The conference tournaments make up the two weeks leading into Selection Sunday and is where the first forms of March Madness takes place.
MORE: The best Cinderellas | Championship Week results | Printable March Madness bracket
Before you fill out your NCAA Tournament brackets, be sure to get caught up on the teams that have punched their ticket to the Big Dance.
NCAA Tournament 2016 automatic bids
Arkansas-Little Rock Trojans (Sun Belt Conference)How they got here: No. 1 seed, def. UL-Lafayette 72-65, UL-Monroe 70-50 Record: 29-4 (17-3 Sun Belt)Likely seed: No. 12Best non-conference win: At San Diego State, 49-43Player to watch: Josh Hagins, Sr., G (13.1 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 4.7 apg)Last NCAA Tournament appearance: 2011
Austin Peay Governors (Ohio Valley Conference)How they got here: No. 9 seed, def. Tenn. Tech 92-72, Tenn. State 74-72, Belmont 97-96 (OT), UT-Martin 83-73Record: 18-17 (7-9 OVC)Likely seed: No. 16Best non-conference win: Wofford, 84-77Player to watch: Chris Horton, Sr., C (18.9 ppg, 12.1 rpg, 1.8 bpg)Last NCAA Tournament appearance: 2008
Buffalo Bulls (Mid-American Conference)How they got here: No. 2 seed, def. Miami (OH) 94-81, Ohio 88-74, Akron 64-61Record: 20-14 (10-8 MAC)Likely seed: No. 12Best non-conference win: Vermont, 77-71Player to watch: Blake Hamilton, Jr., G (13.1 ppg, 7 rpg, 2.5 apg)Last NCAA Tournament appearance: 2015
Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners (Western Athletic Conference)How they got here: No. 2 Seed, def. Chicago State 79-57, Seattle, 72-47, NMSU 57-54Record: 24-8 (11-3 WAC)Likely seed: No. 15 or No. 16Best non-conference win: Idaho, 68-45Player to watch: Dedrick Basile, Jr., G (12 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 3.6 apg)Last NCAA Tournament appearance: First appearance
Chattanooga Mocs (Southern Conference)How they got here: No. 1 seed, def. Samford 59-54, Western Carolina 73-69, ETSU 73-67Record: 29-5 (15-3 SoCon)Likely seed: No. 13Best non-conference win: At Dayton, 61-59Player to watch: Tre’ McLean, Jr., F (12.3 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 2.4 apg)Last NCAA Tournament appearance: 2009
Connecticut Huskies (American)How they got here: No. 5 seed, def. Cincinnati 104-97 (4OT), Temple 77-62, Memphis 72-58Record: 24-10 (11-7 AAC)Likely seed: No. 10Best non-conference win: At Texas, 71-66Player to watch: Daniel Hamilton, Soph., G (12.5 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 4.8 apg)Last NCAA Tournament appearance: 2014
Fairleigh Dickinson Knights (Northeast Conference) How they got here: No. 2 seed, def. St. Francis 74-72, Mt. St. Mary’s 80-75, Wagner 87-79Record: 18-14 (11-7 NEC)Likely seed: No. 16Best non-conference win: Towson, 69-68Player to watch: Earl Potts Jr., Soph., G (14.7 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 1.5 apg)Last NCAA Tournament appearance: 2005
Florida Gulf Coast Eagles (Atlantic Sun Conference) How they got here: No. 4 seed, def. Kennesaw State 74-64, UNF 89-56, Stetson 80-78Record: 20-13 (8-6 ASun)Likely seed: No. 16Best non-conference win: UMass, 77-76Player to watch: Marc Eddy Norelia, Jr., F (17.2 ppg, 9.2 rpg)Last NCAA Tournament appearance: 2013
Fresno State Bulldogs (Mountain West Conference)How they got here: No. 2 seed, def. UNLV 95-82, CSU 54-56, SDSU 68-63Record: 25-9 (13-5 MWC)Likely seed: No. 14Best non-conference win: Cal State Bakersfield, 76-68Player to watch: Marvelle Harris, Sr., G (20.6 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 4.4 apg)Last NCAA Tournament appearance: 2001
Gonzaga Bulldogs (West Coast Conference)How they got here: No. 2 seed, def. Portland 92-67, BYU 88-84, Saint Mary’s 85-75Record: 26-7 (15-3 WCC)Likely seed: No. 11Best non-conference win: UConn, 73-70Player to watch: Kyle Wiltjer, Sr., F (20.7 ppg, 6.5 rpg)Last NCAA Tournament appearance: 2015
