It’s that time. Championship week of the men’s college basketball season is here. Each conference will have a tournament this week, with the goal of crowning one team as a champion. This will all be done before Sunday, March 16th at 6:00 p.m., before Selection Sunday takes place, when the field of 68 for March Madness is revealed. Below, six of our sports writers take a look at the top conference tournaments and make some predictions.
Big Ten: Ben Perlman
The Big Ten Tournament will be played at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
This season, 18 teams in the Big Ten, with 15 qualifying for the tournament. This year, the Big Ten added UCLA, Oregon, USC, and Washington to the conference.
Contenders:
Michigan State Spartans
While Purdue had a disappointing end to its regular season with losses to Michigan, Wisconsin, and Indiana, the Boilermakers undoubtedly have one of the best rosters in the Big Ten. Purdue is led by forward Trey Kaufman-Renn, who is averaging 19.4 points per game, and guard Braden Smith, who averages 16.3 points and 8.7 assists per game.
Floor: Quarterfinals
Ceiling: Winners
Purdue Boilermakers
The Michigan State Spartans are an athletic team with strong defense; its players look for points through transition and a fast-paced offense. With a Big Ten Tournament Championship, the Spartans can possibly get a number two seed but definitely a number three seed in March Madness. The Spartans are led by guard Jaden Atkins, who averages 13 points and 3.6 rebounds per game. The Spartans pose a matchup nightmare for any team they play.
Floor: Semi-finals
Ceiling: Winners
On Upset Watch:
Wisconsin Badgers
The Badgers are currently third in the Big Ten, with wins over Purdue, Arizona, and Illinois; however, when the Badgers get into foul trouble, it can lead to some problems late in games. The Badgers don’t have a deep bench, and the team lacks consistency on offense. Wisconsin is heavily reliant on guard John Tonje, who averages 19.1 points per game. If teams can minimize Tonjes’s efficiency, the Badgers might be in trouble.
Floor: First Round
Ceiling: Semi-Finals
Sleeper Team:
Indiana Hoosiers
Indiana has battled through a lot of adversity this season, such as having the team’s head coach, Mike Woodson, announce that he is stepping away from the program after this year. The Hoosiers have also dealt with many injuries. But, Indiana has picked up some impressive wins, such as those over Michigan State and Purdue. The Hoosiers sit right on the bubble of March Madness. With a good run in the Big Ten Tournament, the team can find itself securely in the tournament.
Floor: Quarterfinals
Ceiling: Championship
The Pick:
Maryland Terrapins
Maryland has arguably the best starting five in the country: currently sitting fourth in the Big Ten, and eleventh in the national rankings. The Terrapins can beat any team in the nation. The team’s starting five, led by center Derik Queen, who is averaging 15.9 points per game, can make any game close. The Terrapins score 81.8 points per game and are terrific from behind the three-point line. If Maryland can remain hot, the team has a chance to play for the Big Ten Championship and possibly find itself with a top-four seed in the NCAA tournament.
Floor: Semi-Finals
Ceiling: Champions
Big East: Josh Reiser
For the 43rd consecutive year, Madison Square Garden will host the Big East Tournament.
Contender:
Creighton Bluejays
Currently in second place of the Big East, the Bluejays look to win their first Big East Championship in program history. Creighton is led by center Ryan Kalkbrenner, who is averaging 19.4 points and nine rebounds per game. The team also has four players who average more than 10 points per game, and the Bluejays will use that to their advantage in the tournament.
Floor: Quarterfinals
Ceiling: Champions
On Upset Watch:
Connecticut Huskies
After only losing three games last season, some may consider this a disappointing year for UConn, as the team finished 22-9 and third in the Big East. The Huskies have had some unexpected and bad losses this year. Earlier in November, while ranked number two in the country, UCONN lost to unranked Memphis, Colorado, and Dayton. Only two of UConn’s nine losses have come from ranked teams, so I think this team is bound to get upset.
Floor: Quarterfinals
Ceiling: Semi-finals
Sleeper:
Xavier Musketeers
Seeded fifth in the Big East, the Musketeers are ready for this tournament. Xavier has only beaten two ranked teams all year, but the Musketeers’ current winning streak gives me hope that this team can make a deep run in the tournament. The team is led by forward Zach Freemantle, who is averaging 17.4 points and 7.1 rebounds per game; he looks to carry this team in this tournament.
