Sports
Let the madness begin! Your guide to the early conference tournaments
The madness has arrived.
The first men’s basketball conference tournaments start this week, led by the first round of the Atlantic Sun tournament on Monday. The first automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament will be awarded Saturday night in the Ohio Valley tournament title game. In many of these early events, the drama is as high as it gets, because only the winner will hear its name called on Selection Sunday.
Here’s your guide to the 15 conference tournaments that begin between now and Sunday. Brackets are included in those leagues where they’ve already been set. New brackets will be added to this story when they become available, and we’ll be back next Monday for the other 17 conference tournaments.
(Conferences are listed in alphabetical order; all times ET.)
America East
When it starts: Saturday
Where: Campus sites
Title game: Saturday, March 16, 11 a.m, ESPN2
Top seed: Vermont (25-6, 14-1 America East)
The skinny: The regular season wraps up Tuesday night, Vermont is once again the No. 1 seed, as it has been for seven of the past eight AmEast tourneys. The Catamounts are seeking their 10th NCAA Tournament appearance since 2003.
Atlantic Sun
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐒𝐞𝐭…👀🏆🏀
Check out the full bracket for the 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 #𝐀𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐌𝐁𝐁 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩! ⬇️
🔗 | https://t.co/cp1j2HPYd9#ASUNBuilt pic.twitter.com/JlZYncDc8C
— #ASUNBuilt (@ASUNSports) March 2, 2024
Link to PDF bracket
When it starts: Monday
Where: Campus sites
Title game: Sunday, March 10, 2 p.m., ESPN2
Top seed: Eastern Kentucky (17-13, 12-4 Atlantic Sun)
The skinny: Led by Isaiah Cozart, who is one of the nation’s top shot-blockers despite standing 6-foot-7, Eastern Kentucky is looking to return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2014. No. 8 seed Queens is ineligible for the automatic bid as it is still transitioning to Division I.
Big South
𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗕𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗞𝗘𝗧.
The stage is officially set for the 2024 @HerculesTires Big South Basketball Championship! 🏀
📰: https://t.co/Pc4EEzvaGD#BigSouthMBB pic.twitter.com/NZ36WjiWgs
— Big South Conference (@BigSouthSports) March 3, 2024
Link to PDF bracket
When it starts: Wednesday
Where: High Point, N.C.
Title game: Sunday, March 10, Noon, ESPN2
Top seed: High Point (24-7, 13-3 Big South)
The skinny: High Point earned its first No. 1 seed since 2016 under first-year coach Alan Huss. The Panthers will have to hold off defending champion UNC Asheville and star big man Drew Pember, but High Point gets to host the tournament.
Big Sky
When it starts: Saturday
Where: Boise, Idaho
Title game: Wednesday, March 13, 11:30 p.m., ESPN2
Top seed: Eastern Washington (20-10, 14-3 Big Sky)
The skinny: The league finishes its regular season on Monday night, but Eastern Washington has already clinched the regular-season title for the second straight year. Weber State has one of the best mid-major players in America in 6-foot-6 forward Dillon Jones (20.7 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 5.3 apg).
Coastal Athletic Association
🚨 We have a bracket. 🚨
The matchups are set for the 2024 @jerseymikes Men’s #CAAHoops Championship in Washington, D.C.
Head to Championship Central for more details:
🔗 https://t.co/Lb2wcB4tHv pic.twitter.com/kTjTiCil77— CAA Basketball (@CAABasketball) March 2, 2024
Link to PDF bracket
When it starts: Friday
Where: Washington D.C.
Title game: Tuesday, March 12, 7 p.m., CBS Sports Network
Top seed: Charleston (24-7, 15-3 CAA)
The skinny: Charleston won its final nine games to repeat as regular-season champs and looks to make its second straight NCAA Tournament under Pat Kelsey. There will be plenty of challengers, including No. 4 seed UNC Wilmington, which beat Kentucky at Rupp Arena this season.
Horizon
Our 2024 @BarbasolShave #HLMBB Championship bracket has been revealed with @OaklandMBB securing the regular season title and No. 1 seed!
