What to Know About Conference Tournaments – 2022

 

MIKEDROPSPORTS is excited for coverage of the 2022 NCAA Tournament and March Madness, also known as MIKEDROP MADNESS.

This article highlights some history and fun facts around each conference tournament, with a focus on of the top contenders.

ACC

Duke is the favorite entering the 2022 Tournament, and already have the most Championships among ACC teams with 21. Their most recent win was 2019 and they are 21-12 overall in championship games.

North Carolina has the second most championships (18) and NC State is third (10). No one else has more than 4.

That includes Georgia Tech, who won the 2021 Championship Game (for the 4th time in school history), by beating Florida State.

Notre Dame (2015) and Miami (2013) each have 1 Championship win.

Virginia Tech, Syracuse, Louisville, Boston College, Pittsburgh, Clemson are the six schools who have never won ACC Tournament Championship.

---

Big 12

Half the teams in the Big 12 have never won the conference tournament, including 2021 National Champion Baylor (0-3), top ten Texas Tech (0-1), West Virginia (0-3), Kansas State (0-3).

The last team is TCU, who is the only team to never reach the Big 12 Championship Game.

Not only has Texas Tech never won the conference tournament, but among active Big 12 schools, they have the worst tournament win percentage (37% – 14-24 overall).

Kansas has 11 tournament championships (6 more than the second place team, Iowa State) and an overall win percentage of 80% (47-12 all-time in Big 12 tournament games). Overall, Kansas is 11-3 in Championship Games.

Texas won the 2021 Championship, the school’s first (previous 0-6).

Iowa State is an impressive 5-0 all-time in Championship Games.

---

Big 10

Michigan State has won the most championships with 6 (6-1 all-time), with 4 of those coming since 2012.

Michigan has highest tournament win % (65% – 32-17)

Illinois won the 2021 Championship, their third all-time.

7 teams have never won the championship – Indiana, Rutgers, Maryland, Northwestern, Nebraska, Penn State, Minnesota

Purdue has just 1 championship (2009)

Wisconsin is 3-4 in the Championship Game, but haven’t won since 2015.

Northwestern has the worst overall win percentage (27% – 9-24)

---

PAC-12

Oregon State surprisingly won the 2021 Championship, the first in school history. They were the first non Oregon/Arizona team to win since UCLA won in 2014.

With Oregon State’s 2021 win, only 4 teams have never won the Championship – Arizona State, Utah, California, Washington State.

Arizona (7) and Oregon (5) have the most PAC-12 Championships, and have combined to win over half of the total Championship Games (23 all-time).

Arizona has appeared in 11 (out of 23), while Oregon has appeared in 7.

UCLA has the third most wins (4)

USC is 1-4 all-time in Championship, last winning in 2009.

Washington State has the worst overall record (22% – 6-21).

---

SEC

Kentucky has won 31 SEC Championship Games, including 6 of the last 11. Kentucky has not reached the Finals in the last two tournaments.

Alabama won the 2021 Championship, their first since 1991 and their 7th all-time (second most among SEC schools).

Missouri, South Carolina, and Texas A&M have never won the Championship.

LSU (1980) and Arkansas (2000) each have just 1 championship win.

Auburn recently won in 2019, their first win since 1985.

---

Big East

Georgetown shockingly won the 2021 Championship, despite entering the tournament with a 9-12 record. It was their first win since 2007 and broke a tie with UConn to give them the most championships among active Big East teams with 8 overall.

Creighton (0-3) and Xavier (0-1) are win-less in championship games, while Marquette, Butler, and Depaul have never appeared.

Villanova has dominated the “new” Big East, winning 4 of 6 Championships since 2015 (overall, Villanova has won 5 total championships).

Providence has won 2 championships, with the last coming in 2014 (last appeared in 2018).

---

AAC

Houston won the 2021 Championship, their first in AAC and first since 2010 (C-USA).

2016 is the last time Cincinnati did not reach the Championship Game (2-2 during their 4 year run).

SMU and Cincinnati are tied with the most championships (2 each). .

2013 is the last time Memphis won a conference tournament championship (C-USA).

---

Mountain West

San Diego State won in 2021 and has the most Championships (6) and Finals appearances (13).

