The conference schedule has ended and the conference tournaments are now in full force. There have been some mid-major tournaments that have already sent their representatives to the NCAA tournament- Northern Iowa, Coastal Carolina, and North Florida – but the major tournaments will begin this week. There are eight major conference tournaments that start this week. These tournaments will produce the top seeds in the NCAA tournament, give America a better look at All-American players, and showcase a potential National Champion. There will also be mid-major conference championships played this week, but the action starts in earnest as major conference tournaments start on Tuesday.
AAC
A hotly contested American Athletic Conference regular season came down to the last day, where SMU beat Tulsa on Sunday to clinch a regular season championship and the number one seed in the conference tournament that begins on Thursday. Reigning national champion UConn is the six seed in the tournament and is fueled by the AAC’s leading scorer, Ryan Boatright at 17.8 points per game. Cincinatti, Temple, Tulsa, and Memphis all sit on the NCAA tournament bubble and a good run in the AAC tournament will bolster their status with the NCAA Tournament selection committee. Louisville won the conference tournament in 2014, but now plays in the ACC, where they are the fourth seed in the ACC tournament.
ACC
Virginia won the ACC regular season championship by one game over Duke, but with nine teams among the top 75 in RPI, the ACC tournament championship that begins on Tuesday is up for grabs. Speaking to the depth of the conference, even 12th seeded Boston College had a first-team all-ACC performer in Oliver Hanlan, who led the conference with 19.4 points per game. ACC player of the year, and presumed first pick of the NBA Draft, Jahlil Okafor leads second seeded Duke, who is still very much in the battle for a number one seed in the NCAA tournament. Virginia won the tournament in 2014 and looks to repeat as the favorite this season and solidify their number one seed in the NCAA tournament.
Atlantic 10
Davidson topped a strong Atlantic 10 this year and will look to make a big splash in their first year in the Atlantic 10, looking to win the conference tournament that begins on Wednesday. DeAndre Bembry averaged 17.9 points for Saint Joseph’s this year to lead the Atlantic 10 and sharpshooter Jack Gibbs of Davidson scored 16 points per game and was a 45.5% three point shooter. Defensive stalwart Hassan Martin averaged three blocks per game for third seeded Rhode Island. Saint Joseph’s won the conference tournament in 2014 and looks to defend their title as the 10th seed in this year’s tournament.
Big 12
Kansas won their 11th straight Big 12 regular season title and looks to solidify a top three seed in the NCAA tournament with their play in the Big 12 conference tournament beginning on Wednesday. Oklahoma, seeded third in the tournament, had the leading scorer in the Big 12 in Buddy Hield, who averages 17.4 points per game. Rico Gathers of Baylor was the only player in the Big 12 that averaged a double-double, 11.6 points and 11.7 rebounds per game, to lead the Bears to the fourth seed in the Big 12 tournament. Iowa State won the conference tournament in 2014 and looks to repeat from the number two seed in 2015.
Big East
Villanova finished the regular season as the fourth ranked team in America and won the Big East regular season championship; they look to win the conference tournament that begins on Wednesday. Both Providence and Villanova had two players on the first team All-Big East team, as Providence stars Kris Dunn, who averaged 15.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and a conference high 7.4 assists per game, and LaDontae Henton, who averaged a league high 20.1 points per game, led the fourth seeded Friars. Fifth seeded St. John’s is led by D’Angelo Harrison, who scored 17.8 points and grabbed 5.5 rebounds per game, and Sir’Domenic Pointer’s 13.7 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. Providence won the conference tournament in 2014 and looks to clinch an NCAA tournament berth by repeating as the fourth seed.
Big Ten
Led by Wooden Award finalist Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin rolled to the Big Ten regular season title and they look to win the Big Ten tournament that begins on Wednesday. D’Angelo Russel led sixth seeded Ohio State with 19.2 points and 5.2 assists per game. Although Penn State is the 13th seeded team in this tournament, guard DJ Newbill led the Big Ten with 20.7 points per game, shooting 45.5% from the field. Michigan State won the 2014 conference tournament and is the third seed this season.
Pac-12
Arizona won the Pac 12 conference by three games and looks to win the conference tournament that begins on Wednesday. Joseph Young led the second seeded Oregon Ducks with a Pac-12 high 19.8 points per game. Washington State, seeded ninth, had the only player in the Pac-12 to average a double-double with Josh Hawkinson averaging 14.7 points and 10.8 rebounds on 49.8% shooting. UCLA won the conference tournament in 2014 and looks to repeat as the fourth seed in 2015.
SEC
Kentucky was the first major conference team since Indiana in 1975-1976 to finish the regular season undefeated, winning the SEC regular season title in the process, and they look to build on their 31-0 record in the SEC tournament that begins on Wednesday. Bobby Portis led the second seeded Arkansas Razorbacks with 17.8 points and 8.7 rebounds per game on 56.3% shooting. Fourth seeded LSU has two productive forwards with Jarell Martin averaging 16.9 points and nine rebounds per game and Jordan Mickey averaging 16 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 3.7 blocks per game. Florida was the SEC conference tournament champion in 2014 and looks to repeat in 2015 as the eighth seed.