🏀: https://t.co/nnyX1aAHIi#OurHorizon 🌇| #MarchStartsHere pic.twitter.com/cyniTOUERV
— Horizon League (@HorizonLeague) March 3, 2024
Link to PDF bracket
When it starts: Tuesday
Where: Campus sites for early rounds; title game in Indianapolis
Title game: Tuesday, March 12, 7 p.m., ESPN
Top seed: Oakland (20-11, 15-5 Horizon)
The skinny: Oakland is looking for its first NCAA Tournament trip since 2011 and fourth under Greg Kampe, who is in his 40th (!) season at the helm. Want a Cinderella story? No. 11 seed Detroit Mercy went 1-30 this season.
Missouri Valley
Seeds, Times, & Bracket set for #ARCHMADNESS.
🏆🏀👉 https://t.co/RqO5IXCURl pic.twitter.com/4TCuQ84L41
— MVC Basketball (@ValleyHoops) March 4, 2024
Link to PDF bracket
When it starts: Thursday
Where: St. Louis
Title game: Sunday, March 10, 2 p.m., CBS
Top seed: Indiana State (26-5, 17-3 Missouri Valley)
The skinny: Arch Madness is always a must-see but even more so this season with a pair of potential NCAA Tournament teams in Indiana State and Drake. The Sycamores have become a feel-good story this season under Josh Schertz, while No. 2 seed Drake is led by superstar Tucker DeVries. Bradley is good enough to play spoiler.
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Northeast
🚨 📰 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟺 𝙽𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚝 𝙲𝚘𝚗𝚏𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎 #𝙽𝙴𝙲𝙼𝙱𝙱 𝚃𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚗𝚊𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝙵𝚒𝚎𝚕𝚍 𝚂𝚎𝚝@CCSU_MBB Claims Top Seed & Home Court Advantage Throughout Tourneyhttps://t.co/ea2fy40hDb
— Northeast Conference (@NECsports) March 3, 2024
Link to PDF bracket
When it starts: Wednesday
Where: Campus sites
Title game: Tuesday, March 12, 7 p.m., ESPN2
Top seed: Central Connecticut State (19-10, 13-3 Northeast)
The skinny: Central Connecticut State edged Merrimack on the final day of the season to earn its first No. 1 seed since 2007. Merrimack is eligible to play in the NCAA Tournament for the first time this year.
Ohio Valley
𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐓 𝐈𝐒 𝐒𝐄𝐓! 🏀
The 2024 OVC Men’s Basketball Championship presented by @united_fidelity is set!
Complete schedule: https://t.co/eWCQKomOe3#OVCit | #OVCTourney pic.twitter.com/YgxyXoUgDR
— Ohio Valley Conference (@OVCSports) March 2, 2024
Link to PDF bracket
When it starts: Wednesday
Where: Evansville, Ind.
Title game: Saturday, March 9, 7 p.m., ESPN2
Top seed: Little Rock (20-11, 14-4 Ohio Valley)
The skinny: Little Rock, UT Martin and Morehead State finished in a three-way tie at 14-4, with Little Rock earning the tiebreaker for the No. 1 seed. No. 8 seed Southern Indiana is ineligible for the automatic bid as it is still transitioning to Division I.
Patriot
Patriot League Tournament Bracket. pic.twitter.com/NKqD4jDsNY
— Mid-Major Madness (@mid_madness) March 3, 2024
Link to PDF bracket
When it starts: Tuesday
Where: Campus sites
Title game: Wednesday, March 13, 7 p.m., CBS Sports Network
Top seed: Colgate (22-9, 16-2 Patriot)
The skinny: Colgate might be the biggest favorite in any conference tournament, as it ran away with the regular-season crown by a full six games. The Raiders are looking to represent the Patriot League in the fifth straight NCAA Tournament.
Southern
The men’s stage is set 🏀 | #SoConHoops
Click the link below for the full schedule, tickets and more⬇️
https://t.co/hsQDgSk8xm pic.twitter.com/dpEcJNzSIK
— The Southern Conference (@SoConSports) March 3, 2024
Link to PDF bracket
When it starts: Friday
Where: Asheville, N.C.
