Big South Conference NCAA Tournament Betting
Longwood enters the Big South Tournament as the No. 1 seed for the first time in program history. The Lancers had never finished with a winning record, much less make a postseason tournament, prior to this year. They went 15-1 in conference play and finished 23-6 overall, so they have ensured that they will at least be playing basketball in mid-March for the first time ever. Winthrop remains the team to beat though with 13 tournament titles, and the Eagles have won two in a row.
It's been a dream season for Longwood. The small school has had a lot of trouble since making the jump to Division I basketball almost a decade ago, but they bested Winthrop in the regular season and their only conference loss was on the road against North Carolina A&T. They took advantage of a weak North Division to earn the No. 1 seed, and Isaiah Wilkins and Deshaun Wade both made over 40% of their threes this season.
Winthrop has long been the team to beat in this conference though. The Eagles went 14-2 in the Big South during the regular season, and they scored impressive wins over Washington and Furman in non-conference play. They ended the season with eight straight wins, but their defense has not been good. Winthrop’s offense has been boom or bust too. The Eagles turn the ball over a lot and can’t rebound well, but they get to the free throw line a lot and rank fifth nationally in effective field goal percentage.
No other team finished better than 17-12 in the regular season. There were a lot of middling teams in the Big South this year, and the only truly awful team was 5-24 Charleston Southern.
Big South Tournament Format
For the first time in six years, all the Big South Tournament games will be played in one location. The Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina will host all 15 games starting with the first round on Wednesday, March 2. The top four teams in the conference will get a bye into the quarterfinals, while the teams that finished fifth through 12th face off in the first round. There is no re-seeding either during this tournament.
The quarterfinals will take place on Friday, March 4, and the semifinals will get underway starting at noon on Saturday, March 5. The Big South Championship Game will be played at 12 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 6, making this the second automatic bid to be awarded into the NCAA Tournament after the OVC declares their champion on Saturday night.
Most Wins All-Time in Big South Tournament
| WINS |
TEAM |
LAST |
| 13 |
Winthrop |
2021 |
| 5 |
UNC Asheville |
2016 |
| 5 |
Coastal Carolina |
2015 |
| 4 |
Charleston Southern |
1997 |
| 3 |
Radford |
2018 |
| 3 |
Liberty |
2013 |
| 1 |
Gardner-Webb |
2018 |
| 1 |
UNC Greensboro |
1996 |
| 1 |
Campbell |
1992 |
Winthrop has long been the dominant team in the Big South, and that is showcased by the fact that the Eagles have a record 13 championships. The Eagles are even more impressive due to their four straight titles from 1999 through 2002 and their second four-peat from 2005 through 2008.
Coastal Carolina is tied with UNC Asheville for the second-most championships in Big South history with five, but the Chanticleers won’t add anymore after leaving the conference for the Sun Belt at the conclusion of the 2014-15 season. UNC Asheville won back-to-back Big South Tournaments in 2011 and 2012, and the Bulldogs claimed their fifth title in 2016.
Three of the 12 teams in this league have never been to the NCAA Tournament. Longwood, High Point, and Presbyterian have consistently failed to make an impact since joining this league, but newcomer North Carolina A&T has big hopes. The Aggies have made 10 trips to March Madness over the last four decades, and they beat Liberty in a First Four game in 2013.
Big South Tournament Championship Games
| YEAR |
WINNER |
RUNNER-UP |
VENUE |
| 2021 |
Winthrop |
Campbell |
Winthrop Coliseum |
| 2020 |
Winthrop |
Hampton |
Winthrop Coliseum |
| 2019 |
Gardner-Webb |
Radford |
Dedmon Center |
| 2018 |
Radford |
Liberty |
Dedmon Center |
| 2017 |
Winthrop |
Campbell |
Winthrop Coliseum |
| 2016 |
UNC Asheville |
Winthrop |
Pope Convocation Center |
| 2015 |
Coastal Carolina |
Winthrop |
HTC Center |
| 2014 |
Coastal Carolina |
Winthrop |
HTC Center |
| 2013 |
Liberty |
Charleston Southern |
HTC Center |
| 2012 |
UNC Asheville |
VMI |
Kimmel Arena |
| 2011 |
UNC Asheville |
Coastal Carolina |
Kimbel Arena |
| 2010 |
Winthrop |
Coastal Carolina |
Kimbel Arena |
| 2009 |
Radford |
VMI |
Dedmon Center |
| 2008 |
Winthrop |
UNC Asheville |
Justice Center |
| 2007 |
Winthrop |
VMI |
Winthrop Coliseum |
| 2006 |
Winthrop |
Coastal Carolina |
Winthrop Coliseum |
| 2005 |
Winthrop |
Charleston Southern |
Winthrop Coliseum |
| 2004 |
Liberty |
High Point |
Vines Center |
| 2003 |
UNC Asheville |
Radford |
Vines Center |
| 2002 |
Winthrop |
High Point |
Roanoke Civic Center |
| 2001 |
Winthrop |
Radford |
Roanoke Civic Center |
| 2000 |
Winthrop |
UNC Asheville |
Asheville Civic Center |
NCAA Basketball Conferences
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