Green Bay Phoenix (Horizon League) How they got here: No. 4 seed, def. Cleveland State 65-53, Milwaukee 70-61, Valparaiso 99-92 (OT), Wright State 78-69Record: 23-12 (11-7 Horizon)Likely seed: No. 15Best non-conference win: Akron, 66-63Player to watch: Carrington Love, Sr., G (17.7 ppg, 3.5 apg, 2.3 spg)Last NCAA Tournament appearance: 1996
Hampton Pirates (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)How they got here: No. 1 seed, def. Morgan State 83-81, Savannah State 89-55, South Carolina State 81-69Record: 21-10 (13-3 MEAC)Likely seed: No. 14Best non-conference win: Louisiana Monroe, 75-64Player to watch: Quinton Chievous, Sr., G (17.2 ppg, 11.2 rpg)Last NCAA Tournament appearance: 2015
Hawaii Rainbow Warriors (Big West Conference)How they got here: No. 1 seed, CS Fullerton 75-44, UCSB 88-76, LBSU 64-60Record: 27-5 (13-3 Big West)Likely seed: No. 14Best non-conference win: Northern Iowa, 68-52Player to watch: Stefan Jankovic, Jr., F (15.7 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 1.2 bpg)Last NCAA Tournament appearance: 2002
Holy Cross Crusaders (Patriot League)How they got here: No. 9 seed, def. Loyola (Md.) 72-67, Bucknell 77-72 (2 OT), Army 60-38, Lehigh 59-56Record: 14-19 (5-13 Patriot)Likely seed: No. 16Best non-conference win: Harvard, 50-49Player to watch: Malachi Alexander, Jr., F (12 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 2.7 apg)Last NCAA Tournament appearance: 2007
Iona Gaels (Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference)How they got here: No. 2 seed, def. Canisius 73-55, Siena 81-70, Monmouth 79-76Record: 22-10 (16-4 MAAC)Likely seed: No. 14Best non-conference win: Texas Southern, 83-73Player to watch: A.J. English, Sr., G (22.4 ppg, 5 rpg, 6.2 apg) Last NCAA Tournament appearance: 2013
Kansas Jayhawks (Big 12 Conference)How they got here: No. 1 seed, def. Kansas State 85-63, Baylor 70-66, West Virginia 81-71Record: 30-4 (15-3 Big 12)Likely seed: No. 1Best non-conference win: Kentucky, 90-84 (OT)Player to watch: Perry Ellis, Sr., F (16.7 ppg, 6 rpg) Last NCAA Tournament appearance: 2015
Kentucky Wildcats (Southeastern Conference)How they got here: No. 2 seed, def. Alabama 85-59, Georgia 93-80, Texas A&M 82-77 (OT)Record: 26-8 (13-5 SEC)Likely seed: No. 3 or No. 4Best non-conference win: Louisville, 75-73Player to watch: Tyler Ulis, Soph., G (16.8 ppg, 7.2 apg)Last NCAA Tournament appearance: 2011
Michigan State Spartans (Big Ten Conference)How they got here: No. 2 seed, def. Ohio State 81-54, Maryland 64-61, Purdue 66-62Record: 29-5 (13-5 Big Ten)Likely seed: No. 1Best non-conference win: Kansas, 97-93Player to watch: Denzel Valentine, Sr., G (19.9 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 7.6 apg)Last NCAA Tournament appearance: 2015
Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (Conference USA)How they got here: No. 2 seed, def. Charlotte 79-61, Marshall 99-90, Old Dominion 55-53Record: 24-9 (13-5 C-USA)Likely seed: No. 14Best non-conference win: Belmont, 83-62Player to watch: Giddy Potts, So., G (15.0 ppg, 5.6 rpg) Last NCAA Tournament appearance: 2013
North Carolina Tar Heels (Atlantic Coast Conference)How they got here: No. 1 seed, def. Pittsburgh 88-71, Notre Dame 78-47, Virginia 61-57Record: 28-6 (14-4 ACC)Likely seed: No. 1Best non-conference win: Maryland, 89-81Player to watch: Brice Johnson, Sr., F (16.6 ppg, 10.6 rpg)Last NCAA Tournament appearance: 2015
Northern Iowa Panthers (Missouri Valley Conference)How they got here: No. 4 seed, def. SIU 66-60, Wichita State 57-52 (OT), Evansville 56-54Record: 22-12 (11-7 MVC)Likely seed: No. 13Best non-conference win: North Carolina, 71-67Player to watch: Wes Washpun, Sr., G (14.3 ppg, 5.2 apg, 1.2 spg)Last NCAA Tournament appearance: 2015