Title game: Monday, March 11, 7 p.m., ESPN
Top seed: Samford (26-5, 15-3 Southern)
The skinny: Samford dominated the league and has won a school-record 26 games already. The Bulldogs are seeking their first SoCon tournament title.
Southland
When it starts: Sunday
Where: Lake Charles, La.
Title game: Wednesday, March 13, 5 p.m., ESPN2
Top seed: McNeese State (26-3, 15-1 Southland)
The skinny: The regular season continues until Wednesday when a bracket will be set. But Will Wade’s McNeese State Cowboys have already clinched the No. 1 seed.
Summit
𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐟𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐝𝐨 …
The 2024 #SummitMBB Championship Bracket‼️
Sioux Falls is going to be fun 🤩
🗞️: https://t.co/od0Pp0Djcl#ReachTheSummit x #March2TheSummit pic.twitter.com/GkNTAsJbFn
— The Summit League (@TheSummitLeague) March 3, 2024
Link to PDF bracket
When it starts: Friday
Where: Sioux Falls, S.D.
Title game: Tuesday, March 12, 9:30 p.m., CBS Sports
Top seed: South Dakota State (19-12, 12-4 Summit)
The skinny: South Dakota State won the league by two games, and the Jackrabbits are looking for their eighth tournament title since 2012. Kansas City, which was 10-15 on Feb. 8, closed out with six straight wins to take the No. 2 seed. The nation’s leading scorer, Tommy Bruner, plays for No. 7 seed Denver.
Sun Belt
𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞 𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗕𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗞𝗘𝗧.
Have a look at the official bracket for the 2024 @HerculesTires #SunBeltMBB Championship. ☀️🏀
📰 » https://t.co/2BTNm8yw0G pic.twitter.com/i9y7PnFFDb
— Sun Belt (@SunBelt) March 2, 2024
Link to PDF bracket
When it starts: Tuesday
Where: Pensacola, Fla.
Title game: Monday, March 11, 6 p.m., ESPN2
Top seed: Appalachian State (26-5, 16-2 Sun Belt)
The skinny: James Madison got all the attention early, winning at Michigan State in the first week of the season and cracking the AP Top 25. But Appalachian State — which beat Auburn in December — swept the Dukes. There’s an outside chance both could make the NCAA Tournament.
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West Coast
It’s official‼️ The seeds are locked in for the @MyCreditUnion1 #WCChoops Championship
🎟️ https://t.co/ofOZIPvLBE pic.twitter.com/A16EXL2B5N
— WCC Basketball (@WCChoops) March 3, 2024
Link to PDF bracket
When it starts: Thursday
Where: Las Vegas
Title game: Tuesday, March 12, 9 p.m., ESPN
Top seed: Saint Mary’s (24-7, 15-1 West Coast)
The skinny: Saint Mary’s claimed the regular-season title, but Gonzaga finished strong by winning on the road against the Gaels and No. 3 seed San Francisco in the final week. Saint Mary’s and the Zags should both make the NCAA Tournament no matter what happens in this event since both got byes to the semifinals. Could a surprise winner make this a three-bid league?
Conference tournaments starting next week:
American: March 13-17
Atlantic 10: March 12-17
ACC: March 12-16
Big 12: March 12-16
Big East: March 13-16
Big Ten: March 13-17
Big West: March 13-16
Conference USA: March 12-16
Ivy League: March 16-17
MAAC: March 12-16
MAC: March 14-16
MEAC: March 13-16
Mountain West: March 13-16
Pac-12: March 13-16
SEC: March 13-17
SWAC: March 13-16
WAC: March 13-16
(Top photo of Colgate celebrating last year’s Patriot League tournament title: Adrian Kraus / AP)
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LAS VEGAS – Finn Balor and Dominik Mysterio were once brothers in arms in the Judgment Day. The two helped the faction run “Monday Night Raw” for several years.
