At least one team from the 32 “all-sport” Division I conferences receives an automatic bid to the NCAA March Madness Tournament. Before the college basketball season heats up throughout March, get ready for the craziness with our 2018 Conference Tourney Primer.
| CONFERENCE | Teams | Teams in Conf. Tourney |
Reg. Ssn Conf. Games |
Balanced Schedule | Reg. Ssn Ends | Tourney Starts | Tourney Format* | Conf. Tourney Final |
Hashtag |
| America East | 9 | 8 | 16 | Yes | 2/27/18 | 3/3/18 | Reseeded | 3/10/18 | #aeplayoffs |
| American | 12 | 12 | 18 | No | 3/4/18 | 3/8/18 | Std | 3/11/18 | #americanhoops |
| Atlantic 10 | 14 | 14 | 18 | No | 3/3/18 | 3/7/18 | Staggered – Qtr | 3/11/18 | #a10mbb |
| Atlantic Coast | 15 | 15 | 18 | No | 3/3/18 | 3/6/18 | Staggered – Qtr | 3/10/18 | #accmbb |
| Atlantic Sun | 8 | 8 | 14 | Yes | 2/22/18 | 2/26/18 | Std | 3/4/18 | #asunmbb |
| Big 12 | 10 | 10 | 18 | Yes | 3/3/18 | 3/7/18 | Std | 3/10/18 | #big12mbb |
| Big East | 10 | 10 | 18 | Yes | 3/3/18 | 3/7/18 | Std | 3/10/18 | #bigeastmbb |
| Big Sky | 12 | 12 | 18 | No | 3/3/18 | 3/6/18 | Std | 3/10/18 | #bigskymbb |
| Big South | 10 | 10 | 18 | Yes | 2/24/18 | 2/27/18 | Std | 3/4/18 | #bigsouthmbb |
| Big Ten | 14 | 14 | 18 | No | 2/24/18 | 2/28/18 | Staggered – Qtr | 3/4/18 | #b1gtournament |
| Big West | 9 | 8 | 16 | Yes | 3/3/18 | 3/8/18 | Std | 3/10/18 | #bwcmbb |
| Colonial | 10 | 10 | 18 | Yes | 2/24/18 | 3/3/18 | Std | 3/6/18 | #caachamps |
| Conference USA | 14 | 12 | 18 | No | 3/3/18 | 3/7/18 | Std | 3/10/18 | #cusambb |
| Horizon | 10 | 10 | 18 | Yes | 2/24/18 | 3/2/18 | Std-2 day Qtrs | 3/6/18 | #hlmbb |
| Ivy League | 8 | 4 | 14 | Yes | 3/3/18 | 3/10/18 | Std | 3/11/18 | #oneivy |
| Metro Atlantic | 11 | 11 | 18 | No | 2/24/18 | 3/1/18 | Std-2 day Qtrs | 3/5/18 | #maachoops |
| Mid-American | 12 | 12 | 18 | No | 3/2/18 | 3/5/18 | Std | 3/10/18 | #maction |
| Mid-Eastern | 13 | 12 | 16 | No | 3/1/18 | 3/5/18 | Std-2 day Qtrs | 3/10/18 | #meachoops |
| Missouri Valley |
10 | 10 | 18 | Yes | 2/24/18 | 3/1/18 | Std | 3/4/18 | #archmadness |
| Mountain West | 11 | 11 | 18 | No | 3/3/18 | 3/7/18 | Std | 3/10/18 | #mwmadness |
| Northeast | 10 | 8 | 18 | Yes | 2/24/18 | 2/28/18 | Reseeded | 3/6/18 | #necmbb |
| Ohio Valley | 12 | 8 | 18 | No | 2/24/18 | 2/28/18 | Staggered -Semi | 3/3/18 | #ovchoops |
| Pac-12 | 12 | 12 | 18 | No | 3/3/18 | 3/7/18 | Std | 3/10/18 | #pac12mbb |
| Patriot | 10 | 10 | 18 | Yes | 2/24/18 | 2/27/18 | Reseeded | 3/7/18 | #plmbb |
| Southeastern | 14 | 14 | 18 | No | 3/3/18 | 3/7/18 | Staggered – Qtr | 3/11/18 | #secmbb |
| Southern | 10 | 10 | 18 | Yes | 2/24/18 | 3/1/18 | Std | 3/5/18 | #soconhoops |
| Southland | 13 | 8 | 18 | No | 3/3/18 | 3/7/18 | Staggered -Semi | 3/10/18 | #southlandstrong |
| Southwestern | 10 | 8 | 18 | Yes | 3/3/18 | 3/6/18 | Std | 3/10/18 | #swachoops |
| Summit League | 8 | 8 | 14 | Yes | 2/24/18 | 3/3/18 | Std-2 day Qtrs | 3/6/18 | #summitmbb |
| Sun Belt | 12 | 12 | 18 | No | 3/3/18 | 3/7/18 | Std | 3/11/18 | #sunbeltmbb |
| West Coast | 10 | 10 | 18 | Yes | 2/24/18 | 3/2/18 | Std | 3/6/18 | #wcchoops |
| Western Athletic |
8 | 8 | 14 | Yes | 3/3/18 | 3/8/18 | Std | 3/10/18 | #wacvegas |
Tournament Formats Key
| Reseeded | Teams reseeded after each round with highest seed playing lowest remaining seed. |
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| Staggered – Qtr | Top 4 seeds receive byes to the Quarter Finals. |
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| Staggered -Semi | Top 2 seeds receive byes to the Semi Finals. 3rd and 4th receive byes to the Quarter Finals |
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| Std | Standard seed layout like the NCAA tournament |
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| Std-2 day Qtrs | Quarter Finals played over two days with Top 2 seeds playing on the first day for the benefit of added rest. |
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