March Madness 2019: 6 Teams Already Clinched NCAA Tournament Bids Well Before Selection Sunday

Most of the 2019 NCAA Tournament field has yet to be determined with all of the power conference championships still up for grabs. A small portion of the March Madness field, however, has become official days before Selection Sunday.

Six teams have already clinched bids to the Big Dance by winning their conference tournaments. That leaves 26 automatic bids up for grabs in the 68-team field.

Here’s a quick look at the teams that are guaranteed to be in the NCAA Tournament:

Murray State: 27-4 (16-2 conference)

The Racers finished the regular season tied with Belmont atop the Ohio Valley Conference standings, and they defeated the Bruins 77-65 in the title game. Ja Morant, who scored 36 points in the clincher, is expected to be a top-three pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.

Gardner-Webb: 23-11 (10-6 conference)

The Bulldogs weren’t the best team in the Big South during the regular season, but a win over No.1 seed Radford in the title game has them in the NCAA Tournament. Gardner-Webb will be a part of March Madness for the first time in the school’s history.

Bradley: 20-14 (9-9 conference)

A .500 record in a small conference didn’t stop Bradley from reaching the NCAA Tournament. The Braves came back from an 18-point deficit in the Missouri Valley Conference Championship Game to defeat Northern Iowa 57-54.

Liberty: 28-6 (14-2 conference)

The Flames were the best team in the Atlantic Sun Conference this season. After beating Lipscomb in the title game, Liberty will enter the NCAA Tournament with 10 wins in their last 11 contests.

Saint Mary’s: 22-11 (11-5 conference)

The Gaels pulled off a shocking upset in the West Coast Conference Championship Game by defeating Gonzaga 60-47. Gonzaga entered the contest as the No.1 team in the country with a perfect record in conference play.

Colgate: 24-10 (13-5 conference)

The Raiders are back in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 23 years. They had the best record in the Patriot League and will enter March Madness on an 11-game winning streak.