As championships and opportunities came and went, the rift between Balor and Mysterio grew. It came to a head when Balor caused Mysterio to lose the Intercontinental Championship to Penta. Balor leaving the Judgment Day left Mysterio and Liv Morgan as the leaders with JD McDonagh, Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez sticking around.
Finn Balor is introduced before his match against Dominik Mysterio during WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 19, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
The latter four chose to ride with Mysterio and attacked Balor on one episode of Raw.
The bitter war led to a match Sunday night at WrestleMania 42. To make matters more interesting, Raw General Manager Adam Pearce made the match a street fight hours before the show was set to begin.
Balor had vowed to bring the “Demon” out and he certainly did.
JACOB FATU PUTS DREW MCINTYRE IN THE ‘REAR VIEW’ IN UNSANCTIONED MATCH AT WRESTLEMANIA 42
Finn Balor is introduced before his match against Dominik Mysterio during WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 19, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Balor made his way to the ring in his “Demon” gear, dripping with red and black paint. Mysterio was in a mask with other Mysterio supporters.
The two then proceeded to beat the crud out of each other.
Mysterio wrapped Balor’s head in between a chair and hit a 619 on him. He tried to pin Balor, but to no avail. At another point, Mysterio tossed Balor through a table set up in the corner.
As many have learned, it’s hard to keep your demons down. Mysterio learned the hard way.
Balor would not give up. Balor clotheslined Mysterio, hit him with a chair multiple times before wrapping his head in between the chair and drop-kicking him into the corner. Balor put Mysterio onto a table and hit the Coup de Grâce for the win.
Dominik Mysterio is introduced before his match against Finn Balor during WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 19, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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Balor excised his own demons, while Mysterio is still haunted.
DENVER — What do you know? The once-stampeding Dodgers have been caged by the Colorado Rockies.
With a 9-6 loss Sunday at Coors Field, the two-time defending World Series champions lost back-to-back games for the first time this season. The Dodgers again couldn’t hold a lead, letting the Rockies tee off for 15 hits.
Nor could the Dodgers keep up offensively at the hitter-friendly park — though they put some pressure on in the ninth inning, when Shohei Ohtani led off with a ground-rule double and the Dodgers scored twice to cut the lead to three runs. Then the new guy, Ryan Ward, made the final out in his big league debut, robbed of a hit and a chance to keep chipping away by a diving Troy Johnston in right field.
Before that, the Rockies — who beat the Dodgers twice in 13 meetings all of last season — chased starter Roki Sasaki from the game in the fifth inning and then ruffled the Dodgers’ relievers. That included closer Edwin Díaz, who came on in the eighth and promptly gave up three singles, a walk and two runs before being pulled with the Dodgers trailing 8-4.
Dodgers starting pitcher Roki Sasaki gave up three runs on seven hits in 4-2/3 innings Sunday against the Rockies in Denver.
(David Zalubowski / Associated Press)
He and Blake Treinen combined to face eight batters without getting an out.
“They both weren’t sharp,” said manager Dave Roberts, who had theories but not many answers — though he did have real concern, especially about Díaz, who recently had his right knee checked out by the medical staff.
Roberts said the closer wanted to pitch after nine days off, even though it wasn’t a save situation. But his velocity was slightly down (95.4 mph vs. 95.8) and so, “today was a tough evaluation,” the manager said.
“It really was,” Roberts said. “Because, you know, I know what it’s supposed to look like, and when it doesn’t look like that, it gets a little concerning, really.”
And losing for the second time to the Rockies, who are now 9-13? Being in danger of losing their four-game series, after arriving in Denver without having lost to a National League opponent, against a club that hasn’t made the postseason since 2018?
It’s well below the bar the Dodgers have set, and it added a bitter note to Ward’s otherwise sweet debut.
Ward punched a big league clock for the first time wearing No. 67 and cranked his first hit off Rockies starter Michael Lorenzen in the fourth inning, lining a changeup to right field for a single that scored Andy Pages, made it 3-0 and got the 20-some members of Ward’s party up, jumping in place, hugging and high-fiving.
“When I was on first base, I got to see them all jumping around up there,” Ward said. “That was a pretty special moment.”