Floor: Quarterfinals
Ceiling: Championship
The Pick:
St John’s Red Storm
This team has been dominant all year, and I cannot see the Red Storm letting up. Coming off of a buzzer-beater win against Marquette, this team has tremendous momentum. Although I don’t think it will be a cakewalk, this team should not struggle and should be champions of the Big East.
Floor: Semi-Finals
Ceiling: Champions
SEC: Noah Reiser
The 2025 SEC tournament will be played at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.
This season, there are 16 teams in the SEC. Oklahoma University and Texas University were added to the conference.
Contenders:
Tennessee Volunteers
Currently ranked eighth in the country and fighting for a number one seed in March Madness, Tennessee looks to make a run in the SEC Tournament. The Vols have key wins over Alabama, Texas A&M, and Florida, along with a two-point loss to the best team in the country—the Auburn Tigers. The team is led by guard Chaz Lanier, who is averaging 17.9 points per game, along with guard Zakai Ziegler, averaging 13.1 points and 7.5 assists per game.
Floor: Quarterfinals
Ceiling: Champions
Alabama Crimson Tide
Alabama, currently ranked fifth in the country and fighting for a number one seed in March Madness, is poised to challenge Auburn for this tournament. Alabama has an impressive resumé, with wins over Auburn, Houston, and Kentucky. The Crimson Tide is led by guard Mark Sears, who is averaging 19.7 points per game. The team also has five players averaging 10 points per game or more, showing its balanced scoring attack.
Floor: Quarterfinals
Ceiling: Champions
Upset Watch:
Texas A&M Aggies
The Aggies could be a team that will go down early in this tournament. Texas A&M is led by guard Wade Taylor IV, who is averaging 15.2 points per game, along with guard Zhuric Phelps, who is averaging 14.3 points. Outside of those two players, the team does not have much scoring power. If the team has an off-game, they could be in trouble.
Floor: Second Round
Ceiling: Quarterfinals
Sleeper Team:
Missouri Tigers
Missouri could make a run in this tournament. The team has wins against Kansas, Alabama, and Florida, who the team is going to play in the quarterfinals if the Tigers win their first game. Missouri is led by the trio of guards – Mark Mitchell, Caleb Grill, and Tamar Bates – all averaging 12 points or more per game. The Tigers’ balanced scoring attack will be crucial for them.
Floor: Quarterfinals
Ceiling: Championship
The Pick:
Auburn Tigers
Auburn, currently ranked number three in the country and with a 16-4 record in Quad 1 games, has been nearly unstoppable this season. The Tigers have wins over Iowa State, Houston, Purdue, Tennessee, and Alabama. Auburn is led by National Player of the Year Candidate, Forward Johni Broome, who is averaging 18.6 points and 10.6 rebounds per game. The team has four other players averaging 10 or more points per game as well.
Floor: Semi-finals
Ceiling: Champions
Atlantic 10: Nate Faber
The A-10 Conference Tournament will be held at Capital One Arena in Washington D.C..
Contender:
Dayton Flyers
The Dayton Flyers, led by Nate Santos and Enoch Cheecks, have brought the team to a 22-9 record and are currently riding a four-game win streak. I believe that even with a loss in the tournament, the Flyers still have a chance to make March Madness because of a key win earlier in the season against Marquette, but Dayton should contend in this tournament.
Floor: Quarterfinals
Ceiling: Champions
On Upset Watch:
George Mason Patriots
The team to be concerned about going into this tournament is George Mason. Recently, the Patriots had a horrific loss against Duquesne, who is currently 13-18 overall. This team is led by Darius Maddox, who is averaging 13.7 points and three rebounds per game. A big issue for this team is that the tallest starting player is 6-foot-9. In a sport dominated by bigs, height is important.
Floor: Quarterfinals
Ceiling: Semi-finals
Sleeper team:
George Washington Revolutionaries
The team I believe could make the biggest statement in the A-10 tournament is George Washington. The Revolutionaries are currently 20-11, with the help of Forward Rafael Castro, who is currently averaging 13.9 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. Earlier in the season, the team had a 20-point win over a conference favorite, the Dayton Flyers.
