{"id":23243,"date":"2026-03-10T13:06:27","date_gmt":"2026-03-10T13:06:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/march-madness-2026-auto-bids\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T13:06:27","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T13:06:27","slug":"march-madness-2026-auto-bids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/march-madness-2026-auto-bids\/","title":{"rendered":"Men\u2019s March Madness 2026: Furman, Troy among latest auto-bid winners"},"content":{"rendered":"<article>\n<h2>Lead<\/h2>\n<p>In the final days before Selection Sunday, conference tournaments decided 31 of the 68 berths in the 2026 men\u2019s NCAA Tournament. Furman and Troy were among the recent automatic-bid winners, with the Paladins and Trojans clinching conference crowns on March 9\u201311 in their respective leagues. Several other midmajors \u2014 including North Dakota State, Queens, High Point and Northern Iowa \u2014 also secured tickets to the Big Dance, while LIU advanced because Mercyhurst is ineligible during its Division I transition. These results will shape seeding scenarios and add volatility to bracket projections heading into Selection Sunday.<\/p>\n<h2>Key takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Furman (22\u201312, 10\u20138 SoCon) won the Southern Conference tournament as a 6-seed, beating East Tennessee State 76\u201361 in the final to clinch an NCAA bid; last NCAA appearance: 2023; all-time tourney record: 2\u20138.<\/li>\n<li>Troy (22\u201311, 12\u20136 Sun Belt) captured the Sun Belt title, defeating Georgia Southern 77\u201361; the Trojans are back for a second straight NCAA Tournament after a 2025 appearance and have an all-time tournament record of 0\u20133.<\/li>\n<li>North Dakota State set a school record with 27 wins (27\u20137, 14\u20132 Summit) and clinched the Summit League by beating North Dakota 70\u201362; currently projected as a 14 seed and historically a 14-over-3 upset occurs roughly 14% of the time.<\/li>\n<li>Queens (21\u201313, 13\u20135 ASUN) earned its first NCAA bid after a 98\u201393 overtime win over Central Arkansas; Central Arkansas\u2019 Camren Hunter scored a program-record 46 points in that game.<\/li>\n<li>High Point (30\u20134, 15\u20131 Big South) repeated as Big South champion with a 91\u201376 win over Winthrop, reaching the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season under first-year coach Flynn Clayman.<\/li>\n<li>Northern Iowa (23\u201312, 11\u20139 MVC) seized the Missouri Valley auto-bid after a strong tournament run capped by an 84\u201369 victory over UIC; coach Ben Jacobsen is heading to his fifth NCAA Tournament with UNI.<\/li>\n<li>Tennessee State (23\u20139, 15\u20135 OVC) returns to March Madness for the first time since 1994 after a 93\u201367 win over Morehead State, a notable achievement in Nolan Smith\u2019s first season as head coach.<\/li>\n<li>LIU (23\u201310, 15\u20133 NEC) clinched the NEC\u2019s automatic bid because Mercyhurst (17\u201316) is ineligible during its Division I transition; LIU is projected as a No. 16 seed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Background<\/h2>\n<p>Conference tournaments in mid-March compress the season\u2019s stakes into a handful of win-or-go-home games. Every league champion earns an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament regardless of regular-season r\u00e9sum\u00e9, which often produces dramatic outcomes and invites upsets. In 2026, 31 automatic bids will be determined by conference tournaments, with the remaining 37 slots filled by the NCAA selection committee on Selection Sunday.<\/p>\n<p>Midmajor leagues routinely supply headline stories during championship week because many of their best teams would not make the field without an auto-bid. That dynamic elevates pressure on coaches, players and athletic departments and increases the value of experienced coaching, roster depth and late-season momentum. Recent seasons have also shown how the transfer portal and one-off hot streaks can reshape which programs emerge as conference champions.<\/p>\n<h2>Main event<\/h2>\n<p>Furman\u2019s run through the Southern Conference tournament was notable for its seeding and scope: the Paladins entered as a 6-seed and knocked off 1-seed East Tennessee State and 3-seed Samford en route to the title. Furman\u2019s 76\u201361 win over ETSU in the final secured its second March Madness appearance under coach Bob Richey; the program\u2019s most recent tournament entry came in 2023, when Furman upset Virginia.