Big Sky Basketball: 2020 conference tournament preview and predictions

ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO - DECEMBER 01: Head coach Travis DeCuire of the Montana Grizzlies encourages his team during their game against the New Mexico Lobos at Dreamstyle Arena - The Pit on December 01, 2019 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Lobos defeated the Grizzlies 72-63. (Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images) /

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LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY – MARCH 30: A detail of the South Region bracket (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

What kind of seed can the Big Sky champion expect?

The Big Sky Conference will definitely be a one-bid conference again this season with the Big Sky Basketball Championship tournament winner gaining the only bid to the NCAA Tournament. According to our own bracketologists at Busting Brackets at the end of the regular season, Eastern Washington would get a #16 seed as the regular-season Big Sky champion.

No matter who the tournament champion is that gets the NCAA bid, I would not expect that seed to change for the Big Sky. The bigger question is to what region the Big Sky champion gets assigned.

Should it be the West region and should that region’s #1 seed be Gonzaga, the game would be a rematch for Eastern if they are the champs. EWU lost to the Zags by the score of 112-77 on Dec. 21 at Gonzaga in Spokane. If this is the matchup, the first-round game would likely be at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena.

Assuming the rest of the #1 seeds are Kansas, Dayton, and Baylor, no other Big Sky teams had the opportunity to play these goliaths during the regular season. When it is all said and done, the Big Sky Championship will be the highlight of the season for the winner of the tournament.

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