It’s March and that means March Madness is upon us. The conference tournaments are in full swing with the tournament champions clinching automatic bids to the Big Dance. On Sunday, three more teams punched their tickets as the Atlantic Sun, Big South and Missouri Valley conferences all wrapped up their tournaments. Let’s look at who will be making their way to the NCAA tournament.
Big Dance – Atlantic Sun Championship: Stetson vs. Austin Peay
The 2024 NCAA tournament will see a team compete for the first time after Stetson upset Austin Peay in the tournament final. Jalen Blackmon scored a career high 43 points leading the Hatters to the 94-91 win over the Governors. It was a back-and-forth battle between the top two seeds in the Atlantic Sun. But after a missed three by Austin Peay, Blackmon drained three of the final four free throws to ensure the victory for Stetson. Austin Peay finished the season first in the A-Sun at 19-14. It appears unlikely the conference will have a second bid this tournament.
Big Dance – Big South Championship: Longwood vs. UNC-Asheville
The Big South Championship featured the first true unlikely champion of the conference tournament season. The number five-seeded Longwood Lancers pulled off three upsets to clinch the Big South’s automatic bid. After a convincing win against number four-seeded Winthrop on Friday, Longwood squeaked by top seeded High Point on Saturday. In the final, Longwood cruised to the easy 85-59 victory over second-seeded UNC-Asheville. The Lancers made the tournament for the second time in three years and only the second time in school history.
Big Dance – Missouri Valley Championship: Drake vs. Indiana St.
The Missouri Valley tournament final featured the best clinching game of the day. The top two seeds in the MVC squared off as the Drake Bulldogs battled the Indiana St. Sycamores. Both teams finished the year with records of 28-6 but, as regular season champions, Indiana St. earned the top seed. Drake managed to squeak out the 84-80 victory and clinch their second straight conference title and third NCAA tournament appearance in the last four years.
While Drake knows they will be in the tournament, Indiana St. must wait until Sunday to learn if they’ve even made it. With a 28-6 record, Indiana St. is a bubble team that may get to play in the Big Dance. However, they now have to wait and sweat to hear if the MVC receives two bids in 2024.
Monday Clinchers
Three more conferences are set to wrap up their tournaments Monday night. In the Northeast Conference final, Wagner faces Merrimack. Lehigh and Colgate will face off in the Patriot League final. And, in the Southern Conference final, East Tennessee St. faces Samford. All three of those games tip off at 7 pm.
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