American Conference tournament preview: South Florida leads wide-open bracket

March is here, and with it comes one of the most unpredictable weeks on the college basketball calendar. The bracket is now set for the 2026 American Athletic Conference tournament, and teams will head to Legacy Arena at the BJCC in Birmingham, Alabama from March 11–15 with one goal in mind: win the title and punch a ticket to the NCAA tournament.

South Florida enters the week as the No. 1 seed after an impressive regular season run, but the American has been anything but predictable this year. Several teams enter the tournament riding hot streaks, while others believe they can make a surprise run through the bracket.

Add in the defending champion Memphis Tigers starting deep in the bracket, and the stage is set for a week that could produce plenty of drama before a champion is crowned Sunday afternoon.

South Florida enters tournament as the team to beat

Head coach Bryan Hodgson has South Florida playing its best basketball at the perfect time.

The Bulls finished the regular season 23–8 overall and 15–3 in conference play, winning nine straight games to capture the regular-season title. That strong finish secured the No. 1 seed and a bye straight to the semifinals on Saturday.

South Florida has been fueled by strong guard play all season. Wes Enis leads the team with 16.4 points per game and has been one of the most consistent scorers in the conference. Inside, Izaiyah Nelson has provided a major presence on the glass while also contributing offensively.

With extra rest and the top seed, the Bulls enter Birmingham as the clear favorite.

Wichita State and Tulsa bring momentum into the bracket

While South Florida finished first in the standings, both Wichita State and Tulsa closed the season playing excellent basketball.

Wichita State grabbed the No. 2 seed after finishing 21–10 overall and 13–5 in conference play. The Shockers enter the tournament riding a six-game winning streak and will also begin play in the semifinal round.

Kenyon Giles has been one of the conference’s most explosive scorers, averaging 19.4 points per game while shooting 38 percent from three-point range.

Tulsa finished with the league’s second-best overall record at 25–6 and enters the tournament on a five-game winning streak. Head coach Eric Konkol has built a balanced roster led by forward David Green, who is averaging 16.3 points per game while shooting better than 50 percent from the field.

Tulsa begins play in the quarterfinals and will look to carry its momentum into the weekend.

UAB hopes home crowd helps fuel a run

One team that could benefit from the tournament location is UAB.

The Blazers earned the No. 4 seed with a 20–11 record and will essentially be playing on their home floor in Birmingham. That advantage could prove important if UAB makes a run deep into the bracket.

Guard Chance Westry has been the engine for the Blazers all season, averaging 15.5 points and over five assists per game. His ability to create offense for both himself and teammates makes UAB a difficult matchup in a tournament setting.

If the Blazers advance to the semifinals, the atmosphere inside Legacy Arena could quickly turn in their favor.

Memphis begins title defense from the bottom half

Last year Memphis cut down the nets as American Conference champions. This year the Tigers enter the tournament with a much more difficult path.

Memphis finished the regular season 13–18 overall and 8–10 in conference play, landing the No. 8 seed. That means head coach Penny Hardaway’s team must win five games in five days to repeat as champions.

Despite the seeding, Memphis still has dangerous offensive weapons. Dug McDaniel and Sincere Parker lead a backcourt that can score quickly and change the momentum of a game.

The Tigers open the tournament Wednesday night against Tulane in what could be one of the most entertaining matchups of the first round.

First-round games could shake up the bracket early

The tournament begins Wednesday with two intriguing first-round games.

Memphis faces Tulane in the opening matchup. Tulane guard Rowan Brumbaugh has averaged 18 points per game and will be one of the most dangerous scorers on the floor.

Later that night, Florida Atlantic meets Temple with the winner advancing to face North Texas. Florida Atlantic guard Devin Vanterpool and Temple forward Derrian Ford are both capable of producing big scoring nights.

If one of those teams catches momentum early, the bracket could change quickly.

2026 American Athletic Conference tournament schedule

All games will be played at Legacy Arena at the BJCC in Birmingham, Alabama.

First Round – Wednesday, March 11
No. 8 Memphis vs No. 9 Tulane – 7 p.m. ET (ESPNEWS)
No. 7 Florida Atlantic vs No. 10 Temple – 9 p.m. ET (ESPN+)

Second Round – Thursday, March 12
Winner Game 1 vs No. 5 Charlotte – 7 p.m. ET (ESPNU)
Winner Game 2 vs No. 6 North Texas – 9 p.m. ET (ESPNU)

Quarterfinals – Friday, March 13
Winner Game 3 vs No. 4 UAB – 1 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
Winner Game 4 vs No. 3 Tulsa – 3 p.m. ET (ESPN2)

Semifinals – Saturday, March 14
Winner Game 5 vs No. 1 South Florida – 3 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
Winner Game 6 vs No. 2 Wichita State – 5 p.m. ET (ESPN2)

Championship – Sunday, March 15
Semifinal winners – 3:15 p.m. ET (ESPN)

One bid on the line in Birmingham

Like many conferences this week, the American tournament likely comes down to one NCAA tournament bid.

South Florida enters with the momentum and the top seed, but Wichita State, Tulsa and UAB all have realistic paths to the title. Memphis and Florida Atlantic also have enough talent to disrupt the bracket if they catch fire.

By Sunday afternoon in Birmingham, one team will cut down the nets and hear its name called on Selection Sunday. Given how competitive the league has been all season, it would not be surprising if this tournament delivers a few surprises along the way.