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Visit Conference Tournament Central and the 2022 Conference Tournaments Hub for full Championship Fortnight coverage.
Daily Chronological Schedule
* = tip time of the second game of a doubleheader is approximate
^ = game will be streamed or broadcast on additional outlets, see the conference’s entry below for details
Monday, March 7, 2022
Tip Time (ET) | Conference | Round | Matchup | Outlet | Season Series |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tip Time (ET) | Conference | Round | Matchup | Outlet | Season Series |
6 p.m. | CAA | SF | (5) Delaware vs. (1) Towson | CBSSN | TU 2-0 |
7 p.m. | Horizon | SF | (4) Wright State vs. (1) Cleveland State | ESPNU | CSU 2-0 |
7 p.m. | Summit | SF | (5) South Dakota vs. (1) South Dakota State | ESPN+ ($)^ | SDSU 2-0 |
7 p.m. | SoCon | F | (2) Furman vs. (1) Chattanooga | ESPN | UTC 2-0 |
7 p.m. | Sun Belt | F | (8) Louisiana vs. (3) Georgia State | ESPN2 | GSU 2-0 |
8:30 p.m.* | CAA | SF | (6) College of Charleston vs. (2) UNCW | CBSSN | UNCW 2-0 |
9 p.m. | WCC | SF | (4) San Francisco vs. (1) Gonzaga | ESPN | GU 2-0 |
9:30 p.m.* | Horizon | SF | (3) Northern Kentucky vs. (2) Purdue Fort Wayne | ESPN2 | 1-1 home split |
9:30 p.m.* | Summit | SF | (3) Oral Roberts vs. (2) North Dakota State | ESPN+ ($)^ | NDSU 2-0 |
11:30 p.m.* | WCC | SF | (3) Santa Clara vs. (2) Saint Mary's | ESPN2 | 1-1 home split |
Winning Time!
SoCon Championship
Game 9: (2) Furman (22-11, 12-6) vs. (1) Chattanooga (26-7, 14-4), 7 p.m. (ESPN)
The Mocs won the season series 2-0, 71-69 at home (Jan. 15) and 64-58 on the road (Feb. 12).
In Sunday’s semifinals, Chattanooga dispatched of fourth-seeded Wofford with ease, 79-56, while Furman was pressed by Samford, falling 71-68. The Bulldogs’ chances in the final minutes were damaged by the apparent broken nose suffered by point guard Ques Glover, as the Florida transfer was injured on incidental contact while attempting to get a rebound.
The Mocs are aiming for their first NCAA bid since 2016, when a Matt McCall-coached team earned a 12 seed. On the other hand, the Paladins have a long NCAA drought. They were last a 10 seed in 1980’s 48-team field. With both teams in the NET Top 80 and KenPom Top 75, the winner is likely to earn a 12 or 13 seed, depending on what happens elsewhere.
Sun Belt Championship
Game 11: (8) Louisiana (16-14, 8-9) vs. (3) Georgia State (17-10, 9-5), 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
The Panthers won the season series 2-0, 68-64 on the road (Jan. 27) and 65-58 at home (Feb. 25).
Since 2011, the No. 1 seed has won the Sun Belt Tournament just three times. That fact won’t change heading into 2023, as Louisiana dispatched Texas State in Saturday’s quarterfinals. The Ragin’ Cajuns proceeded to ‘Sun Belt’ the fourth-seeded Troy Trojans last night, 66-57, to put Bob Marlin’s team within a win of its first NCAA bid since 2014. In the nightcap, third-seeded Georgia State won its rubber match over second-seeded App State, 71-66. The Panthers last reached the field in 2019, losing to Cincinnati as a 14 seed in Ron Hunter’s final game in charge. Rob Lanier will look to lead the Panthers to just the second title claimed by a Sun Belt No. 3 seed since 2011. As for eighth-seeded Louisiana, that ranking has been shut out over the past 11 years.
Elsewhere ...
It’s a relatively light schedule compared to what’s to follow as midweek approaches.
