Three more automatic bids to the NCAA Tournament were punched on Sunday when Drake (Missouri Valley), Stetson (ASUN) and Longwood (Big South) each won their respective conference tournaments.
No. 2 seed Drake defeated top-seeded Indiana State 84-80 behind 27 points from two-time MVC Player of the Year Tucker DeVries. Indiana State erased an 18-point second-half deficit to take a brief lead with just over three minutes remaining before the Bulldogs closed the game on an 8-4 run.
No. 5 seed Longwood shocked No. 2 seed UNC Asheville 85-59 to secure the program’s second bid to the NCAA Tournament in the last three seasons. The Lancers won the Big South regular season and conference title in 2022.
Stetson secured its first NCAA Tournament in program history with a 94-91 win over No. 4 seed Austin Peay. The second-seeded Hatters knocked off Queens, Jacksonville and Austin Peay this week in the conference tournament to secure the third and final automatic bid of the day. Stetson star Jalen Blackmon scored a career-high 43 points in the championship game.
The SoCon will crown a champion Monday night, when No. 1 seed Samford takes on No. 7 seed East Tennessee State. The Bulldogs are seeking their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2000 while the Buccaneers are trying to make it back for the first time since 2017. Samford beat ETSU twice during the regular season, but the Buccaneers will be riding high into the matchup after erasing a 20-point deficit in their semifinal victory over No. 3 seed Chattanooga on Sunday.T
The CAA, Horizon League, Summit League and WCC are in semifinal action Monday, while the Big Sky and Southland tournaments will also be in action as conference tournament action continues heating up around the country.
As automatic bids to the NCAA Tournament are secured, we’ll be noting each of them here.
Sunday’s conference tournament scoreboard
ASUN: Championship
(20) Stetson 94, (4) Austin Peay 91
Big South: Championship
(5) Longwood 85, (2) UNC-Asheville 59
Missouri Valley: Championship
(2) Drake 84, (1) Indiana State 80
OTHER TOURNAMENTS IN ACTION
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, 10Stetson (22-12) 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, 8-10 Longwood (21-13) 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 7-10Drake (28-6) 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 6-9 Morehead State (26-8) 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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