2026 Conference USA Men’s Basketball Tournament Basics
Format
Traditional bracket with split quarterfinal doubleheaders to protect the top two seeds.
Site
Gone are the days of simultaneous games played on different sides of the Dallas Cowboys’ practice facility in Frisco, Texas. For the third year in a row, the CUSA men’s and women’s tournaments will take place at Propst Arena in Huntsville, Alabama.
Participants
While Conference USA expanded to 12 this year, only one of the newcomers, Missouri State, qualified. Delaware (10-21, 6-14, 12th) misses out, along with UTEP (11-20,
7-13, 11th), which is on its way out to the Mountain West. Louisiana Tech is supposed to depart for the Sun Belt after the 2026-27 season but is trying to speed up the process.
Schedule
Downloadable PDF Bracket
TV/Streaming Info
ESPN+ ($) will stream all games before the semifinals.
First Round (Tues. 3/10)
Gm. 1: (9) Missouri State (14-17, 8-12) vs. (8) FIU (15-16, 8-12), 6:30
Home split: Bears 79-71 on 1/10 and Panthers 70-67 on 2/21.
Gm. 2: (10) New Mexico State (15-15, 8-12) vs. (7) Jacksonville State (15-16, 10-10), 9*
The Aggies swept: 79-70 (away) on 2/14 and 77-75 (OT) (home) on 3/5.
Quarterfinals (Wed. 3/11)
Gm. 3: Gm. 1 winner vs. (1) Liberty (25-6, 17-3), 6:30*
Gm. 4: Gm. 2 winner vs. (2) Sam Houston (21-10, 13-7), 9
Quarterfinals (Thurs. 3/12)
Gm. 5: (5) Middle Tennessee (17-14, 11-9) vs. (4) Louisiana Tech (18-13, 11-9), 6:30
Home split: Blue Raiders 88-51 on 1/2 and Bulldogs 59-58 on 1/14.
Gm. 6: (6) Kennesaw State (18-13, 10-10) vs. (3) Western Kentucky (18-13, 11-9), 9*
The Owls swept: 81-65 (away) on 1/17 and 72-69 (home) on 1/28.
Semifinals (Fri. 3/13)
CBSSN will air both games.
Gm. 7: Gm. 3 winner vs. Gm. 5 winner, 12:30
Gm. 8: Gm. 4 winner vs. Gm. 6 winner, 3*
Championship (Sat. 3/14)
Gm. 9: Semifinal winners, 8:30 (CBSSN)
Mayhem Potential
Data originally posted by Bob Vetrone Jr. on Twitter in 2020 with my own additions for the seasons beyond.
Since 2011, a No. 1 or 2 seed has won the Conference USA Tournament nine times with the No. 4 seed just as successful as the second.
- 1 seed (6): 2012, 2013, 2017, 2019, 2023, 2025
- 2 seed (3): 2014, 2016, 2022 (divisional play)
- 4 seed (3): 2011. 2015, 2018
- 3 seed (2): 2021 (divisional play), 2024
NCAA Seeding Record In The 68-Team Era
Years with an NCAA win are in bold.
- 6 seed (1): 2013
- 8 seed (1): 2012 (automatic)
- 9 seed (2): 2012 (at-large), 2023
- 12 seed (5): 2011 (at-large), 2011 (automatic), 2017, 2022, 2025
- 13 seed (3); 2014, 2018, 2021
- 14 seed (2): 2015, 2019
- 15 seed (2): 2016, 2024
All four single-digit seeds were earned by teams who have since been promoted to the American Athletic: Florida Atlantic, Memphis, and UAB. If Liberty qualifies, it’s likely to end up as a 13, thanks the Flames’ late-season struggles. Anyone else will be a 14 or 15.
Last NCAA Tournament Appearances
Liberty: 2025 (12 seed, 1st round)
Kennesaw State: 2023 (14 seed, 1st Round, ASUN member)
Jacksonville State: 2022 (15 seed, 1st Round, ASUN member)
New Mexico State: 2022 (12 seed, 2nd Round, WAC member)
Sam Houston: 2010 (14 seed, 1st Round, Southland member)
Western Kentucky: 2014 (15 seed, 1st Round)
Middle Tennessee: 2017 (12 seed, 2nd Round)
FIU: 1995 (16 seed, 1st Round, TAAC (ASUN) member)
Louisiana Tech: 1991 (12 seed, 1st Round, American South member)
Missouri State: 1999 (12 seed, at-large, Sweet 16)
All 12 members have made the NCAAs at least once, although only three have done so representing CUSA in its various lineups. Delaware (2022, 15 seed, Round of 64) and UTEP (2010, 12 seed, at-large, 1st Round) will have to wait until next year, with the Miners needing to navigate a new conference to get back in.