CAA Semifinals
CBSSN will air both games.
Game 6: (5) Delaware (20-11, 10-8) vs. (1) Towson (25-7, 15-3), 6 p.m.
The Tigers won the season series 2-0.
Game 7: (6) College of Charleston (17-14, 8-10) vs. (2) UNCW (22-8, 15-3), approx. 8:30 p.m.
The Seahawks won the season series 2-0.
Sunday’s quarterfinals at the Washington D.C. Entertainment and Sports Arena went according to plan ... until the finale, which saw College of Charleston avenge two regular season losses to Hofstra by ending the Pride’s hopes of a second CAA title in three years (and first NCAA bid since 2001), 92-76. The Cougars led that one by 22 at halftime. Once again, Charleston will attempt to claim revenge when it matters most, as the Cougars take on their second-seeded travel partner in game two. Game one has a similar storyline, only centered on the general I-95 area, as Towson looks to defeat Delaware for a third time.
Summit League Semifinals
Midco Sports will air and ESPN+ will stream both games.
Game 5: (5) South Dakota (19-11, 11-7) vs. (1) South Dakota State (28-4, 18-0), 7 p.m.
The Jackrabbits won the season series 2-0.
Game 6: (3) Oral Roberts (19-11, 12-6) vs. (2) North Dakota State (22-9, 13-5), approx. 9:30 p.m.
The Bison won the season series 2-0.
With North Dakota failing to qualify for Sioux Falls, three Dakotas semifinalists was the best organizers could hope for. So, the first game features an in-state battle, which should be quite intense, even if the Jackrabbits took care of the Coyotes rather handily in their two regular-season matchups. While SDSU is looking for 21 Summit League wins and an NCAA bid, USD is aiming to dance for the first time as a Division I member. The nightcap features the only non-Dakotas team involved, who happens to be defending champ ORU. Max Abmas scored 22 to help push the Golden Eagles past Western Illinois, 80-68, right after South Dakota took down Kansas City, 74-61.
Horizon League Semifinals
Game 9: (4) Wright State (19-13, 15-7) vs. (1) Cleveland State (20-9, 15-6), 7 p.m. (ESPNU)
The Vikings won the season series 2-0.
Game 10: (3) Northern Kentucky (19-11, 14-6) vs. (2) Purdue Fort Wayne (21-10, 15-6), approx. 9:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
The season series was a 1-1 home split.
For a conference that’s struggled to place its best team in the field in recent seasons, at least the Horizon’s top four seeds all had a relatively easy time making it to the Indiana Farmers Coliseum in Indianapolis tonight. Purdue Fort Wayne had the closest call, as the Mastodons only defeated Missouri Valley-bound UIC, 78-72, at home in Thursday’s quarterfinals. Of course, the Sun Belt-like, demolition derby nature of the Horizon League Tournament will likely be evident in these matchups tonight.
WCC Semifinals
Game 7: (4) San Francisco (24-8, 10-6) vs. (1) Gonzaga (24-3, 13-1), 9 p.m. (ESPN)
The Bulldogs won the season series 2-0.
Game 8: (3) Santa Clara (21-10, 10-5) vs. (2) Saint Mary’s (24-6, 12-3), approx. 11:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
The season series was a 1-1 home split.
Now we get to the main event, at least from a bubble perspective. In Saturday’s quarterfinal doubleheader, USF took out BYU, 75-63, a result that likely burst the Cougars’ bubble while putting the Dons on more solid footing. Of course, if San Francisco gets blown out by Gonzaga tonight, the Committee might suddenly find a reason to leave it out. Two 16-point losses don’t instill much confidence in a USF upset, but they also don’t portend a worst case scenario either.
In game two, fans of bubble teams will want to pull for Saint Mary’s, as a Santa Clara win would make the Broncos a potential bid thief in Tuesday night’s final. The pair split their regular season matchups with SCU winning the latest by a 77-72 score at the Leavey Center on February 8th.