NCAA Basketball Conference Championship Week: Dates, Schedule, Where To Watch
By Ryan Mayer
It's March, which means one thing: March Madness is here. Conference tournaments began at the end of last week and we will see school's hopes and dreams either fulfilled or dashed over the next six days heading into Selection Sunday. With 30 conferences, there's a lot to try and keep track of as you get ready to fill out your bracket. To help, we've compiled a full list of all of the conference tournament dates, and the times of their championship games.
Before we begin, there are four teams that have already punched their tickets to the dance. Florida Gulf Coast (Atlantic Sun), UNC-Asheville (Big South), Northern Iowa (Missouri Valley Conference), Austin Peay (Ohio Valley Conference) all get to kick their feet up with the rest of us and watch the insanity unfold having won their conference tournaments over the weekend. Three more conferences will crown their champions tonight and that is where we begin.
Colonial Athletic Association- #1 Hofstra vs #2 UNC Wilmington: 7:00 pm NBC Sports Network
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference- #1 Monmouth vs #2 Iona: 7:00 pm ESPN
Southern Conference- #1 Chattanooga vs #2 East Tennessee State: 9:00 pm ESPN2
Now, onto the conference tournaments that will unfold over the course of the rest of this week, sorted by the date of their championship games. Once again, a reminder, all times Eastern.
Horizon League- Semis 3/7, Final 3/8 7 pm ESPN2 or ESPN 3. Favorite: Valparaiso
Northeast Conference- #1 Wagner vs #2 Fairleigh Dickinson: 7:00 pm 3/8 ESPN2/ESPN3
Summit League- Semis 3/7, Final 3/8 8 pm ESPN2/WatchESPN. Favorite: IPFW
West Coast Conference- Semis 3/7, Final 3/8 6 pm ESPN/WatchESPN. Favorite: St. Mary's
Patriot League- #9 Holy Cross vs #2 Lehigh: 7:30 PM 3/9 CBS Sports Network
ACC- Starts 3/8, Final 3/12 9 pm ESPN. Favorite: UNC
America East- Final 3/12 11:00 am ESPN2. Favorite: Stony Brook
Big 12- Starts 3/9, Final 3/12 5 pm ESPN. Favorite: Kansas
Big East- Starts 3/9, Final 3/12 5:30 pm FOX. Favorite: Villanova
Big West- Starts 3/9, Final 3/12 8:30 pm ESPN2. Favorite: Hawaii
Conference USA- Starts 3/8, Final 3/12 1:30 pm Fox Sports 1 Favorite: UAB
MAC- Starts 3/7, Final 3/12 7:30 pm ESPN2. Favorite: Akron
MEAC- Starts 3/7, Final 3/12 1 pm ESPN2. Favorite: Hampton
Mountain West Conference- Starts 3/9, Final 3/12 3 pm. Favorite: San Diego State
Pac-12- Starts 3/9, Final 3/12 7 pm Fox Sports 1. Favorite: Oregon
Southland- Starts 3/9, Final 3/12 8:30 pm ESPN2. Favorite: Stephen F Austin
SWAC- Starts 3/8, Final 3/12 5:30 pm ESPNU. Favorite: Alcorn State
WAC- Starts 3/10, Final 3/12 8 pm ESPNU. Favorite: New Mexico State
American Athletic Conference- Starts 3/10, Final 3/13 3:15 pm ESPN. Favorite: Temple
Atlantic 10- Starts 3/9, Final 3/13 12:30 pm CBS. Favorite: Dayton
Big Ten- Starts 3/9, Final 3/13 3 pm CBS. Favorite: Indiana
SEC- Starts 3/9, Final 3/13 12 pm ESPN. Favorite: Kentucky
Sun Belt- Starts 3/10, Final 3/13 1 pm ESPN2. Favorite: Arkansas Little Rock
Favorites will go down, Cinderella runs will be made, and contenders will assert themselves. Welcome to the hectic, crazy, insane glory that is NCAA Basketball Conference Championship Week. Enjoy the ride.
Ryan Mayer is an Associate Producer for CBS Local Sports. Ryan lives in NY but comes from Philly and life as a Philly sports fan has made him cynical. Anywhere sports are being discussed, that's where you'll find him.