Oregon Ducks (Pac-12 Conference)How they got here: No. 1 seed, def. Washington 83-77, Arizona 95-89 (OT), Utah 88-57Record: 28-6 (14-4 Pac-12)Likely seed: No. 1 or No. 2Best non-conference win: Baylor, 74-67Player to watch: Dillon Brooks, Soph. F (16.8 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 3.1 apg)Last NCAA Tournament appearance: 2015
Saint Joseph’s Hawks (Atlantic 10 Conference)How they got here: No. 4 seed, GWU 86-80, Dayton 82-79, VCU 87-74Record: 27-7 (13-5 A10)Likely seed: No. 8Best non-conference win: Temple, 66-65 (OT)Player to watch: DeAndre Bembry, Jr., F (16.9 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 4.5 apg)Last NCAA Tournament appearance: 2014
Seton Hall Pirates (Big East)How they got here: No. 3 seed, def. Creighton 81-73, Xavier 87-83, Villanova 69-67Record: 25-8 (12-6 Big East)Likely seed: No. 7Best non-conference win: Wichita State, 80-76 (OT)Player to watch: Isaiah Whitehead, So., G (18.2 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 5.1 apg)Last NCAA Tournament appearance: 2006
South Dakota State Jackrabbits (Summit League) How they got here: No. 2 seed, def. Oral Roberts 73-70, Denver 54-53, North Dakota State 67-59Record: 26-7 (12-4 Summit)Likely seed: No. 12 or No. 13Best non-conference win: at TCU, 76-67Player to watch: George Marshall, Sr., G (14.9 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.7 apg)Last NCAA Tournament appearance: 2013
Southern Jaguars (Southwestern Athletic Conference)How they got here: No. 4 seed, def. Alabama State 83-63, Texas Southern 81-73, Jackson State 54-53Record: 22-12 (11-7 SWAC)Likely seed: No. 16Best non-conference win: At Mississippi State, 76-72Player to watch: Adrian Rodgers, Sr., G (16.6 ppg, 5.4 rpg)Last NCAA Tournament appearance: 2013
Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks (Southland Conference)How they got here: No. 1 seed, def. Houston Baptist 104-68, Texas A&M-CC 82-60Record: 27-5 (18-0 Southland)Likely seed: No. 13Best non-conference win: Western Michigan, 79-71Player to watch: Thomas Walkup, Sr., F (17.5 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 4.5 apg)Last NCAA Tournament appearance: 2015
Stony Brook Seawolves (America East Conference)How they got here: No. 1 seed, def. UMBC 86-76, Hartford 80-64, Vermont 80-74Record: 26-6 (14-2 America East)Likely seed: No. 13Best non-conference win: Hofstra, 71-68Player to watch: Jameel Warney, Sr., G (19.0 ppg, 10.7 rpg)Last NCAA Tournament appearance: N/A
UNC Asheville Bulldogs (Big South Conference)How they got here: No. 4 seed, def. Liberty 80-49, High Point 80-69, Winthrop 77-68Record: 22-11 (12-6 Big South)Likely seed: No. 15Best non-conference win: at Georgetown, 79-73Player to watch: Dwayne Sutton, Fr., F (12.1 ppg, 7.8 rpg)Last NCAA Tournament appearance: 2012
UNC Wilmington Seahawks (Colonial Athletic Association) How they got here: No. 2 seed, def. Coll. of Charleston 66-64, Northeastern 73-70, Hofstra 80-73 (OT)Record: 25-7 (14-4 CAA)Likely seed: No. 14 Best non-conference win: ETSU, 94-73Player to watch: Chris Flemmings, Jr., G (16.1 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 1.3 spg)Last NCAA Tournament appearance: 2006
Weber State Wildcats (Big Sky Conference)How they got here: No. 1 seed, def. Portland State 78074, North Dakota 83-78 (OT), Montana 62-59Record: 26-8 (15-3 Big Sky)Likely seed: No. 15Best non-conference win: South Dakota State, 99-95Player to watch: Joel Bolomboy, Sr., F (17.2 ppg, 12.7 rpg)Last NCAA Tournament appearance: 2014
Yale Bulldogs (Ivy League) How they got here: Won regular-season championshipRecord: 22-6 (13-1 Ivy)Likely seed: No. 12 or No. 13Best non-conference win: Vermont, 72-54Player to watch: Justin Sears, Sr., F (15.8 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 2.8 apg)Last NCAA Tournament appearance: 1962
