Mar 2, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) drives the ball around NC State Wolfpack forward Darrion Williams (1) during the first half at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn ImagesMark SchofieldThu, March 12, 2026 at 12:54 AM UTC·5 min readMarch is upon us.
Selection Sunday is fast approaching, but before bubble teams start sweating out the announcement of the brackets, they have one last chance to clinch a spot in the field.
Conference tournaments are underway, and 31 automatic bids to the NCAA tournament field are up for grabs. For those 31 teams, they can rest assured on Selection Sunday that they will hear their school called as the brackets are unveiled.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementFor the rest of the teams, they will be left to sweat it out as the other 36 teams are announced.
First Four games take place on March 17 and 18 in Dayton, Ohio. The First Round of the men’s NCAA tournament begins on March 19.
For a look at teams with some work to do in their respective conference tournaments, we have you covered here. We also have this great piece on why we need March Madness more than ever.
Now, here are the teams that have secured an automatic bid to the men’s NCAA tournament. This will be updated as teams clinch spots in the field. Long Island University clinched the first automatic bid on Saturday, when they advanced to the NEC Championship Game against Mercyhurst. While that title game will not take place until Monday, Mercyhurst is ineligible for the NCAA tournament, as they are still transitioning from Division II status to Division I status. The Lakers cannot receive the automatic bid even if they defeat LIU in the NEC Championship Game.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAuto bids for the 2026 men’s NCAA tournament
Here are the teams that have clinched spots in the 2026 men’s NCAA tournament:
Conference
Schedule
Automatic Bid
Location
America East
Quarterfinals: March 7Semifinals: March 10Championship: 11 a.m. ET March 14 on ESPN2
Higher seed hosts
American
First Round: March 11Second Round: March 12Quarterfinals: March 13Semifinals: March 14Championship: 3:15 p.m. March 15 on ESPN
Birmingham, Ala.
Atlantic 10
First Round: March 11Second Round: March 12Quarterfinals: March 13Semifinals: March 14Championship: 1 p.m. March 15 on CBS
Pittsburgh, Pa.
ACC
First Round: March 10Second Round: March 11Quarterfinals: March 12Semifinals: March 13Championship: 8:30 p.m. March 14 on ESPN
Charlotte, N.C.
ASUN
First Round: March 4Quarterfinals: March 6Semifinals: March 7Championship: 2 p.m. March 8 on ESPN2
Queens (NC)
Jacksonville, Fla.
Big 12
First Round: March 10Second Round: March 11Quarterfinals: March 12Semifinals: March 13Championship: 6 p.m. March 14 on ESPN
Kansas City, Mo.
Big East
First round: March 11Quarterfinals: March 12Semifinals: March 13Championship: 6:30 p.m. March 14 on FOX
New York City
Big Sky
First Round: March 7Second Round: March 8Quarterfinals: March 9Semifinals: March 10Championship: 11:30 p.m. March 11 on ESPN2
Boise, Idaho
Big South
First Round: March 4Quarterfinals: March 6Semifinals: March 7Championship: 12 p.m. March 8 on ESPN2
High Point
Johnson City, Tenn.
Big Ten
First Round: March 10Second Round: March 11Third Round: March 12Quarterfinals: March 13Semifinals: March 14 Championship: 3:30 p.m. March 15 on CBS
Chicago
Big West
First Round: March 11Quarterfinals: March 12Semifinals: March 13Championship: March 14
Henderson, Nev.
CAA
First Round: March 6Second Round: March 7Quarterfinals: March 8Semifinals: March 9Championship: 7 p.m. March 10 on CBSSN
Hofstra
Washington, D.C.
Conference USA
First Round: March 10Quarterfinals: March 11 and 12Semifinals: March 13Championship: 8:30 p.m. March 14 on CBSSN
Huntsville, Ala.
Horizon League
Play-in: March 2First Round: March 4Second Round: March 8Semifinals: March 9Championship: 7 p.m. March 10 on ESPN
Wright State
Higher seed hosts first three rounds, Indianapolis for last two rounds
Ivy League
Semifinals: March 14Championship: 12 p.m. March 15 on ESPN2
Ithaca, N.Y.
MAAC
First Round: March 5Quarterfinals: March 6 and 7Semifinals: March 8Championship: March 10 on ESPN/ESPN2
Siena
Atlantic City, N.J.
MAC
Quarterfinals: March 12Semifinals: March 13Championship: 8 p.m. March 14 on ESPN2
Cleveland, Ohio
MEAC
Quarterfinals: March 11 and 12Semifinals: March 13Championship: March 14
Norfolk, Va.
Missouri Valley
First Round: March 5Quarterfinals: March 6Semifinals: March 7Championship: 12 p.m. March 8 on CBS Sports
UNI
St. Louis
Mountain West
First Round: March 11Quarterfinals: March 12Semifinals: March 13Championship: 6 p.m. March 14 on CBS
Las Vegas
Northeast
Quarterfinals: March 4Semifinals: March 7Championship: 7 p.m. March 10 on ESPN2/ESPN+
LIU
Higher seed hosts
Ohio Valley
First Round: March 4Quarterfinals: March 5Semifinals: March 6Championship: 9 p.m. March 7 on ESPN2
Tennessee State
Evansville, Ind.
Patriot League
First Round: March 3Quarterfinals: March 5Semifinals: March 8Championship: March 11
Higher seed hosts
SEC
First Round: March 11Second Round: March 12Quarterfinals: March 13Semifinals: March 14Championship: 1 p.m. March 15 on ESPN
Nashville, Tenn.
SoCon
First Round: March 6Quarterfinals: March 7Semifinals: March 8Championship: 7 p.m. March 9
Furman
Asheville, N.C.
Southland
First Round: March 8Quarterfinals: March 9Semifinals: March 10Championship: 5 p.m. March 11 on ESPN2
McNeese
Lake Charles, La.
SWAC
First Round: March 9Second Round: March 10Quarterfinals: March 11 and 12Semifinals: March 13Championship: 7:30 p.m. March 14
Atlanta
Summit League
Opening Round: March 4Quarterfinals: March 5 and 6 Semifinals: March 7Championship: 9 p.m. March 8 on CBSSN
North Dakota State
Sioux Falls, S.D.
Sun Belt
First Round: March 3Second Round: March 4Third Round: March 5Fourth Round: March 6Quarterfinals: March 7Semifinals: March 8Championship: 6 p.m. March 9 on ESPN/ESPN
Troy
Pensacola, Fla.
West Coast
First Round: March 5Second Round: March 6Third Round: March 7Quarterfinals: March 8Semifinals: March 9Championship: 9 p.m. March 10
Gonzaga
Las Vegas
WAC
First Round: March 11Quarterfinals: March 12Semifinals: March 13Championship: March 14
Las Vegas
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