The race to claim automatic NCAA Tournament bids ratcheted up in conferences across college basketball on Thursday, as Selection Sunday crept closer and the stakes increased with more single-elimination tournament games. Action was particularly consequential in likely one-bid leagues around the landscape, including the MAC.
No. 4 seed Toledo edged No. 5 seed Toledo 90-85 in overtime, advancing to take on No. 1 seed Akron in Friday’s semifinals. The top-seeded Zips made quick work of No. 8 seed Bowling Green in a 96-67 victory and will now face the challenge of trying to beat Toledo for a third time this season.
If Akron is able to survive the weekend, it would be making its third NCAA Tournament appearance of the past four seasons. But No. 2 seed Miami (Ohio) could also have a say in the matter after the Redhawks toppled No. 7 seed Eastern Michigan 81-75 in quarterfinal action. Third-year coach Travis Steele has Miami just two wins away from its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2007.
High-major conference tournament action will intensify even further on Friday as teams look to solidify their NCAA Tournament resumes just two days before Selection Sunday. Each of the five top leagues will either be in quarterfinal or semifinal action.
Perhaps the most consequential game will be in the ACC, where No. 1 seed Duke will play arch rival No. 5 seed North Carolina. The outcome could determine whether the Tar Heels are worthy of an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. Among the game’s prominent plots will be an injury suffered by Duke star Cooper Flagg in the Blue Devils’ quarterfinal win over Georgia Tech on Thursday.
Duke coach Jon Scheyer called it a “real long shot” that Flagg would suit up against the Tar Heels, which could make it easier for UNC to earn a much-needed second Quad 1 victory.
SportsLine conference tournament odds, picks: Proven experts share best bets for every tourney
Thursday’s conference tournament scores
2025 conference tournaments/champions
| Conference | Location | Dates | Championship game / Tournament champion |
| ACC | Charlotte, North Carolina | March 11-15 | Sat., Mar. 15, 8:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| America East | Campus sites | March 8,11,15 | Sat., Mar. 15, 11 a.m. | ESPN2 |
| American | Fort Worth, Texas | March 12-16 | Sun., Mar. 16, 3:15 p.m. | ESPN |
| ASUN | Campus sites | March 2,3,6,9 | Lipscomb (25-9) |
| Atlantic 10 | Washington D.C. | March 12-16 | Sun., Mar. 16, 1 p.m. | CBS |
| Big 12 | Kansas City | March 11-15 | Sat., Mar. 15, 6 p.m. | ESPN |
| Big East | New York City | March 12-15 | Sat., Mar. 15, 6:30 p.m. | Fox |
| Big Sky | Boise, Idaho | March 8-12 | Montana (25-9) |
| Big South | Johnson City, Tennessee | March 5,7-9 | High Point (29-5) |
| Big Ten | Indianapolis | March 12-16 | Sun., Mar. 16, 3:30 p.m. | CBS |
| Big West | Henderson, Nevada | March 12-15 | Sat., Mar. 15, 9:40 p.m. | ESPN2 |
| Coastal Athletic | Washington D.C. | March 7-11 | UNCW (27-7) |
| Conference USA | Huntsville, Alabama | March 11-15 | Sat., Mar. 15, 8:30 p.m. | CBSSN |
| Horizon League | Campus sites | March 4,6,10,11 | Robert Morris (25-8) |
| Ivy | Providence, Rhode Island | March 15-16 | Sun., Mar. 16, 12 p.m. | ESPN2 |
| MAAC | Atlantic City, New Jersey | March 11-15 | Sat., Mar. 15, 7:30 p.m. | ESPNU |
| MAC | Cleveland | March 13-15 | Sat., Mar. 15, 7:40 p.m. | ESPN2 |
| MEAC | Norfolk, Virginia | March 12-15 | Sat., Mar. 15, 1 p.m. | ESPN2 |
| Missouri Valley | St. Louis | March 6-9 | Drake (30-3) |
| Mountain West | Las Vegas | March 12-15 | Sat., Mar. 15, 6 p.m. | CBS |
| Northeast | Campus sites | March 5,8.11 | Saint Francis (15-17) |
| Ohio Valley | Evansville, Indiana | March 5-8 | SIUE (22-11) |
| Patriot | Campus sites | March 4,6,9,12 | American (22-12) |
| SEC | Nashville | March 12-16 | Sun., Mar. 16, 1 p.m. | ESPN |
| Southern | Asheville, North Carolina | March 7-10 | Wofford (19-15) |
| Southland | Lake Charles, Louisiana | March 9-12 | McNeese (27-6) |
| Summit | Sioux Falls, South Dakota | March 5-9 | Omaha (22-12) |
| Sun Belt | Pensacola, Florida | March 4-10 | Troy (23-10) |
| SWAC | Atlanta | March 11-15 | Sat., Mar. 15, 9:30 p.m. | ESPNU |
| WAC | St. George, Utah / Las Vegas | March 11-15 | Sat., Mar. 15, 11:40 p.m. | ESPN2 |
| WCC | Las Vegas | March 6-11 | Gonzaga (25-8) |
