College Basketball Conference Tournament Betting Preview - American East, Big Sky and Southland

The countdown to the NCAA Tournament is less than two weeks away, and Selection Sunday is March 16. The small conference tourney's continue starting March 8-9 with the American East, Big Sky and Southland teams in action. Which teams will challenge for the automatic bid to the Big Dance and March Madness, and hear their name called on NCAA Tournament Selection Sunday March 16?

Conference tournaments are in full swing and the most intense and exciting time of the college basketball season provides daily wall-to-wall watch and wager basketball, along with the most live bet games of the season as the media coverage ramps up for the most intense games memorable moments. 

You can read more of my conference tournaments introduction in the opening preview of the Missouri Valley and West Coast Conference tournaments, and the Coastal Athletic and Southern Conference previews. I'll chip-in more including select picks and updates before getting to the major conferences that will send more than half the 68 teams to the NCAA Tournament from the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, Big East and SEC. 

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Check back as I update stats, content and coverage including select matchups, odds and any picks. 

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American East

Odds to win the conference tournament provided, along with each teams offensive and defensive efficiency ratings from KenPom.

KenPom has the Bryant Bulldogs nearly 70 spots higher than any other America East team, and Haslametcis more than 100 spots higher. The Bulldogs also play at one of the fastest tempos in the nation (No. 7), have the best rebounding team and join Vermont as the top-2 teams in both adjusted offensive and defensive efficiency in the conference. 

American East Stats, Trends and Notes 

- VSiN trends and research note that double-digit road underdogs in the quarterfinal round of the America East tourney are on a 9-4-1 ATS (69.2%) run.
- Small favorites of -4.5 points or less are 15-4 SU and 14-5 ATS (73.7%) in the America East tournament since 2015.
- Eight of the last 10 (77.8%) America East championship games went Under the total
 
Bryant secured the America East regular-season title with a 14-2 record and 1-game ahead of Vermont. Bryant opens as a 15-point favorite against No. 8 seed UMBC, who the Bulldogs beat just 81-79 at home on Feb. 15 as a 12-point favorite. Project another high-scoring game with UMBC the worst defensive team in the American but No. 3 in offense while playing at a top-30 pace with Bryant top-10 fastest tempo in the country. Only Bryant saving energy late in the game keeps this from going into the 170's. Vermont (-13.5) hosts New Hampshire, and the Catamounts enter with 9-straight wins including 79-59 over the Wildcats, and Vermont also beat New Hampshire on the road by 20 points in early Jan. 

Bryant and Vermont split their two regular season meetings with both winning at home and Bryant by 20 points.  

American East Tournament Schedule 

Unlike traditional formats, the America East tournament is played at campus sites, with higher-seeded teams earning home-court advantage. Vermont won the American East conference tournament last year and five of the last six years.  

Quarterfinals: March 8
Semifinals: March 11
Championship: 11 a.m. March 15 on ESPN2

No. 3 Maine vs. No. 1 Bryant (-7), 144

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Big Sky

Northern Colorado is the highest-ranked team in the conference with the best offense, ranking top-10 in the country in effective field goal (57.1%) and 2-point shooting (58.1%).  The Bears also led the Big Sky in 3-point shooting (36.6%), but Montana grades out best in adjusted offensive efficiency due to a lower TO%, similar shooting numbers, and a stronger free throw percentage. The best team in the Big Sky by adjusted defensive efficiency numbers is Portland State, and the Vikings beat both UNC and Montana at home while showing their effectiveness getting to the rim, but lost to those two top teams on the road. Montana State is the 3-time defending conference champs who have the most Big Sky wins (84) since 2019-2020 season, and the Bobcats was the NCAA Tournament automatic bid last year as a No. 5 seed. 

Big Sky Stats, Trends and Notes 

- Single-digit favorites in the Big Sky tourney are on an amazing 52-16 SU and 42-25-1 ATS (62.7%) run since 2015, including 8-1 SU and 7-2 ATS (77.8%) in the championship game. 
- Lower totals of 140 or less in the Big Sky tourney have gone Over at a 20-7 (74.1%) rate since 2016.

Montana and Northern Colorado both finished 15-3 in conference play, and Northern Colorado is the No. 1 seed. The two leaders split the season series with both the Grizzlies and the Bears winning on the road. 

Big Sky Tournament Schedule 

Starch Madness tips off in Boise from the Idaho Central Arena. 

First Round: March 8
Second Round: March 9
Third Round: March 10
Semifinals: March 11
Championship: 11:30 p.m. March 12 on ESPN2

Update: Montana (+3) beats Northern Colorado 91-83 to win Big Sky tourney and advance to NCAA Tournament. 

Southland 

McNeese has taken even more money as the biggest favorite you will see to win a conference tournament at -700. The conference tournament will stay on the McNeese Cowboys home court and venue through 2029, a concession reportedly made by the conference to keep McNeese from moving to another conference. McNeese and Lamar have buys into the conference tourney semifinals. McNeese is ranked more than 100 spots higher than the next Southland team (Texas A&M CC), according to KenPom and Haslametrics. Nicolls State was the only conference team to beat McNeese this season when they pulled the home upset as +10 'Dog, but the Cowboys beat the Colonels by double-digits in last year's conference championship game to advance to the NCAA Tournament. 

Southland Stats, Trends and Notes

- The Southland Conference tourney has been a favorite-dominated bracket of late, with small favorites of -4.5 points or fewer doing particularly well, going 27-12 SU and 24-15 ATS (61.5%) since 2014.
- Higher totaled games of 142 or higher have trended significantly Under of late in the Southland tourney, 24-8 (75%) since 2017.
- The favorite in the Southland Conference tourney title game is on a 13-3 SU and 11-4-1 ATS (73.3%) run dating back to 2008.

Southland Tournament Schedule 

The Southland Conference tournament is held for the third consecutive year at the Legacy Center on McNeese’s campus in Lake Charles, Louisiana. The McNeese Cowboys won the regular season title going 19-1 in conference play and 13-1 at home overall.

First Round: March 9
Quarterfinals: March 10
Semifinals: March 11
Championship: 5 p.m. March 12 on ESPN2

Update: McNease (-12.5) beats Lamar 63-54 to win Southland Tourney and advance to NCAA Tournament. 

Select matchups and game odds with any additional information you can bet on provided as able as the conference tournaments progress. Along with any additional stats and notes with information you can bet on. 

Follow along and check out more conference tournament betting odds and futures at BetOnline.ag. 

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FairwayJay is a proven sports handicapper and insightful analyst. He chips college basketball and additional sports betting coverage and reporting on industry news and events. Read more great insights from FairwayJay and follow him on  X: @FairwayJay