Each year, thirty conference tournaments take place in early-to-mid March which determine the conference champion. The conference tournament champion receives an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament while the regular season champion does not receive anything but respect. Better bring the A game to the conference tournament!
- Here is a list of the NCAA Men's Basketball conference tournaments, dates they will be played, and where to view the championship game from each conference.
2009 NCAA Conference Tournament Schedule
Atlantic Sun
Nashville, Tenn.
March 4-7
ESPN
Big South
Campus sites (higher seeds)
March 3, 5, 7
ESPN2
Ohio Valley
Nashville, Tenn.
March 3, 6-7
ESPN2
Missouri Valley
St. Louis
March 5-8
CBS
Colonial
Richmond, Va.
March 6-9
ESPN2
MAAC
Albany, N.Y.
March 6-9
ESPN2
Southern
Chattanooga, Tenn.
March 6-9
ESPN
WCC
Las Vegas
March 6-9
ESPN
Horizon
Campus sites (higher seeds)
March 4, 6-7, 10
ESPN
Summit
Sioux Falls, S.D.
March 7-10
ESPN
Sun Belt
Hot Springs, Ark.
March 4, 7-10
ESPN
Big Sky
Ogden, Utah
March 7, 10-11
ESPN
Northeast
Campus sites (higher seeds)
March 5, 8, 11
ESPN2
Patriot
Campus sites (higher seeds)
March 4, 8, 13
ESPN2
America East
Albany, N.Y.
March 6-8, 14
ESPN2
Atlantic 10
Atlantic City, N.J.
March 11-14
ESPN2
Big 12
Oklahoma City
March 11-14
ESPN
Big East
New York
March 10-14
ESPN
Big West
Anaheim, Calif.
March 11-14
ESPN2
Conference USA
Memphis, Tenn.
March 11-14
CBS
MAC
Cleveland
March 10-14
ESPN2
MEAC
Winston-Salem, N.C.
March 9-14
ESPNU
Mountain West
Las Vegas
March 11-14
Versus
Pac-10
Los Angeles
March 11-14
CBS
SWAC
Birmingham, Ala.
March 11-14
ESPNU
WAC
Reno, Nev.
March 10-14
ESPN2
ACC
Atlanta
March 12-15
ESPN
Big Ten
Indianapolis
March 12-15
CBS
SEC
Tampa, Fla.
March 12-15
ESPN
Southland
Katy, Texas
March 12-15
ESPN2
2009 NCAA Men's Conference Tournaments
Most of the well-respected and highly rated conferences such as the Big East, ACC, Big Ten, SEC, Big- 12, and Pac-10 receive bids for more than three teams per season so failing in the conference tournament is not always a dire circumstance for the best teams in these conferences.
However, in conferences such as the Atlantic Sun, Southern, Horizon, etc., the conference championship will most likely determine which team qualifies for the tournament. For instance, if a team fares well in the regular season in a smaller conference and wins the conference by a slim to moderate margin but falls in the conference tournament, they will not be dancing in the NCAA tournament. So a good season can often go to waste by one poor performance.
2009 NCAA Men's Basketball Automatic Bids
Similarly, bubble teams who need to win another game or two must do well in the conference tournaments to receive a bid. Some conferences, like the Big East, allow all teams to qualify for the tournament while others, such as the Atlantic 10, drop the worst two regular season teams from the mix.
It is considered a final tune-up for those teams that have had solid to outstanding regular seasons while for most others it is a final exam that must be perfect for any shot at advancing. Every season, a few underdogs emerge in the conference tournaments and snatch up an automatic bid by winning the conference tournament after having a mediocre regular season. This is what is fun about it: most teams still have one last shot.
Men's NCAA Basketball Tournament Schedule
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