2026 Southland Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament Schedule & Bracket

The 2026 Southland Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament, officially known as the Jersey Mike’s Southland Men’s Basketball Championship, will take place from March 8 to March 11, 2026, at the Legacy Center (Townsley Law Arena) in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Eight teams qualify for the single-elimination tournament, with the top two seeds receiving double-byes directly into the semifinals. The championship game will air live on ESPN2 on Wednesday, March 11, at 4:00 PM CT (5:00 PM ET).

2026 Southland Tournament Daily Schedule, Times & TV

The Southland Conference utilizes a merit-based bracket designed to reward the most consistent teams from the regular season. For 2026, the broadcast coverage is managed through the ESPN family of networks, including ESPN+, ESPNU, and ESPN2.

Southland Tournament Session Schedule (All Times Central):

First Round: Sunday, March 8 – 5:00 PM & 7:30 PM (ESPN+)
Quarterfinals: Monday, March 9 – 5:00 PM & 7:30 PM (ESPN+)
Semifinals: Tuesday, March 10 – 6:00 PM (ESPNU) & 8:30 PM (ESPN+)
Championship Game: Wednesday, March 11 – 4:00 PM (ESPN2)

Expert Note from the Sports Brackets Analyst: The Southland bracket is a grueling test of endurance for lower-seeded teams. Because the #1 and #2 seeds receive a double-bye into the semifinals, a bottom-four team must win four games in four days to capture the automatic bid. Historically, McNeese and Stephen F. Austin have dominated this format due to their depth. When filling out your bracket, look for a ‘dark horse’ in the #3 or #4 spot that has the offensive firepower to upset a rested top seed in the semifinals.

Selection Sunday Preview: Will the Southland Conference get more than 1 or 2 teams into the field? Stay updated with our 2026 Selection Sunday Guide.

2026 Southland Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament Schedule & Bracket Overview

Here’s the 2026 Southland Conference Men’s basketball tournament schedule & bracket overview for you. The format includes a first round for lower seeds, followed by quarterfinals, semis, and final at The Legacy Center.

First Round
- Sunday, March 8, 2026
  - Game 1: No. 5 seed vs. No. 8 seed – 5:00 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  - Game 2: No. 6 seed vs. No. 7 seed – 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
Quarterfinals
- Monday, March 9, 2026
  - Game 3: No. 4 seed vs. Winner Game 1 – time TBD (ESPN+)
  - Game 4: No. 3 seed vs. Winner Game 2 – time TBD (ESPN+)
Semifinals
- Tuesday, March 10, 2026
  - Game 5: No. 1 seed vs. Winner Game 3 – time TBD (ESPN+/possibly ESPNU)
  - Game 6: No. 2 seed vs. Winner Game 4 – time TBD (ESPN+)
Championship Game
- Wednesday, March 11, 2026
  - Game 7: Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6 – time TBD (ESPN+)

(The winner earns the auto-bid to the NCAA Tournament. Times for later rounds are approximate; check Southland.org or ESPN for final confirmations and any TV upgrades.)

Printable 2026 Southland Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament Bracket

Here’s the printable 2026 Southland Conference Men’s basketball tournament bracket for you. Can can print or save it to PDF format.

Printable 2026 Southland Conference Tournament Bracket Update

College Basketball Postseason Resources

Championship Week 2026 – All Conference Tournaments Guide
Printable 2026 March Madness Bracket
You should also checkout our Implied Probability Calculator as well.

Laurie Marion author

Laurie Marion is a dedicated hockey and college football enthusiast on the Sports Brackets team. A lifelong Boston Bruins fan and proud supporter of the Minnesota Golden Gophers and Big Ten, she covers schedules, brackets, playoffs, and more with passion and expertise.

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