He also singled in the sixth and swung on the first pitch in his first at-bat, a fly out in the third inning.
The Dodgers gave Sasaki a 2-0 lead in the third. Alex Freeland drove in Hyeseong Kim, and Shohei Ohtani doubled in Freeland — and extended his career-best on-base streak to 51 games, moving past Willie Keeler into third place in Dodgers history.
Sasaki went 4-2/3 innings, threw 78 pitches and gave up three runs on seven hits, striking out two and walking two. His ERA after his fourth start: 6.11, worst in the six-man rotation.
The Dodgers fell behind 6-5 in the seventh when Treinen — who was cleared Friday after he was struck in the head by a batted ball during batting practice — gave up four consecutive hits, including a two-run home run by Mickey Moniak.
The result likely will be a minor detail when Ward tells the story years from now about getting the call after first baseman Freddie Freeman was placed on the paternity list.
The Dodgers’ No. 19 prospect and reigning Pacific Coast League MVP spent the last seven years in the minors. Last season, he hit 36 home runs and drove in 122 runs with a .937 on-base-plus-slugging percentage for triple-A Oklahoma City, and he has a 1.020 OPS and four homers this year.
Ward made it a point to improve his chase rate, draw more walks and get on base more frequently, everything the Dodgers asked of him. He also passed the broadest patience test.
“The plate discipline, being a better hitter … he’s done all that,” Roberts said. “He’s improved his defense. But honestly, for me, just not to let his lack of opportunity in the big leagues deter him. That’s easy when you get frustrated and let it affect performance, and he hasn’t done that.”
If anything, Ward said, the waiting made him better.
“I used it to keep going. ‘OK, if I’m not there yet, what do I have to do to get there?’” he said. “‘What part of my game do I need to work on to keep getting better?’
“I used it as fire to keep working.”
That will be the Dodgers’ assignment too.
In the finale of the four-game series Monday, the Dodgers are expected to start left-hander Justin Wrobleski (2-0, 2.12) against Colorado left-hander Jose Quintana (0-1, 5.63).
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LAS VEGAS – Danhausen’s curse may be real after all – just ask Stephen A. Smith and the New York Mets.
While the latter dropped their 10th game in a row, Smith got his share of the curse on Saturday night during Night 1 of WrestleMania 42. Smith was in attendance for WWE’s premier event of the year and heard massive boos from the crowd.
Stephen A. Smith attends WrestleMania 42: Night 1 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, on April 18, 2026. (Andrew Timms/WWE)
Smith was sitting ringside to watch the action. The ESPN star appeared on the videoboard above the ring at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. He appeared to embrace the reaction and smiled through it.
The boos came after Danhausen appeared on “First Take” on Friday – much to the chagrin of the sports pundit. Smith appeared perplexed by Danhausen’s appearance. Smith said he heard about Danhausen and called him a “bad luck charm.”
Danhausen said Smith had been “rude” to him and put the dreaded “curse” on the commentator.
WWE STAR DANHAUSEN SAYS METS ‘CURSE’ ISN’T EXACTLY LIFTED AS TEAM DROPS NINTH STRAIGHT GAME
Stephen A. Smith attends WrestleMania 42: Night 1 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, on April 18, 2026. (Andrew Timms/WWE)
Smith is far from the only one dealing with the effects of the “curse.”
Danhausen agreed to “un-curse” the Mets during their losing streak. However, he told Fox News Digital earlier this week that there was a reason why the curse’s removal didn’t take full effect.
“I did un-curse the Mets. But it didn’t work because, I believe it was Brian Gewirtz who did not pay Danhausen. He did not send me my money so it did not take full effect,” Danhausen said. “Once I have the money, perhaps it will actually work because right now it’s probably about a half of an un-cursing. It’s like a layaway situation.”
Danhausen enters the arena before his match against Kit Wilson during SmackDown at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on April 10, 2026. (Eakin Howard/Getty Images)
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On “Friday Night SmackDown,” WWE stars like The Miz and Kit Wilson were also targets of Danhausen’s curse.
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