Floor: Quarterfinals
Ceiling: Championship
The Pick:
VCU Rams
VCU, currently 25-6, has been led by Guard Max Shulga, who is averaging 15.5 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. I believe that with a coach like Ryan Odom, no team in the A-10 will be able to defeat the Rams. With only one home loss this season, the Rams look like the strongest team in the A-10.
Floor: Semi-finals
Ceiling: Champions
Big 12: Trevor Kirkby
The Big 12 Conference Tournament will be held at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.
Contenders:
Houston Cougars
With a regular season championship title and currently ranked number two in the country, the Houston Cougars come into this tournament as a contender. Kelvin Sampson’s team is riding a 10-game win streak. Always known for its astounding defense, this Houston team is Coach Sampson’s best shooting and overall offensive team he has ever had.
Floor: Semi-finals
Ceiling: Champions
Texas Tech Red Raiders
The second seed in the tournament, Texas Tech, poses a big threat. The Red Raiders gave Houston its only conference loss of the year, and JT Toppin has averaged 18.1 points per game. A top 30 offense in the nation, Texas Tech will give every team trouble.
Floor: Semi-finals
Ceiling: Champions
On Upset Watch:
Arizona Wildcats
Arizona, led by Coach Tommy Lloyd, has balanced its style with the help of transfers and other newcomers. However, Arizona has many holes in its game that could lead to an upset bid this week. The leading scorer, Caleb Love, is currently shooting just 37% this season. Additionally, the team is allowing 72 points per game this year. After a separate six and seven game win streak earlier in the year, I fear that Arizona has already played their best basketball.
Floor: Quarterfinals
Ceiling: Semi-finals
Sleeper:
Kansas State Wildcats
Kansas State, seeded number 10, could make a little run in this tournament. The Wildcats have wins over Iowa State, Kansas, West Virginia, and Arizona. Kansas is led by guard David N’Guessan, averaging 13.3 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. The team has been streaky this year, as the Wildcats had a six-game losing streak but immediately followed it with a six-game winning streak. If they get hot, they could be a dangerous team in this tournament.
Floor: Second Round
Ceiling: Semi-finals
The Pick:
BYU Cougars
I believe the BYU Cougars will win the Big 12 Tournament. This team is just unbeatable right now. They have won eight games in a row. Egor Demin will have a big week and take Tournament MVP Honors, helping to improve his NBA Draft Stock.
Floor: Quarterfinals
Ceiling: Champions
ACC: Matt Rilli
The 2025 ACC tournament will take place at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Contenders:
Clemson Tigers
The Clemson Tigers are currently ranked number 10 in the country. This season, Clemson set its school’s all-time regular season win record. The Tigers ended the regular season 26-5, with its biggest win being an upset over Duke on February 8th, 77-71. Clemson is led by guard Chase Hunter, who is averaging 16 points per game this season.
Floor: Quarterfinals
Ceiling: Champions
Upset Watch:
North Carolina Tar Heels
North Carolina is ranked the number five seed in the ACC tournament. The Tar Heels have struggled against top teams this season while currently holding a record of 20-12. guard RJ Davis has led the team this season, averaging 17.2 points per game. This team can lose early in the tournament due to its struggles against top teams in the country and its lack of performance in big games.
Floor: Second Round
Ceiling: Quarterfinals
Sleeper Team:
SMU Mustangs
SMU is currently the number six seed in the tournament. The Mustangs currently have a record of 22-9, and are 13-7 in conference play. The team is led by guard Boopie Miller, who is averaging 13.4 points per game. SMU has struggled against top teams this season but has played them all tight. SMU has a chance to make an upset in the tournament and potentially go on a run.
Floor: Second Round
Ceiling: Semi-finals
The Pick:
Duke Blue Devils
Duke is the number one seeded team in the country, with a record of 28-3. The team is led by Forward Cooper Flagg, who averages 19.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game. The Devils’ 28 wins this season is the most the team has ever had under coach Jon Scheyer. Duke is one of the favorites to win the March Madness tournament as well.
Floor: Semi-finals
Ceiling: Champions
