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2020 Conference USA Men’s Basketball Tournament Basics

Dates

Wednesday, March 11th (first round); Thursday, March 12th (quarterfinals); Friday, March 13th (semifinals); Saturday, March 14th (championship)

Format

Traditional bracket, but with simultaneous games in the first round and quarterfinals.

Site(s)

For the third straight year, the Ford Center at the Star in Frisco, Texas, AKA the Dallas Cowboys’ practice facility, will host the event. Next year’s tournament will also take place in the venue, where two courts are set up for simultaneous games.

TV/Streaming Info

CBSSN airs the semifinals and final. Stadium and its Facebook Live page will carry the quarterfinals, with ESPN+ streaming the first round.

Participants

Just 12 of Conference USA’s 14 teams will participate. That means the 13th- and 14th-place finishers, the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles (9-22, 5-13) and Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (8-23, 4-14), did not qualify.

Downloadable Bracket

Schedule

First Round (Wed., March 11)

ESPN+ ($) will stream all four games.

Game 1: No. 9 Florida Atlantic 66, No. 8 Old Dominion Monarchs (13-19, 9-9) 56
The Monarchs swept the Owls this season with both games at home.

Game 2: No. 12 Rice Owls (15-17, 7-11) 76, No. 5 FIU 85
The Owls won the pair’s lone meeting of the season at home.

Game 3: No. 10 UTSA Roadrunners (13-19, 7-11) 69, No. 7 UAB 74
The pair split their two meetings this season, both at UTSA.

Game 4: No. 11 UTEP Miners (17-15, 8-10) 78, No. 6 Marshall 86
The Thundering Herd won the pair’s lone meeting of the season on the road.

Quarterfinals (Thu., March 12)

Game 5: No. 9 Florida Atlantic Owls (17-15, 8-10) vs. No. 1 North Texas Mean Green (20-11, 14-4), 7 p.m. (Court A) (Stadium)
The Mean Green won the pair’s lone meeting of the season at home.

Game 6: No. 5 FIU Panthers (19-13, 9-9) vs. No. 4 Charlotte 49ers (16-13, 10-8), approx. 7:30 p.m. (Court B) (Stadium on Facebook Live)
The pair split their two meetings this season, both at Charlotte.

Game 7: No. 7 UAB Blazers (19-13, 9-9) vs. No. 2 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (20-10, 13-5), approx. 9:30 p.m. (Court A) (Stadium)
The Blazers won the pair’s lone meeting of the season at home.

Game 8: No. 6 Marshall Thundering Herd (17-15, 10-8) vs. No. 3 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (22-8, 13-5), approx. 10 p.m. (Court B) (Stadium on Facebook Live)
The Thundering Herd won the pair’s lone meeting of the season at home.

Semifinals (Fri., March 13)

CBSSN will air both games.

Game 9: Game 5 Winner vs. Game 6 Winner, 2 p.m.
Game 10: Game 7 Winner vs. Game 8 Winner, approx. 4:30 p.m.

Championship (Sat., March 14)

Game 11: Semifinal winners, 8:30 p.m. (CBSSN)

College Hoops Coast to Coast host T.J. Rives will have a radio call of Saturday’s final at this TuneIn link if you would like an alternative call or are unable to watch.

10-Year Mayhem Potential

Data from Bob Vetrone Jr. on Twitter.

Over the past 10 seasons, the No. 1 or 2 seed has only won the Conference USA Tournament six times with the No. 4 more successful than the two.

• 1 seed (4): 2012, 2013, 2017, 2019
• 4 seed (3): 2011. 2015, 2018
• 2 seed (2): 2014, 2016
• 7 seed (1): 2010

10-Year NCAA Seeding Record

Years with an NCAA win are in bold.

• 12 seed (4): 2010 (at-large), 2011 (at-large), 2011 (automatic), 2017
• 13 seed (3); 2010 (automatic), 2014, 2018
• 14 seed (2): 2015, 2019
• 6 seed (1): 2013
• 8 seed (1): 2012 (automatic)
• 9 seed (1): 2012 (at-large)
• 15 seed (1): 2016

Two of the three single-digit seeds above were earned by the now-departed Memphis Tigers. Amazingly, UTEP’s 2010, UAB’s 2011, and USM’s 2012 at-large bids went to current league members.

This season’s winner is likely to earn a 13 seed (if North Texas, Louisiana Tech, or WKU) or lower.

Last NCAA Tournament Appearances

Old Dominion: 2019 (14 seed, 1st Round)
Marshall: 2018 (13 seed, 2nd Round)
Western Kentucky: 2013 (16 seed, Round of 64, Sun Belt member)
UAB: 2014 (14 seed, Round of 32)
UTSA: 2011 (16 seed, Round of 64, Southland member)
UTEP: 2010 (12 seed, at-large, 1st Round)
North Texas: 2010 (15 seed, 1st Round, Sun Belt member)
Charlotte: 2005 (7 seed, 1st Round)
Florida Atlantic: 2002 (15 seed, 1st Round, ASUN member)
FIU: 1995 (16 seed, 1st Round, TAAC (ASUN) member)
Louisiana Tech: 1991 (12 seed, 1st Round, American South member)
Rice: 1970 (unseeded, 1st Round, SWC member)

Both Middle Tennessee (2017, 12 seed, 2nd Round) and Southern Mississippi (2012, 9 seed, at-large, 1st Round) will be unable to win the title again until next season.

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