Visit Conference Tournament Central and the 2020 Conference Tournaments Hub for full Championship Fortnight coverage.

2020 Southland Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament Basics

Dates

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

Format

Stepladder bracket

Site(s)

The Merrell Center in Katy, Texas has been the site of the Southland Tournament since 2008. That’s an eternity in this business.

TV/Streaming Info

ESPN2 has the final on Saturday evening, with ESPN+ streaming the other six games.

Participants

Only the top eight of the conference’s 13 teams qualified. So, you won’t see the ninth- through 13th-place finishers, the Central Arkansas Bears (10-21, 9-11), Incarnate Word Cardinals (9-22, 6-14), New Orleans Privateers (9-21, 5-15), Southeastern Louisiana Lions (8-23, 5-15), and Houston Baptist Huskies (4-23, 4-16) this week.

Downloadable Bracket

Schedule

First Round (Wed., March 11)

ESPN+ ($) will stream both games.

Game 1: No. 8 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders (14-18, 10-10) 62, No. 5 Northwestern State 79
The Islanders won the pair’s lone meeting at home.

Game 2: No. 7 McNeese State Cowboys (15-17, 10-10) 59, No. 6 Lamar 80
The season series was a road split.

Quarterfinals (Thu., March 12)

ESPN+ ($) will stream both games.

Game 3: No. 5 Northwestern State Demons (15-15, 11-9) vs. No. 4 Sam Houston State Bearkats (18-13, 11-9), 6 p.m.
The Bearkats won the pair’s lone meeting at home.

Game 4: No. 6 Lamar Cardinals (17-15, 10-10) vs. No. 3 Nicholls State Colonels (21-10, 15-5), approx. 8:30 p.m.
The Colonels swept the season series.

Semifinals (Fri., March 13)

ESPN+ ($) will stream both games.

Game 5: Game 3 Winner vs. No. 1 Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks (28-3, 19-1), 6 p.m.
Game 6: Game 4 Winner vs. No. 2 Abilene Christian Wildcats (20-11, 15-5), approx. 8:30 p.m.

Championship (Sat., March 14)

Game 7: Semifinal winners, 9:30 p.m. (ESPN2)

10-Year Mayhem Potential

Data from Bob Vetrone Jr. on Twitter.

Over the past 10 seasons, one of the Southland’s top two seeds has won the automatic bid seven times. While the No. 1 seed has won four times, that hasn’t happened since 2017.

• 1 seed (5): 2010, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
• 2 seed (2): 2013, 2019
• 3 seed (2): 2012, 2018
• 7 seed (1): 2011

10-Year NCAA Seeding Record

Years with an NCAA win are in bold.

• 14 seed (4): 2010, 2013, 2016, 2018
• 16 seed (3): 2011 (First Four), 2012 (First Four), 2017 (First Four)
• 12 seed (2): 2014, 2015
• 15 seed (1): 2019

SFA is responsible for both the Southland’s two 12 seeds and the conference’s two non-Dayton wins.

If the Lumberjacks qualify, they’ll likely earn at least a 13 seed, if not a 12. Any other rep Is probably headed for line 16, if not Dayton.

Last NCAA Tournament Appearances

Abilene Christian: 2019 (15 seed, 1st Round)
Stephen F. Austin: 2018 (14 seed, 1st Round)
New Orleans: 2017 (16 seed, First Four)
Northwestern State: 2014 (14 seed, Round of 64)
Lamar: 2012 (16 seed, First Four)
Sam Houston State: 2010 (14 seed, First Round)
Texas A&M Corpus Christi: 2007 (15 seed, 1st Round)
Southeastern Louisiana: 2005 (15 seed, 1st Round)
McNeese State: 2002 (14 seed, 1st Round)
Nicholls State: 1998 (16 seed, 1st Round)
Houston Baptist: 1984 (12 seed, Preliminary Round, TAAC (ASUN) member)

Central Arkansas and Incarnate Word have yet to make their first NCAA appearance.

Be sure to follow @ChrisDobbertean on Twitter and to like Blogging the Bracket on Facebook.