Southland Conference men's basketball tournament: Matchups, players to know & more
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The 2020 Southland Conference men’s basketball tournament will determine which team gets an automatic bid to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.
The tournament is set to begin March 11 and run through March 14, taking place at the Leonard E. Merrell Center in Katy, Texas.
Eight of the conference’s 13 teams made the tournament.
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Here is the schedule for the Southland tournament.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}MARCH 11 – FIRST ROUND
No. 5 Northwestern State def. No. 8 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 79-62.
No. 6 Lamar vs. No. 7 McNeese State, 80-59.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}MARCH 12 – QUARTERFINALS
No. 4 Sam Houston State vs. No. 5 Northwestern State (6 p.m. ET)
No. 3 Nicholls State vs. No. 6 Lamar (8:30 p.m. ET)
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}MARCH 13 – SEMIFINALS
No. 1 Stephen F. Austin vs. Quarterfinal winner (6 p.m. ET)
No. 2 Abilene Christian vs. Quarterfinal winner (8:30 p.m. ET)
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}MARCH 14 – CHAMPIONSHIP
Semifinal winner vs. Semifinal winner (9:30 p.m. ET)
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
5 PLAYERS TO KNOW
KEVON HARRIS, STEPHEN F. AUSTIN: Kevon Harris was named the Southland Conference Player of the Year for the 2019-20 season. Harris averaged 17.5 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}SHA’MARKUS KENNEDY, MCNEESE STATE: Sha’Markus Kennedy received an All-Southland First Team selection. He helped McNeese State obtain the No. 7 seed in the conference tournament. He’s averaging 18.6 points and 10.8 rebounds this season.
KAI MITCHELL, SAM HOUSTON STATE: Kai Mitchell was among the top players on the Bearkats this season. Mitchell is averaging 14.4 points and 6.1 rebounds heading into the conference tournament.
ZACH NUTALL, SAM HOUSTON STATE: Zach Nutall helped Sam Houston State to a No. 4 seed in the conference tournament. He is averaging 15.4 points and 4.5 rebounds this season.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}PAYTEN RICKS, ABILENE CHRISTIAN: Payten Ricks is looking to help Abilene Christian to another Southland title win. He is averaging 14.3 points per game for the Wildcats this season.
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2019 CHAMPION
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Abilene Christian won its first Southland title in 2019. It knocked off New Orleans, 77-60. Jaren Lewis was named tournament MVP.