The completion of the NCAA Tournament field marks the culmination of a weekend filled with thrilling basketball action as mid-major teams fought tooth and nail for their spots in the Big Dance.
While powerhouses like South Carolina, Iowa, and UConn had secured their places in the tournament early on by winning their respective major conference tournaments, the spotlight this weekend belonged to the underdogs.
Saturday saw Kent State start the momentum by triumphing over Buffalo to claim the MAC title, while California Baptist staged a dramatic comeback to snatch the WAC championship from Stephen F. Austin’s grasp.
Fairfield orchestrated a remarkable turnaround against Niagara to secure the MAAC trophy, and Norfolk State demonstrated resilience in holding off Howard to clinch the MEAC title.
Thrilling Weekend of NCAA Tournament Qualification
In the Ivy League, Princeton cruised past Columbia to secure their spot in the tournament.
Sunday brought further excitement as Jackson State, Middle Tennessee State, UC Irvine, and Florida Gulf Coast showcased dominant performances to secure their respective championships.
Holy Cross joined the winners’ circle by defeating Boston University for the Patriot League title, while Sacred Heart asserted their dominance with a commanding win over Le Moyne to claim the Northeast crown.
Drake emerged victorious in a nail-biting encounter against Missouri State to win the MVC, and Drexel stunned Stony Brook to earn the CAA’s bid.
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Let’s take a closer look at the 13 automatic bids earned over the weekend:
Florida Gulf Coast clinched their seventh consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance by defeating Central Arkansas in the ASUN Tournament championship game.
UC Irvine secured their second NCAA Tournament appearance in program history with a commanding win over UC Davis in the Big West Tournament championship game.
Drexel completed a remarkable run through the CAA Tournament with an upset victory over top-seeded Stony Brook.
Middle Tennessee State extended their winning streak to 19 games with a victory over Liberty in the C-USA Tournament championship game.
Princeton secured their third consecutive Ivy League Tournament championship with a comfortable win over Columbia.
Fairfield continued their magical season with a dramatic overtime victory against Niagara in the MAAC Tournament championship game.
Kent State ended their 22-year NCAA Tournament drought by defeating Buffalo in the MAC Tournament championship game.
Norfolk State secured their second consecutive MEAC championship with a hard-fought victory over Howard.
Drake won a thrilling contest against Missouri State to secure their second consecutive MVC championship.
Sacred Heart dominated Le Moyne to clinch the Northeast Conference championship.
Holy Cross secured their second consecutive Patriot League title with a victory over Boston University.
Jackson State made easy work of Alcorn State to win their 21st consecutive game and secure their third NCAA Tournament trip in the last four years.
Cal Baptist made school history by clinching their first NCAA Tournament appearance with a dramatic win over Stephen F. Austin in the WAC tournament championship game.
Now, these teams shift their focus to the NCAA Tournament, where they aim to defy the odds and potentially become this year’s Cinderella story. With their spots secured, they’re ready to leave it all on the court and make their mark on college basketball’s biggest stage.
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