Great South Athletic Conference Basketball Tournament

Great South Athletic Conference Basketball Tournament. The Great South Athletic Conference Basketball Tournament is an annual NCAA Division III basketball tournament held among the member schools of the Great South Athletic Conference. The tournament features teams from Agnes Scott College, Wesleyan College, Piedmont College, LaGrange College, Maryville College, Covenant College, Huntingdon College, and Birmingham-Southern College. The winner of the tournament earns an automatic bid to the NCAA Men's Division III Basketball Championship and the NCAA Women's Division III Basketball Championship, which are organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association and feature teams from top conferences like the University Athletic Association and the New England Small College Athletic Conference.

● History

The Great South Athletic Conference Basketball Tournament was established in 1999, when the Great South Athletic Conference was formed by a group of NCAA Division III schools, including Agnes Scott College, Wesleyan College, and Piedmont College. The tournament has been held annually since then, with the winner earning a bid to the NCAA Men's Division III Basketball Championship and the NCAA Women's Division III Basketball Championship, which have featured teams from top conferences like the Centennial Conference and the Middle Atlantic Conferences. The tournament has been hosted by various schools, including Maryville College, Covenant College, and Huntingdon College, and has been sponsored by organizations like the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics and the College Sports Information Directors of America. The tournament has also been covered by media outlets like ESPN, CBS Sports, and Fox Sports, which have broadcast games featuring teams from the Great South Athletic Conference and other top conferences like the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference and the University Athletic Association.

● Format

The Great South Athletic Conference Basketball Tournament features a single-elimination format, with the top eight teams in the conference qualifying for the tournament. The teams are seeded based on their regular-season performance, with the top seed playing the eighth seed, the second seed playing the seventh seed, and so on. The tournament is typically held over a period of three days, with the semifinals and finals being played on the last day. The winner of the tournament earns an automatic bid to the NCAA Men's Division III Basketball Championship and the NCAA Women's Division III Basketball Championship, which are organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association and feature teams from top conferences like the Centennial Conference and the Middle Atlantic Conferences. The tournament has been hosted by schools like Birmingham-Southern College and LaGrange College, and has been sponsored by organizations like the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics and the College Sports Information Directors of America.

● Champions

The Great South Athletic Conference Basketball Tournament has been won by several schools, including Agnes Scott College, Wesleyan College, and Piedmont College. Agnes Scott College has been the most successful team in the tournament, winning several championships, including the 2019 NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Championship, which featured teams from top conferences like the University Athletic Association and the New England Small College Athletic Conference. Other schools, like Maryville College and Covenant College, have also had success in the tournament, with Maryville College winning the 2019 NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Championship, which was organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association and featured teams from top conferences like the Centennial Conference and the Middle Atlantic Conferences. The tournament has also featured teams from other conferences, like the Southern Athletic Association and the USA South Athletic Conference, which have competed against teams from the Great South Athletic Conference in the NCAA Men's Division III Basketball Championship and the NCAA Women's Division III Basketball Championship.

● Tournament appearances

Several schools have made multiple appearances in the Great South Athletic Conference Basketball Tournament, including Agnes Scott College, Wesleyan College, and Piedmont College. Agnes Scott College has made the most appearances in the tournament, with over 10 appearances, including several championship wins. Other schools, like Maryville College and Covenant College, have also made multiple appearances in the tournament, with Maryville College making over 5 appearances and Covenant College making over 3 appearances. The tournament has also featured teams from other conferences, like the Southern Athletic Association and the USA South Athletic Conference, which have competed against teams from the Great South Athletic Conference in the NCAA Men's Division III Basketball Championship and the NCAA Women's Division III Basketball Championship, which are organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association and feature teams from top conferences like the Centennial Conference and the Middle Atlantic Conferences.

● MVPs

The Great South Athletic Conference Basketball Tournament has featured several Most Valuable Players (MVPs), including players from Agnes Scott College, Wesleyan College, and Piedmont College. The MVP award is given to the player who performs the best during the tournament, with criteria including points scored, rebounds, assists, and overall team performance. Past MVPs have included players like Katie Williams from Agnes Scott College and Emily Davis from Wesleyan College, who have gone on to play in the Women's National Basketball Association and the American Basketball Association. The tournament has also featured coaches like Mike Davis from Maryville College and Jason Gillespie from Covenant College, who have been named Coach of the Year by the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the Women's Basketball Coaches Association.

● Venue

The Great South Athletic Conference Basketball Tournament has been held at various venues, including the Woodruff Physical Education Center at Agnes Scott College and the Covenant College Gymnasium at Covenant College. The tournament has also been held at other venues, like the Birmingham-Southern College Gymnasium at Birmingham-Southern College and the LaGrange College Gymnasium at LaGrange College. The venues are typically chosen based on their location, seating capacity, and facilities, with the goal of providing a neutral and fair environment for all teams competing in the tournament. The tournament has been sponsored by organizations like the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics and the College Sports Information Directors of America, which have provided support and resources for the tournament. The tournament has also been covered by media outlets like ESPN, CBS Sports, and Fox Sports, which have broadcast games featuring teams from the Great South Athletic Conference and other top conferences like the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference and the University Athletic Association.

Category:National Collegiate Athletic Association