m. (CBS Sports Network) Conference USAHuntsville, AlabamaMarch 12-16Saturday, March 16
8:30 p.m. (CBS Sports Network) Horizon LeagueCampus sites | IndianapolisMarch 5, 7, 11-12Tuesday, March 12
7 p.m. (ESPN) IvyNew York CityMarch 16-17Sunday, March 17
12 p.m. (ESPN2) MAACAtlantic City, New JerseyMarch 12-16Saturday, March 16
7:30 p.m. (ESPNU) MACClevelandMarch 14-16Saturday, March 16
7:30 p.m. (ESPN2) MEACNorfolk, VirginiaMarch 13-16Saturday, March 16
1 p.m. (ESPN2) Missouri ValleySt. LouisMarch 7-10Sunday, March 10
2 p.m. (CBS) Mountain WestLas VegasMarch 13-16Saturday, March 16
6 p.m. (CBS) NortheastCampus SitesMarch 6, 9, 12Tuesday, March 12
7 p.m. (ESPN2) Ohio ValleyEvansville, IndianaMarch 6-9Morehead State Pac-12Las VegasMarch 13-16Saturday, March 16
9 p.m. (Fox) PatriotCampus SitesMarch 5, 7, 10, 13Wednesday, March 13
7 p.m. (CBS Sports Network) SECNashvilleMarch 13-17Sunday, March 17
1 p.m. (ESPN) SouthernAsheville, North CarolinaMarch 8-11Monday, March 11
7 p.m. (ESPN2) SouthlandLake Charles, LouisianaMarch 10-13Wednesday, March 13
5 p.m. (ESPN2) SummitSioux Falls, South DakotaMarch 8-12Tuesday, March 12
9:30 p.m. (CBS Sports Network) Sun BeltPensacola, FloridaMarch 5, 7, 9, 10-11Monday, March 11
7 p.m. (ESPN2) SWACBirmingham, AlabamaMarch 13-16Saturday, March 16
5:30 p.m. (ESPNU) WACLas VegasMarch 13-16Saturday, March 16
11:30 p.m. (ESPN2) WCCLas VegasMarch 7-9, 11-12Tuesday, March 12
9 p.m. (ESPN)
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