2024 March Madness scores, conference tournament brackets: Saint Mary’s tops Gonzaga for WCC title

The Gaels, Charleston, Wagner, South Dakota State and Oakland punched their tickets on Tuesday

Mar 13, 2024

12:33 am ET

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3 min read

USATSI

Saint Mary’s would have made the NCAA Tournament as an at-large team, but it snagged the WCC’s automatic bid for good measure by edging No. 2 seed Gonzaga 69-60 to win the season series 2-1. The No. 1 seed Gaels are projected as a No. 7 seed in Jerry Palm’s Bracketology after defeating their conference rival.

South Dakota State clinched the Summit League’s automatic bid for the seventh time in the last 13 seasons by outlasting No. 7 seed Denver 76-68. The No. 1 seed Jackrabbits have won eight straight entering the Big Dance, where they are projected as a No. 15 seed in Jerry Palm’s Bracketology.

Three more automatic bids to the NCAA Tournament will be secured Wednesday as Selection Sunday approaches with conference tournaments both ramping up and winding down across the country. The top six league tournaments will all be underway by night’s end, but the stakes are highest in the Big Sky, Patriot League and Southland Conference.

No. 6 seed Wagner upset No. 2 seed Merrimack 54-47 in the NEC Tournament final to secure the program’s first NCAA Tournament bid since 2003. By leading his program to the Big Dance, second-year Seahawks coach Donald Copeland has now accomplished something even Dan Hurley never did in his two-year stint Wagner stint from 2010-12.

No. 1 seed Charleston is going dancing for the second year in a row after besting No. 7 seed Stony Brook 82-79 in overtime for the CAA Tournament title. The Cougars have won 12 straight entering Selection Sunday and won’t be intimidated in any matchup after taking No. 5 seed and eventual Final Four team San Diego State down to the wire in last year’s first round.

Top-seeded Oakland secured its first NCAA Tournament bid since 2011 and third overall under veteran coach Greg Kampe by winning the Horizon League final 83-76 over No. 6 seed Milwaukee. Trey Townsend led the way with a career-high 38 points and 11 rebounds for the Golden Grizzlies.

As automatic bids to the NCAA Tournament are secured, we’ll be noting each of them here.

Tuesday’s conference tournament scoreboard
Coastal Athletic Association: Championship
(1) College of Charleston 82, (7) Stony Brook 79

Horizon League: Championship
(1) Oakland 83, (6) Milwaukee 76

NEC: Championship
(6) Wagner 54, (2) Merrimack 47

Summit League: Championship
(1) South Dakota State 76, (7) Denver 68

WCC: Championship
(1) Saint Mary’s 69, (2) Gonzaga 60

OTHER TOURNAMENTS IN ACTION

ACC: First round LIVE updatesAmerica East: SemifinalsAtlantic 10: First roundBig 12: First round LIVE updatesBig Sky: SemifinalsConference USA: First roundMAAC: First roundSouthland: Semifinals 2024 conference tournament schedules, champions All times ET

Conference City Dates Final (TV) / Champion ACCWashington D.C.March 12-16Saturday, March 16
8:30 p.m. (ESPN) America EastCampus SitesMarch 9, 12, 16Saturday, March 16
11 a.m. (ESPN2) AmericanFort Worth, TexasMarch 13-17Sunday, March 17
3:15 p.m. (ESPN) ASUNCampus SitesMarch 4-5, 7, 10 Stetson (22-12) Atlantic 10BrooklynMarch 12-14, 16-17Sunday, March 17
1 p.m. (CBS) Big 12Kansas CityMarch 12-16Saturday. March 16
6 p.m. (ESPN) Big EastNew York CityMarch 13-16Saturday, March 16
6:30 p.m. (Fox) Big SkyBoise, IdahoMarch 9, 10-13Wednesday, March 13
11:30 p.m. (ESPN2) Big SouthHigh Point, North CarolinaMarch 6, 8-10 Longwood (21-13) Big TenMinneapolisMarch 13-17Sunday, March 17
3:30 p.m. (CBS) Big WestHenderson, NevadaMarch 13-16Saturday, March 16
9:30 p.m. (ESPN2) Coastal AthleticWashington, D.C.March 8-12Charleston (27-7) Conference USAHuntsville, AlabamaMarch 12-16Saturday, March 16
8:30 p.m. (CBS Sports Network) Horizon LeagueCampus sites | IndianapolisMarch 5, 7, 11-12Oakland (23-11) IvyNew York CityMarch 16-17Sunday, March 17
12 p.m. (ESPN2) MAACAtlantic City, New JerseyMarch 12-16Saturday, March 16
7:30 p.m. (ESPNU) MACClevelandMarch 14-16Saturday, March 16
7:30 p.m. (ESPN2) MEACNorfolk, VirginiaMarch 13-16Saturday, March 16
1 p.m. (ESPN2) Missouri ValleySt. LouisMarch 7-10 Drake (28-6) Mountain WestLas VegasMarch 13-16Saturday, March 16
6 p.m. (CBS) NortheastCampus SitesMarch 6, 9, 12Wagner (16-15) Ohio ValleyEvansville, IndianaMarch 6-9 Morehead State (26-8) Pac-12Las VegasMarch 13-16Saturday, March 16
9 p.m. (Fox) PatriotCampus SitesMarch 5, 7, 10, 13Wednesday, March 13
7 p.m. (CBS Sports Network) SECNashvilleMarch 13-17Sunday, March 17
1 p.m. (ESPN) SouthernAsheville, North CarolinaMarch 8-11 Samford (29-5) SouthlandLake Charles, LouisianaMarch 10-13Wednesday, March 13
5 p.m. (ESPN2) SummitSioux Falls, South DakotaMarch 8-12South Dakota State (22-12) Sun BeltPensacola, FloridaMarch 5, 7, 9, 10-11 James Madison (31-3) SWACBirmingham, AlabamaMarch 13-16Saturday, March 16
5:30 p.m. (ESPNU) WACLas VegasMarch 13-16Saturday, March 16
11:30 p.m. (ESPN2) WCCLas VegasMarch 7-9, 11-12Saint Mary’s (26-7)Who wins every college basketball game today, and which favorites should be on upset alert? Visit SportsLine now to get picks and predictions for every college basketball game, all from a model that simulates every game 10,000 times.