NCAA Basketball: Ranking all 32 conference tournaments for 2019-20

4) Southern Conference

March 6-9

This is by far the most intriguing mid-major conference tournament of the season, and it probably isn’t even all that close. Obviously, East Tennessee State is riding the bubble, and may very well have an at-large bid locked up if they make the championship game, but Furman and UNC Greensboro are likely in win or bust mode. The fact that the SoCon has three teams that could easily pull a first-round upset in the NCAA Tournament competing for a maximum of two bids makes it the most consequential conference tournament in the first week.

3) Pac-12 Conference

March 11-14

Sure, the Pac-12 may not have the same “National Championship Contenders” as the Big 12 and the ACC, but that shouldn’t take away from the overall quality of competition the conference tournament will provide. One look at the Pac-12 standings compared to any analytical or record quality metrics will let you know that they make no sense. And in a season where the nonsensical has become the normal, this should make for one of the most exciting conference tournaments of the year. Also, you will get to listen to Bill Walton which is worth tuning in for regardless of what is happening on screen.

2) Big East Conference

March 11-14

Who wouldn’t want to watch one of the best conferences in the country play in the mecca of basketball? Creighton, Villanova, and Seton Hall are all ranked in the Top 15, but they are not the only teams that can win this tournament. These might not be the 40-minute brawls that your parents remember, but the Big East Tournament will still provide some of the best basketball outside of Big Dance. This is my personal favorite conference tournament to watch every single year, and it shouldn’t fail to impress this time around either.

1) Big Ten Conference

March 11-15

I get it, the first two games of the Big Ten Tournament will likely be blowouts; however, barring an upset in the first round, the next 11 games will be some of the best that any conference tournament has to offer. With the top 12 teams all being Top 50 in NET, Top 40 in KenPom AdjEM, and Top 40 in Haslametrics, you will not find more high-quality basketball games being played anywhere outside Indianapolis.

There are 12 teams that have a legitimate shot at securing the final auto-bid of the 2020 NCAA Tournament, and that is a beautiful thing.