When college basketball fans talk about March Madness, many of them are thinking strictly about the NCAA Tournament and the NCAA basketball odds that accompany it.
Seasoned bettors know that the madness really starts several days earlier, when every Division I conference holds a tournament to determine which team will win the tournament’s coveted automatic bid.
Thirty-two conference tournaments are scheduled to run from March 4-17.
2024 Conference Tournaments: Schedule, Dates, & Locations
| Conference | Schedule/dates | Auto bid | LOCATION |
|---|---|---|---|
| America East |
Quarters: March 9 Semis: March 12 Champ: March 16 |
Vermont (28-6) | Higher Seed |
| American Athletic |
First Rd: March 13 Second Rd: March 14 Quarters: March 15 Semis: March 16 Champ: March 17 |
UAB (23-11) | Fort Worth |
| Atlantic 10 |
First Rd: March 12 Second Rd: March 13 Quarters: March 14 Semis: March 16 Champ: March 17 |
Duquesne (24-11) | Brooklyn |
| ACC |
First Rd: March 12 Second Rd: March 13 Quarters: March 14 Semis: March 15 Champ: March 16 |
NC State (22-14) | D.C. |
| Atlantic Sun |
First Rd: March 4 Quarters: March 5 Semis: March 7 Champ: March 10 |
Stetson (22-12) | Campus Sites |
| Big 12 |
First Rd: March 12 Second Rd: March 13 Quarters: March 14 Semis: March 15 Champ: March 16 |
Iowa State (27-7) | Kansas City |
| Big East |
First Rd: March 13 Quarters: March 14 Semis: March 15 Champ: March 16 |
UConn (31-3) | New York City |
| Big Sky |
First Rd: March 9 Second Rd: March 10 Quarters: March 11 Semis: March 12 Champ: March 13 |
Montana State (17-17) | Boise |
| Big South |
First Rd: March 6 Quarters: March 8 Semis: March 9 Champ: March 10 |
Longwood (21-13) | High Point |
| Big Ten |
First Rd: March 13 Second Rd: March 14 Quarters: March 15 Semis: March 16 Champ: March 17 |
Illinois (26-8) | Minneapolis |
| Big West | First Rd: March 13 Second Rd: March 14 Semis: March 15 Champ: March 16 |
Long Beach State (20-14) | Henderson |
| CAA |
First Rd: March 8 Second Rd: March 9 Quarters: March 10 Semis: March 11 Champ: March 12 |
Charleston (27-7) | D.C. |
| Conference USA |
First Round: March 12 Quarters: March 13 and 14 Semis: March 15 Champ: March 16 |
Western Kentucky (21-11) | Huntsville, Ala. |
| Horizon League | First Rd: March 5 Quarters: March 7 Semis: March 11 Champ: March 12 |
Oakland (23-11) | Indianapolis |
| Ivy League |
Semis: March 16 Champ: March 17 |
Yale (22-9) | New York City |
| MAAC |
Open Rd: March 12 Quarters: March 13 and 14 Semis: March 15 Champ: March 16 |
Saint Peter’s (19-13) | Atlantic City |
| MAC | Quarters: March 14 Semis: March 15 Champ: March 16 |
Akron (23-10) | Cleveland |
| MEAC |
Quarters: March 13 and 14 Semis: March 15 Champ: March 16 |
Howard (18-16) | Norfolk |
| Missouri Valley |
First Rd: March 7 Quarters: March 8 Semis: March 9 Champ: March 10 |
Drake (28-6) | St. Louis |
| Mountain West |
Opening Rd: March 13 Quarters: March 14 Semis: March 15 Champ: March 16 |
New Mexico (26-9) | Las Vegas |
| Northeast |
Quarters: March 6 Semis: March 9 Champ: March 12 |
Wagner (16-15) | Higher Seed |
| Ohio Valley |
First Rd: March 6 Quarters: March 7 Semis: March 8 Champ: March 9 |
Morehead State (26-8) | Evansville |
| Pac-12 |
First Rd: March 13 Quarters: March 14 Semis: March 15 Champ: March 16 |
Oregon (23-11) | Las Vegas |
| Patriot League |
First Rd: March 5 Quarters: March 7 Semis: March 10 Champ: March 13 |
Colgate (25-9) | Higher Seed |
| SEC |
First Rd: March 13 Second Rd: March 14 Quarters: March 15 Semis: March 16 Champ: March 17 |
Auburn (27-7) | Nashville |
| SoCon |
Open Rd: March 8 Quarters: March 9 Semis: March 10 Champ: March 11 |
Samford (29-5) | Asheville |
| Southland |
First Rd: March 10 Second Rd: March 11 Semis: March 12 Champ: March 13 |
McNeese (30-3) | Lake Charles |
| SWAC |
Quarters: March 13 and 14 Semis: March 15 Champ: March 16 |
Grambling (19-14) | Birmingham |
| Summit League |
First Rd: March 8 Quarters: March 9 and 10 Semis: March 11 Champ: March 12 |
South Dakota State (22-12) | Sioux Falls |
| Sun Belt |
First Rd: March 5 Second Rd: March 7 Quarters: March 9 Semis: March 10 Champ: March 11 |
James Madison (31-3) | Pensacola |
| West Coast |
First Rd: March 7 Second Rd: March 8 Quarters: March 9 Semis: March 11 Champ: March 12 |
Saint Mary’s (26-7) | Las Vegas |
| WAC | First Rd: March 13 Quarters: March 14 Semis: March 15 Champ: March 16 |
Grand Canyon (29-4) | Las Vegas |
Conference Tournament Previews & Predictions
ACC
In a top-heavy year for the ACC, this conference tournament bracket is Duke, North Carolina, and everybody else.
