Selection Sunday is just a week away, but five mid-major programs on Saturday and Sunday have already punched their tickets to The Big Dance.
Farleigh Dickinson, Southeast Missouri State, Drake, UNC Asheville, and Kennesaw State have all secured their place to participate in this year’s March Madness.
Farleigh Dickinson (19-14) was the first team to punch their ticket, making the tournament their opponent in the Northeast Conference tournament championship game by default. Merrimack is ineligible to make the NCAA Tournament as the program is finishing its last year of ineligibility due to the NCAA”s policy on programs that reclassify. The actual Northeast Conference Tournament title game will be played on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.
Southeast Missouri State (19-16) clinched its spot in this year’s tournament by winning the Ohio Valley Conference, defeating Tennessee Tech (16-17) by the final score of 89-82 in overtime. The Redhawks won the OVC Tournament after entering as the conference’s No. 5 seed.
UNC Asheville (27-7), the top seed in the Big South Tournament, held off a strong effort from the Big South’s No.7 seed, the Campbell Fighting Camels (16-18), to punch their ticket with a 77-73 victory.
Drake (27-7) has had the most convincing win of the conference tournament title game thus far, leaving no doubt in defeating the Bradley Braves (25-9), the Missouri Valley Conference’s top-seeded team 77-51.
Finally, the last team to clinch their tournament appearance this weekend when the ASUN’s top-seeded Kennesaw State Owls (26-8) defeated No. 2 Liberty (26-8) by a final score of 67-66 in the ASUN conference championship game.
While most conference tournaments will take place over the course of the next week, several more tickets will be punched in the upcoming days. The Southern Conference, CAA, Horizon League, Summit League, and West Coast Conference will all hold their title games on Monday. Additionally, the Big Sky Conference, Patriot League, and Southland Conference will host their title games on Tuesday.
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