The 2026 West Coast Conference (WCC) Men’s Basketball Tournament schedule takes place from March 5 to March 10, 2026, at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The tournament features a unique “stair-step” format where the top two seeds receive a triple-bye directly into the semifinals. The championship game will air live on ESPN on Tuesday, March 10, at 6:00 PM PT (9:00 PM ET), with the winner securing an automatic bid to the 2026 NCAA Tournament.
2026 WCC Tournament Daily Schedule, Times & TV
The WCC tournament is famous for its structure that heavily protects its top-ranked teams, typically Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s. For 2026, the broadcast coverage is split between ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN+, with every game available for streaming.
WCC Tournament Session Schedule:
- First Round: Thursday, March 5 (ESPN+)
- Second Round: Friday, March 6 (ESPN+)
- Third Round: Saturday, March 7 (ESPN2)
- Semifinals: Monday, March 9 (ESPN/ESPN2)
- Championship Game: Tuesday, March 10 (6:00 PM PT on ESPN)
Expert Note from the Sports Brackets Analyst: The WCC ‘stair-step’ bracket is the most difficult in the country for a lower seed to win. Because the #1 and #2 seeds don’t play until the semifinals, they only need to win two games to take the title, while the bottom seeds would have to win five games in six days. When filling out your bracket, it is statistically very rare for the championship game to feature anyone other than the top two seeds. Look for the ‘Vegas factor’ at the Orleans Arena to provide a boost to local West Coast fanbases who travel well for the late-night sessions.
Selection Sunday Preview: Will the WCC get more than 1 or 2 teams into the field? Stay updated with our 2026 Selection Sunday Guide.
2026 WCC Men’s Basketball Tournament History
Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s have dominated the WCC Men’s Basketball tournament. The have combined for the last 16 finals appearances and most titles in recent decades. There are rising teams like Santa Clara, San Francisco, and others could steal the automatic NCAA bid. The tournament winner earns the league’s auto-bid to March Madness. You can also check out the other men’s college basketball conference tournaments here.
WCC Tournament Format
- 12-team single-elimination bracket
- Top seeds (typically 1-6) receive byes into the second round/quarterfinals.
- Lower seeds play in the first round.
- Men’s and women’s tournaments run concurrently but with separate brackets.
- Broadcast: ESPN family of networks (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN+) for most games, including the championship.
2026 WCC Men’s Basketball Tournament Schedule
Here is the 2026 WCC MEn’s Basketball Tournament schedule. Exact tip times, TV assignments, and seeded matchups will be finalized after regular season play ends (February 28, 2026) and seeding is set. Below is the confirmed round-by-round schedule based on official announcements:
| Round | Dates | Session Notes | Typical Tip Times (PT) | TV/Streaming | Notes |
| First Round | Thursday, March 5 – Friday, March 6 | Opening games for lower seeds (e.g., 7 vs. 10, 8 vs. 9, etc.) | Afternoon: ~12-3 PM Evening: ~6-9 PM | ESPN+ / ESPNU | Four games total; exact pairings post-seeding |
| Second Round / Quarterfinals | Friday, March 6 – Saturday, March 7 | Winners advance; higher seeds enter | Afternoon: ~12-3 PM Evening: ~6-9 PM | ESPN2 / ESPN+ | Four games; often doubleheaders |
| Semifinals | Sunday, March 8 – Monday, March 9 | Top-four seeds typically featured | Evening: ~6 PM & 8:30 PM | ESPN / ESPN2 | Two games per day; prime-time slots |
| Championship Game | Tuesday, March 10 | Automatic NCAA Tournament bid on the line | Evening: ~6 PM or 8:30 PM | ESPN | Single championship finale; high stakes |
All times tentative and subject to change; check wccsports.com for official updates, live scores, and bracket reveal (expected early March 2026). Venue: Orleans Arena, Las Vegas, NV.
Key Teams and Storylines
- Saint Mary’s Gaels: Early favorites after strong starts; high-powered offense led by standouts like Paulius Murauskas.
- Gonzaga Bulldogs: Defending champs with transfer boosts; chasing one last WCC title before conference realignment.
- Contenders: Santa Clara (hot early), San Francisco, Washington State—upsets possible in the deeper field.
- The WCC often sends multiple teams to the NCAA (at-large bids for Gonzaga/Saint Mary’s in past years), but the auto-bid is gold.
Printable 2026 WCC Men’s Basketball Tournament Bracket
We’ve prepared a clean, printable bracket for the 2026 WCC Men’s Tournament for you. You can save or print it to PDF format. You can also checkout the 2026 March Madness schedule and printable 2026 NCAA Tournament Bracket to see where the WCC might be playing after the tournament concludes. You can also download and print the leagues bracket in PDF format here.