Colorado State (2003) and Wyoming (2015), who are among the favorites in 2022, have each won 1 Championship

Boise State is among the teams who have never won, nor appeared in the Championship. They are 5-9 overall in the tournament.

---

WCC

Gonzaga has appeared has in 27 all-time Championship Games and is 19-8 in those games. Their 2021 win was their second straight and 8th in the last 9 years.

Saint Mary’s has the second most Championships (4-9 championship game record).

BYU is 0-4 in WCC Championship Games, after being 1-5 in MWC Championship Games.

---

Atlantic 10

Davidson has 1 A-10 Championship (2018).

Among active A-10 teams, UMass (5) has the most championships.

St. Bonaventure won the 2021 Championship.

---

America East

Vermont is tied with Northeastern for most Championships all-time (7) and last won in 2019. 

---

America Sun

Liberty has won the last 3 Championships

Jacksonville and Jacksonville State have never won

---

Big Sky

Montana leads the way with 11 Championships in 20 appearances

Montana State has won 2 (last in 1998)

Southern Utah has never won 

---

Big South

Winthrop (13) has the most all-time championships and have won the last two. 

---

Big West

Long Beach State, currently in first, has the most Championships among active schools (5), with the last win coming in 2012. 

---

Colonial

Among active members, UNC-Wilmington has the most Finals appearances (10) and Championships (6). 

---

Conference-USA

Among active teams, only 2 teams have more than 1 championship – Charlotte and Middle Tennessee each have 2.

North Texas won the 2021 Championship.

---

Horizon

Cleveland State won their second championship in 2021.

---

MAAC

Since 2016, Iona has won 5 of 6 Championships and are 13-6 all-time in Championship Games. 

---

MEAC

2021 Champion Norfolk State, is the favorite to win again in 2022.

---

MAC

Ohio is tied with Ball State for most Championship wins (7). Ohio won it in 2021.

Kent State has the second most (6), with their latest win coming in 2017.

Toledo has just 1 Tournament Championship, back in 1980.

---

Missouri Valley

Loyola Chicago is new to the conference, but won the Tournament in 2018 and 2021.

Northern Iowa (5) is tied for most Championships among active schools (tied with Southern Illinois).

Missouri State won their one and only championship in 1992.

---

Northeast

Bryant, among the favorites to win in 2022, reached the NEC Finals for the first time in 2021, losing to Mount Saint Mary’s.

Also among the favorites is Wagner, who won their only championship in 2003 (lost 4 times total – 3 since 2003)

Among active NEC teams, 3 are tied with 6 Championships – Long Island, Fairleigh Dickinson, Mount Saint Mary’s.

---

Ohio Valley

Murray State, currently ranked in the top 20, has the most all-time OVC Championships with 17. Most recent title was 2019.

Despite winning the regular season 8 times since 2013, Belmont has just 3 Championships during that time.

---

Patriot

Bucknell and Holy Cross are tied for most Championships (6).

Colgate has won 2 of the last 3 (2021, 2019) and has won 4 all-time

---

Southern

Chattanooga enters the 2022 Tournament as the #1 seed, and has the most Championships of all-time (11). Their last one came in 2016.

---

Southland

Nicholls St has won 2 Championships (1998, 1995)

In the last 7 Tournaments, Abilene Christian and Stephen F. Austin have combined for 6 Championships (2 ACU and $ SFA) but both teams are now members of the WAC.

---

SWAC

Texas Southern and Southern U are tied with 9 Championships all-time. Texas Southern won in 2021.

Alcorn State is second with 7 Championships, and their last coming in 2002.

---

Summit

South Dakota State and North Dakota State are tied with 5 Championships all-time. Before 2021, these two schools had combined to win 9 straight Tournament Championships.

Oral Roberts has the second most with 4.

---

Sun Belt

Georgia State has won 3 Championships, all since 2015 (won 3 of last 6 Tournaments).

Appalachian State won their first Championship in 2021.

Texas State has never won Sun Belt Tournament.

---

WAC

New Mexico State has the most Championships (9), with 8 coming in the last 11 Tournaments (since 2010). During their 9 NCAA Tournament appearances since 2007 as WAC Champions, they are 0-9.