2021 Big South Conference Tournament Info, Facts, & Preview Links
Saturday, Feb. 27, 2021
First Round (at higher seeds-campus sites)
Game 1: (10) Presbyterian (7-14 overall; 5-12 conf) at (7) Hampton (10-13 overall; 9-9 conf) at 2 p.m. ET (ESPN3)
Game 2: (9) USC Upstate (5-17 overall; 5-11 conf) at (8) High Point (8-14 overall; 6-11 conf) at 4 p.m. ET (ESPN3)
Monday, March 1, 2021
Quarterfinals (at higher seeds-campus sites)
Game 3: (9) USC Upstate/(8) High Point winner at (1) Winthrop (20-1 overall; 17-1 conf) at 6 p.m. ET (ESPN3)
Game 4: (7) Hampton/(10) Presbyterian winner at (2) Radford (14-11 overall; 12-6 conf) at 6 p.m. ET (ESPN3)
Game 5: (6) Gardner-Webb (11-14 overall; 10-10 conf) at (3) Campbell (15-9 overall; 11-6 conf) at 7 p.m. ET (ESPN3)
Game 6: (5) Longwood (11-15 overall; 10-10 conf) at (4) UNC Asheville (10-9 overall; 9-5 conf) at 7 p.m. ET (ESPN3)
Thursday, March 4, 2021
Semifinals (at higher seeds-campus sites)
Game 7: Semifinal #1 at 6 p.m. ET (ESPN+) (higher seeded host team)
Game 8: Semifinal #2 at 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
Sunday, March 7, 2021
Championship Game-(at highest remaining seed)
Game 9: Championship Game (Auto Bid) at noon ET (ESPN)
Tournament Winners (last 10 years):
2020: (2) Winthrop (24-10 overall; 15-3 conf)
2019: (4) Gardner-Webb (23-12 overall; 10-6 conf)
2018: (2) Radford (23-13 overall; 12-6 conf)
2017: (1) Winthrop (26-7 overall; 15-3 conf)
2016: (4) UNC Asheville (22-12 overall; 12-6 conf)
2015: (3) Coastal Carolina (24-10 overall; 12-6 conf)
2014: (1-South Division) Coastal Carolina (21-13 overall; 11-5 conf)
2013: (5-North Division) Liberty (15-21 overall; 6-10 conf)
2012: (1) UNC Asheville (24-10 overall; 16-2 conf)
2011: (3) UNC Asheville (20-14 overall; 11-7 conf)
NET ratings through games of 2/25/21 (347 teams)
Winthrop-71
Gardner-Webb-185
Campbell-217
Radford-222
UNC Asheville-229
Longwood-259
High Point-282
Hampton-302
USC Upstate-311
Presbyterian-315
Charleston Southern-334 (not participating in the conference tournament due to COVID issues; finished 3-18, 2-15 in conference)
Kenpom ratings as of 2/25/21
Winthrop-108
Gardner-Webb-176
UNC Asheville-217
Campbell-225
Radford-227
Longwood-253
High Point-284
USC Upstate-320
Hampton-324
Presbyterian-329
Charleston Southern-338 (not participating in the conference tournament due to COVID issues; finished 3-18, 2-15 in conference)
Here are some links for previews of the 2021 Big South Conference tournament and the official tournament championship page (in no particular order):
Big South Conference official tournament championship page: https://bigsouthsports.com/news/2021/2/24/seedings-pairings-for-2021-hercules-tires-mens-basketball-championship-announced.aspx
NBC Sports Washington preview link: https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/ncaa/big-south-tournament-2021-bracket-how-watch-dates-preview-location
Fansided/Busting Brackets preview link: https://bustingbrackets.com/2021/02/26/big-south-basketball-2021-conference-tournament-preview-predictions/
Mid-Major Madness preview link: https://www.midmajormadness.com/2021/2/25/22300488/big-south-tournament-2021-bracket-schedule-stream-how-to-watch-winthrop-eagles
Three-Man-Weave preview link: https://www.three-man-weave.com/3mw/big-south-tournament-preview-2021
My brief take on the Big South tournament: I am rooting hard for 1-seed Winthrop! I would love to see a one-loss Eagles team make the Big Dance because we know da$n well the committee probably won't put them in if they take their second loss in their conference tourney (at home). Unfortunately, the Big South tournament always feels like a tournament where upsets happen commonly, and a 1 seed has only won it 3 out of the last 10 years (and one of those was Coastal Carolina, who actually had the second-best record in conference but was a 1 seed in the South Division one of the two years the league had divisions). Anyways, this should be a fun tournament and here's hoping we get one of the best mid-majors all year into the NCAA tournament. Enjoy!
