March Madness Approaches as Teams Secure Spots for NCAA Tournament
As excitement builds up across the country, March Madness is just around the corner, bringing the thrill of college basketball to fans everywhere. With the season reaching its peak, 68 teams are set to compete for the coveted trophy in this annual tournament. Already, several teams have booked their spots, showcasing impressive performances in their respective conference championships.
There are two main ways teams can make it into the NCAA tournament bracket. The first is by becoming an automatic qualifier by winning their conference tournament. A total of 31 teams will secure their entries through this method. The remaining 37 spots will be decided by an at-large selection committee, which will announce the teams on Selection Sunday. The action kicks off with the First Four games just two days later, leading up to the championship showdown set to take place at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, on April 7.
Some teams have already made their mark by clinching automatic bids. The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) Cougars celebrated their first-ever tournament placement after defeating Southeast Missouri State 69-48 in the Ohio Valley Conference final. Meanwhile, the Lipscomb University Bison achieved their second-ever trip to The Big Dance with a 76-65 victory over Northern Alabama in the Atlantic Sun Conference championship.
Other notable winners include the High Point Panthers, who took home the Big South conference championship against Winthrop, and the Drake University Bulldogs, who secured their third consecutive Missouri Valley Conference title by defeating Bradley 63-48.
Adding to the excitement, the Terriers beat Furman 92-85 in the Southern Conference final to earn their place, while the Trojans won the Sun Belt conference championship by 13 points over Arkansas State University. Omaha also made it to the tournament for the first time while ensuring a win in their Summit League championship game against St. Thomas-Minnesota.
Moreover, the UNC Wilmington Seahawks edged out the University of Delaware Blue Hens in a nail-biter 76-72 win, marking their first tournament bid since 2017. The Red Flash from Central Connecticut and the Colonials from Youngstown State also secured their spots in the tournament this week, as did the Gonzaga Bulldogs, who clinched their fifth West Coast Conference title with a 58-51 victory over Saint Mary’s.
As more teams continue to book their spots in this year’s tournament, fans eagerly await the announcement of the complete bracket. March Madness is truly the time for unexpected twists, legendary performances, and unforgettable moments in college basketball.