Atlantic 10
In this year’s unusual conference landscape, the Atlantic 10 may be actively rooting against one of its best teams.
Big East
It’s reigning national champion UConn (-165) vs. the field (+140) under the lights at Madison Square Garden.
Big Ten
Surging bubble teams. Fallen blue bloods. Redemption for Purdue. A sleeper that no one is watching. The Big Ten has it all this year.
Big 12
Move over, Kansas. The Big 12 is once again gunning for a seemingly unbeatable No. 1 seed in Kansas City, but it’s not the Jayhawks.
Horizon League
No. 2 Youngstown State is the favorite, but No. 1 Oakland will get the most benefit out of the Horizon League’s reseeding system.
Missouri Valley
No. 1 Indiana State is the favorite, but No. 2 Drake may have a path to an at-large bid. Arch Madness is heating up again.
Mountain West
San Diego State, the national runner-up in 2023, is the No. 5 seed in this week’s conference tournament. They’re favored to win it anyway.
SEC
Tennessee, Auburn, Kentucky, and Alabama are all eyeing a tournament championship this weekend in Nashville.
Southern Conference
The SoCon Tournament has been dominated by No. 1 seeds in recent years. Can anyone beat No. 1 Samford this year for the autobid?
Sun Belt
The Sun Belt might be mostly known as a football conference, but App State and James Madison give the SBC some real punch.
Conference Tournament Odds: Favorites
Here’s each team currently favored to win their respective conference tournament:
- ACC:ย Duke (+190)
- America East:ย Vermont (-250)
- American:ย Florida Atlantic (+160)
- Atlantic 10:ย Dayton (+140)
- Atlantic Sun:ย Stetson (-105)
- Big East:ย UConn (-165)
- Big Sky Eastern Washington (+175)
- Big South:ย High Point (-110)
- Big Ten:ย Purdue (-110)
- Big West:ย UC Irvine (-250)
- Big 12:ย (Houston -165)
- Coastal: Charleston (+210)
- Conference USA:ย Louisiana Tech (+105)
- Horizon: Youngstown State (+210)
- MAAC:ย Fairfield (+250)
- MAC:ย Akron (+175)
- MEAC:ย Norfolk State (+180)
- Missouri Valley:ย Indiana State (+165)
- Mountain West:ย San Diego State (+250)
- NEC: Merrimack (+125)
- OVC: Morehead State (+100)
- Pac-12:ย Arizona (-165)
- Patriot: Colgate (-225)
- SEC:ย Tennessee (+160)
- Southern: Samford (+150)
- Southland:ย McNeese (-300)
- Summit: South Dakota State (+180)
- Sun Belt: James Madison (+110)
- SWAC:ย Southern (+320)
- West Coast: Gonzaga (-125)
Teams Ineligible for the 2024 NCAA Tournament
Eleven teams are ineligible for this year’s NCAA Tournament:
| Team | Conference | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Bellarmine | Atlantic Sun | Transition from Div. II |
| Le Moyne | NEC | Transition from Div. II |
| Lindenwood | OVC | Transition from Div. II |
| Queens | Atlantic Sun | Transition from Div. II |
| St. Thomas | Summit | Transition from Div. III |
| Southern Indiana | OVC | Transition from Div. II |
| Stonehill | NEC | Transition from Div. II |
| Tarleton State | WAC | Transition from Div. II |
| Texas A&M-Commerce | Southland | Transition from Div. II |
| UC San Diego | Big West | Transition from Div. II |
| Utah Tech | WAC | Transition from Div. II |
2024 NCAA Tournament Dates & Locations
| Round | Date | Venue | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Four | March 19-20 | UD Arena | Dayton |
| First/Second | March 21-23 | Spectrum Center | Charlotte |
| First/Second | March 21-23 | CHI Health Center | Omaha |
| First/Second | March 21-23 | PPG Paints Arena | Pittsburgh |
| First/Second | March 21-23 | Spokane Veterans Mem. Arena | Spokane |
| First-Second | March 22-24 | Barclays Center | Brooklyn |
| First/Second | March 22-24 | Gainbridge Fieldhouse | Indianapolis |
| First/Second | March 22-24 | Delta Center | Salt Lake City |
| First/Second | March 22-24 | FedEx Forum | Memphis |
| East Regional | March 28-30 | TD Garden | Boston |
| West Regional | March 28-30 | Crypto.com Arena | Los Angeles |
| South Regional | March 28-30 | American Airlines Center | Dallas |
| Midwest Regional | March 29-31 | Little Caesars Arena | Detroit |
| Final Four | April 6-8 | State Farm Stadium | Glendale |
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