The 2026 Conference USA Men’s Basketball Tournament schedule is set to tip off in March, marking the end of the regular season for the league’s 12 member teams. Held at Propst Arena in the Von Braun Center (VBC) in Huntsville, Alabama, the single-elimination event will determine the conference’s automatic qualifier for the NCAA Tournament. With the regular season winding down as of mid-February 2026, top contenders like undefeated conference leader Liberty are positioning themselves for a strong run. Below, we break down the tournament format, schedule, projected bracket based on current standings, and key storylines.
2026 Conference USA Men’s Basketball Tournament Overview
Here’s the 2026 Conference USA Men’s basketball tournament overview for you. The schedule kicks off on March 10th, 2026.
- Dates: March 10–14, 2026
- Location: Propst Arena at the Von Braun Center, Huntsville, AL (Capacity: Approximately 6,600; a multi-purpose venue known for hosting regional sports events)
- Format: Single-elimination with all 12 teams participating. Seeding is determined by regular-season conference records, with tiebreakers applied as needed (e.g., head-to-head results, performance against top teams).
- TV/Streaming: Games are expected to air on networks like ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, or CBS Sports Network, with streaming available via ESPN+ and the CUSA digital platform. Exact broadcast details will be finalized closer to the event.
- Tickets: Available now through Ticketmaster and the official CUSA website. Packages include all-session passes for the full tournament.
- Defending Champion: (Note: Based on prior seasons; the 2025 champion was [insert if known, but as of now, focusing on 2026 preview].)
- Stakes: The winner earns CUSA’s automatic bid to the 2026 NCAA Tournament, with at-large bids possible for strong performers like Liberty.
This year’s field is expanded to 12 teams with the additions of Delaware and Missouri State. The tournament follows a standard 12-team bracket, with the top four seeds receiving byes to the quarterfinals.
2026 Conference USA Men’s Basketball Tournament Schedule
The 2026 Conference USA Men’s basketball tournament schedule spans five days, with games spread out to accommodate TV windows. Times are tentative and in Central Time (CT), based on typical CUSA scheduling; official times will be announced post-regular season.
- First Round (Tuesday, March 10): Four opening games featuring seeds 5–12. Expected tip-offs: 11:30 a.m., 2:00 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 8:00 p.m.
- Quarterfinals (Wednesday, March 11 and Thursday, March 12): Four games, split across two days (two per day). Wednesday tips: 5:30 p.m., 8:00 p.m.; Thursday tips: 5:30 p.m., 8:00 p.m.
- Semifinals (Friday, March 13): Two games. Expected tips: 5:30 p.m., 8:00 p.m.
- Championship (Saturday, March 14): One game. Expected tip: 7:30 p.m.
2026 CUSA Men’s Basketball Projected Bracket
Seeds are projected based on standings as of February 10, 2026. Note that the regular season concludes around March 7, so final seeding could shift with remaining games. Current tiebreakers place Kennesaw State ahead of LA Tech at No. 5 due to head-to-head or other factors. The bracket is structured as follows. We’ll update again at the end of the regular season when the brackets are all set.
First Round – March 10
| Game | Matchup | Time (CT, Tentative) |
| 1 | #8 Middle Tennessee vs. #9 UTEP | 11:30 a.m. |
| 2 | #7 Western Kentucky vs. #10 FIU | 2:00 p.m. |
| 3 | #6 LA Tech vs. #11 New Mexico State | 5:30 p.m. |
| 4 | #5 Kennesaw State vs. #12 Delaware | 8:00 p.m. |
Quarterfinals – March 11–12
| Game | Matchup | Date/Time (CT, Tentative) |
| 5 | #1 Liberty vs. Winner Game 1 (#8/9) | March 11, 5:30 p.m. |
| 6 | #4 Missouri State vs. Winner Game 4 (#5/12) | March 11, 8:00 p.m. |
| 7 | #2 Jacksonville State vs. Winner Game 2 (#7/10) | March 12, 5:30 p.m. |
| 8 | #3 Sam Houston vs. Winner Game 3 (#6/11) | March 12, 8:00 p.m. |
Semifinals – March 13
| Game | Matchup | Time (CT, Tentative) |
| 9 | Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6 | 5:30 p.m. |
| 10 | Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8 | 8:00 p.m. |
Championship – March 14
| Game | Matchup | Time (CT, Tentative) |
| 11 | Winner Game 9 vs. Winner Game 10 | 7:30 p.m. |
Key CUSA Storylines and Teams to Watch
- Liberty Flames (Projected #1 Seed, 20-3 Overall, 12-0 CUSA): The Flames are on a tear with a perfect conference record and a 14-game win streak. Led by strong guard play and efficient scoring (averaging 79.3 PPG), they’re heavy favorites to claim the title and secure an NCAA bid. Their defense, holding opponents to 67.6 PPG, could be the difference in close games.
- Contenders in the Mix: Jacksonville State (13-10, 8-4) and Sam Houston (16-8, 8-5) sit in the top three, with solid overall records and recent momentum. Missouri State (13-10, 7-5), a newcomer, has shown promise but needs consistency on the road.
- Dark Horses: Kennesaw State (14-9, 6-6) boasts a strong home record and could upset higher seeds. Western Kentucky (13-11, 6-7) has tournament experience and might ride a hot streak.
- Lower Seeds with Upset Potential: Teams like New Mexico State (11-12, 4-9) and Delaware (7-16, 3-9) face long odds but could spoil if they catch fire in the first round.
- Conference Context: CUSA ranks around the middle of Division I conferences (SRS: -1.32, 11th of 31), with Liberty as the standout. Multiple bids to March Madness are unlikely unless a surprise team wins the tournament. At-large hopefuls will need strong non-conference wins to bolster resumes.
Printable 2026 Conference USA Men’s Basketball Tournament Bracket
Here’s the printable 2026 Conference USA Men’s Basketball tournament bracket. You can also download the PDF from the CUSA website.
Tie-In to March Madness & Regional Buzz
The CUSA often produces bracket-busting moments and solid NCAA performers. As we head into the full 2026 March Madness schedule (Selection Sunday: March 15; First Four: March 17-18 in Dayton; Final Four: April 4-6 in Indianapolis at Lucas Oil Stadium),
For more NCAA Tournament resources:
- 2026 March Madness Schedule: Dates, Locations, TV, Printable Bracket & Key Info (Updated January 2026)
- Printable 2026 March Madness Bracket: Download Your Free NCAA Tournament Template
- 2026 March Madness Women’s Schedule; Times, TV Broadcasts
- Printable 2026 Women’s March Madness Bracket; Schedule and Results
Early 2026 March Madness Odds & Predictions
Use our tools to analyze lines:
- Free Odds Converter – Convert moneyline to decimal/fractional for Sun Belt games or NCAA matchups.
- Free Parlay Odds Calculator – Build brackets with Sun Belt champs or March Madness multis.
- Implied Probability Calculator
Stay tuned to SportsBrackets.net for live updates, bracket challenges, and more as the tournament approaches.
Updated February 2026 | SportsBrackets.net – Tools for Smarter Betting & Bracket Fun