<\/p>\n<p>Troy, the Sun Belt regular-season champion and top seed, advanced through the league\u2019s stepladder bracket and slowed the Cinderella run of 10-seed Georgia Southern in the title game, winning 77\u201361. The Trojans, led by Thomas Dowd and Victor Valdes, will make consecutive NCAA appearances after losing to Kentucky in the first round last year. The roster features family connections \u2014 multiple Campbells and the coach\u2019s son on the bench \u2014 which has been a storyline through the season.<\/p>\n<p>North Dakota State\u2019s 70\u201362 win over North Dakota clinched the Summit League bid and set a school record for wins at 27. The Bison have six players averaging at least 9.2 points, a distribution that creates matchup problems for higher seeds. Coach David Richman earned his second Summit League coach of the year award this season, and the team\u2019s balance has pushed some bracketologists to project them as a 14 seed.<\/p>\n<p>Other conference finals produced memorable moments: Queens prevailed 98\u201393 in overtime over Central Arkansas in the ASUN after Central Arkansas\u2019 Camren Hunter scored 46 points; High Point defeated Winthrop 91\u201376 to reach the NCAA Tournament again; Northern Iowa shot 63 percent in the MVC title game to beat UIC 84\u201369; Tennessee State routed Morehead State 93\u201367 to break a 32-year NCAA drought for the program; and LIU clinched the NEC bid in large part because Mercyhurst is ineligible during its Division I transition.<\/p>\n<h2>Analysis &#038; implications<\/h2>\n<p>Automatic bids from midmajor conferences increase the field\u2019s unpredictability. Teams like North Dakota State and Furman present contrasting challenges for potential high seeds: Furman\u2019s experience and recent upset pedigree make them a dangerous lower seed, while North Dakota State\u2019s balanced attack can exploit single-game variability. Those differences affect both scouting and seeding decisions for the selection committee.<\/p>\n<p>Coaching narratives will influence offseason moves and market value. David Richman\u2019s record-setting year at NDSU and Nolan Smith\u2019s immediate turnaround at Tennessee State will attract attention from programs seeking proven midmajor builders. Such coaching success often prompts larger programs to consider hires, which can trigger staff turnover and recruiting ripple effects in the months after the tournament.<\/p>\n<p>The transfer portal\u2019s role in reshaping rosters is evident in High Point\u2019s performance: Flynn Clayman rebuilt the team in his first year, turning a unit that lost top scorers into a 30-win conference champion. That model \u2014 heavy portal use plus quick chemistry building \u2014 is increasingly common and alters how athletic directors evaluate short-term versus long-term program health.<\/p>\n<h2>Comparison &#038; data<\/h2>\n<figure>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Team<\/th>\n<th>Record<\/th>\n<th>Conference<\/th>\n<th>Last NCAA appearance<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Furman<\/td>\n<td>22\u201312<\/td>\n<td>Southern (SoCon)<\/td>\n<td>2023<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Troy<\/td>\n<td>22\u201311<\/td>\n<td>Sun Belt<\/td>\n<td>2025<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>North Dakota State<\/td>\n<td>27\u20137<\/td>\n<td>Summit<\/td>\n<td>2019<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Queens<\/td>\n<td>21\u201313<\/td>\n<td>ASUN<\/td>\n<td>Never<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>High Point<\/td>\n<td>30\u20134<\/td>\n<td>Big South<\/td>\n<td>2025<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n<p>The table above highlights recent auto-bid winners, their season records and the conferences they represent. School records and last appearance years help illustrate which programs are re-establishing postseason traditions and which are new arrivals. For selection and matchup purposes, metrics such as strength of schedule, nonconference wins and efficiency margins will determine seed lines more than conference titles alone.<\/p>\n<h2>Reactions &#038; quotes<\/h2>\n<p>Public reaction to dramatic finishes is already circulating on social platforms and among broadcast crews, emphasizing how single moments define tournament lore.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cDID WE JUST SEE WHAT WE THINK WE JUST SAW?!\u201d<\/p>\n<p><cite>CBS Sports (tweet)<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The exclamation above captures the stunned reaction to Furman\u2019s 2023 upset of Virginia, a moment still cited in coverage of Furman\u2019s program progress. Fans and local media also leaned into school-specific chants and branding following conference-clinching wins.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cFins up!\u201d<\/p>\n<p><cite>LIU fans\/team<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>That slogan has appeared in LIU coverage and on social channels as the program celebrates its return to the NEC auto-bid picture and an NCAA berth projection.