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2022 Conference USA Men’s Basketball Tournament Basics

Dates

Tuesday, March 8 (first round); Wednesday, March 9 (second round); Thursday, March 10 (quarterfinals); Friday, March 11 (semifinals); Saturday, March 12 (championship)

Format

Traditional bracket, but with simultaneous games in the first round and quarterfinals. Pairings are also based on divisional record for the second year in a row. The bottom two teams from each division play Tuesday with the rest of the bracket set up to encourage cross-divisional matchups.

Site

For the fifth straight year, the Ford Center at the Star in Frisco, Texas, AKA the Dallas Cowboys’ practice facility, will host the event. Remember that this allows C-USA to set up two courts for simultaneous games in the first three rounds.

TV/Streaming Info

All three of C-USA’s broadcast partners are involved. ESPN+ streams the first two rounds, with Stadium picking the quarterfinals up for TV and streaming. CBSSN then completes the relay by airing the semifinals and final.

Participants

All 14 Conference USA teams will play in the 2022 event, meaning a pair of Tuesday games are now on the schedule.

Downloadable Bracket

Schedule

First Round (Tues., March 8)

Game 1: (7E) Marshall 74, (6E) FIU (15-17, 5-13) 62
Game 2: (7W) Southern Mississippi 67, (6W) UTSA (10-22, 3-15) 64

Second Round (Wed., March 9)

Game 3: (5W) Rice 73, (4E) Charlotte (17-14, 10-8) 61
Game 4: (7E) Marshall 67, (3W) Louisiana Tech 77
Game 5: (5E) Old Dominion (13-19, 8-10) 64, (4W) UTEP 74
Game 6: (7W) Southern Mississippi (7-26, 1-17) 59, (3E) Florida Atlantic 86

Quarterfinals (Thurs., March 10)

Game 7: (5W) Rice (16-16, 7-11) 50, (1W) North Texas 68
Game 8: (3W) Louisiana Tech 59, (2E) Western Kentucky (19-13, 11-7) 57
Game 9: (4W) UTEP (19-13, 11-7) 59, (1E) Middle Tennessee 66 (OT)
Game 10: (3E) Florida Atlantic (19-14, 11-7) 66, (2W) UAB 80

Semifinals (Fri., March 11)

Game 11: 3W) Louisiana Tech 42, (1W) North Texas (24-6, 16-2) 36
Game 12: (2W) UAB 102, (1E) Middle Tennessee (23-10, 13-5) 98 (3OT)

Championship (Sat., March 12)

Game 13: (3W) Louisiana Tech (24-10, 12-6) 73, (2W) UAB (27-7, 14-4) 82

Mayhem Potential

Data originally posted by Bob Vetrone Jr. on Twitter in 2020 with my own additions for 2021 and 2022.

Since 2011, the No. 1 or 2 seed has only won the Conference USA Tournament six times with the No. 4 seed more successful than the second. In 2021, North Texas won as a divisional 3 seed, not a true No. 3.

• 1 seed (4): 2012, 2013, 2017, 2019
• 4 seed (3): 2011. 2015, 2018
• 2 seed (2): 2014, 2016
• 3 seed (1): 2021 (divisional play)

NCAA Seeding Record Since 2011

Years with an NCAA win are in bold.

• 6 seed (1): 2013
• 8 seed (1): 2012 (automatic)
• 9 seed (1): 2012 (at-large)
• 12 seed (3): 2011 (at-large), 2011 (automatic), 2017
• 13 seed (3); 2014, 2018, 2021
• 14 seed (2): 2015, 2019
• 15 seed (1): 2016

Two of the three single-digit seeds above were earned by the now-departed Memphis Tigers. Amazingly, UAB’s 2011 and USM’s 2012 at-large bids were earned by current league members, though both the Blazers and Golden Eagles will be departing in the near future.

If North Texas repeats or UAB claims the crown, a 12 seed is possible, if not likely. Otherwise, a 13 seed or lower is on the cards.

Last NCAA Tournament Appearances

North Texas: 2021 (13 seed, 2nd Round)
Old Dominion: 2019 (14 seed, 1st Round)
Marshall: 2018 (13 seed, 2nd Round)
Middle Tennessee: 2017 (12 seed, 2nd Round)
Western Kentucky: 2013 (16 seed, Round of 64, Sun Belt member)
UAB: 2014 (14 seed, Round of 32)
Southern Mississippi: 2012 (9 seed, at-large, Round of 64)
UTSA: 2011 (16 seed, Round of 64, Southland member)
UTEP: 2010 (12 seed, at-large, 1st Round)
Charlotte: 2005 (7 seed, 1st Round)
Florida Atlantic: 2002 (15 seed, 1st Round, ASUN member)
FIU: 1995 (16 seed, 1st Round, TAAC (ASUN) member)
Louisiana Tech: 1991 (12 seed, 1st Round, American South member)
Rice: 1970 (unseeded, 1st Round, SWC member)

All 14 C-USA members have made the NCAA Tournament at least once, though Rice hasn’t qualified since seeding was implemented.