<\/p>\n<h2>\n<aside>\n<details>\n<summary>Explainer: How automatic bids work<\/summary>\n<p>Each Division I conference awards one automatic NCAA Tournament berth to its conference tournament champion. There are 32 automatic bids in the 68-team field; the remaining 36 (note: 37 in other formats) are selected as at-large entries by the NCAA selection committee based on factors such as NET rankings, strength of schedule and quality wins. Some transitioning Division I programs, like Mercyhurst this season, are ineligible for NCAA postseason play during a mandated move-up period, which can auto-qualify a different conference team.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<\/aside>\n<\/h2>\n<h2>Unconfirmed<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Seeding projections cited (for example, North Dakota State as a projected 14 seed) are based on current bracket projections and can change before Selection Sunday.<\/li>\n<li>Speculation that David Richman could be considered for higher-profile jobs is anecdotal; no firm offers or negotiations have been reported publicly as of publication.<\/li>\n<li>Individual player availability or injury statuses for the NCAA Tournament have not been finalized for many teams and could alter lineups.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Bottom line<\/h2>\n<p>Conference championship week once again delivered a mix of established programs and breakthrough stories. Furman and Troy join a cohort of midmajors whose automatic bids will complicate bracket-making and create matchup headaches for higher seeds. The diversity of champions \u2014 from first-time qualifiers to long-established midmajor powers \u2014 underscores the NCAA Tournament\u2019s yearly blend of continuity and unpredictability.<\/p>\n<p>Selection Sunday will finalize where these champions fall on the bracket, but the immediate takeaway is clear: several programs arrive in March on winning streaks and with compelling narratives that could translate into upset potential. Fans, bettors and committee members should watch for how seeding, matchup styles and recent form intersect when the full field is revealed.<\/p>\n<h2>Sources<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/7097219\/2026\/03\/09\/march-madness-2026-mens-ncaa-tournament-auto-bid-tracker\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The New York Times \/ The Athletic<\/a> \u2014 news coverage and conference summaries (original article)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbssports.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CBS Sports<\/a> \u2014 social clip and broadcast reaction (social media\/clip)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncaa.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">NCAA.com<\/a> \u2014 official tournament structure and eligibility guidance (official)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lead In the final days before Selection Sunday, conference tournaments decided 31 of the 68 berths in the 2026 men\u2019s NCAA Tournament. Furman and Troy were among the recent automatic-bid winners, with the Paladins and Trojans clinching conference crowns on March 9\u201311 in their respective leagues. Several other midmajors \u2014 including North Dakota State, Queens, &#8230; <a title=\"Men\u2019s March Madness 2026: Furman, Troy among latest auto-bid winners\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/march-madness-2026-auto-bids\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Men\u2019s March Madness 2026: Furman, Troy among latest auto-bid winners\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":23239,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_title":"Men\u2019s March Madness 2026 auto-bids \u2014 Furman, Troy | The Lead","rank_math_description":"Conference tournaments decided 31 of the 68 NCAA berths. Furman and Troy are among the recent auto-bid winners; read who clinched spots, key numbers and what it means for Selection Sunday.","rank_math_focus_keyword":"March Madness 2026,Furman,Troy,auto-bids,NCAA Tournament","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23243","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-top-stories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23243","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23243"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23243\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23239"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23243"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23243"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23243"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}