Andrew Pace
The AAC Men's Basketball Tournament, also known as the American Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Tournament, is an annual event that determines the top men's basketball team from the American Athletic Conference. The tournament is a single-elimination format that involves all league schools, with seeding based on regular-season records. While the tournament has been around for several years, with results available from 2022, 2023, and 2024, the 2014 tournament was considered the first official tournament due to the split of the original Big East Conference.
AAC Men's Basketball Tourney Characteristics
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Full Form | American Athletic Conference |
| Year | 2025 |
| Type | Single-elimination tournament |
| Number of Schools | 14 |
| Seeding Basis | Regular season records |
| Winner's Benefits | Automatic bid to the NCAA men's basketball tournament |
| Official Conference Championship Basis | Best regular season record |
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What You'll Learn
The American Championship
The American Athletic Conference men's basketball tournament, also known as The American Championship, is a single-elimination tournament involving all league schools. The winner of the tournament receives an automatic bid to the NCAA men's basketball tournament. However, it is important to note that the official conference championship is awarded based on the regular season record, not the tournament performance.
The tournament involves all league schools, with seeding based on their regular-season records. As of the 2023-24 season, there were 14 schools participating in The American Championship. The tournament provides an exciting opportunity for the top men's basketball teams within the American Athletic Conference to compete for the coveted championship title.
The Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) also organises basketball tournaments, indicating a similar naming convention for their tournaments, as seen on their website. This could potentially lead to confusion with searches for "AAC Men's Basketball Tournaments", but the context and specific references to "The American" help differentiate between the two.
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Appalachian Athletic Conference
The Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The AAC was formed in 2000 from the remnants of the Tennessee-Virginia Athletic Conference (TVAC), which operated during the 1980s and 1990s. The conference's members are located in the Southeastern United States, including Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia.
The AAC has seen several membership changes since its inception. Bluefield College was a member from 2000 to 2012, when it left to join the Mid-South Conference. Bluefield later rejoined the AAC in 2014. In 2009, two institutions left the AAC to join new primary conferences: Covenant (to join the NCAA Division III as an independent) and King (to become an NAIA independent). That same year, Reinhardt College (now Reinhardt University) joined the AAC. In 2010, UVa Wise left the AAC to join the Mid-South Conference, and in 2011, Columbia College and Atlanta Christian College (now Point University) became members.
The conference continued to evolve, with Cumberlands and Georgetown leaving as affiliate members for women's lacrosse after the 2018 spring season. Columbia International University joined the AAC in the same academic year. In 2019, Kentucky Christian University became a full member, while Asbury departed as an affiliate member for men's lacrosse. The following year, Savannah College of Art and Design joined as an affiliate member for men's and women's lacrosse. Allen College also left the AAC after the 2019-20 academic year to join the NCAA Division II ranks and the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC).
The AAC is distinct from the American Athletic Conference (also abbreviated as AAC), which holds the men's basketball tournament known as The American Championship.
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Single-elimination tournament format
The American Athletic Conference men's basketball tournament, also known as The American Championship, is a single-elimination tournament. This means that the loser of each match is immediately eliminated from the tournament, while the winners move on to the next round. This continues until there is only one winning team left, which is then declared the champion.
Single-elimination tournaments are relatively simple to organise and can accommodate a large number of competitors. Participants are usually divided into seeded and blind draw brackets. Seeding is based on regular-season records, with the top-ranked teams pitted against each other in the first round, and lower-ranked teams playing in preliminary "play-in" games.
In some cases, the remaining competitors may be "re-seeded" so that the highest-surviving seed plays the lowest surviving seed in the next round, and so on. This tactic is employed in some American team sports, such as the NFL, but not in others, like the MLS, NHL, or NBA.
Single-elimination tournaments are well-suited to competitions where a draw is unlikely, as each fixture must be played over multiple matches if a draw can occur. For example, in chess, where draws are common, a single-elimination tournament must be played over multiple matches. Additionally, in competitions with a small number of teams, a consolation bracket may be included so that eliminated teams can play more than once.
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League schools involved
The American Athletic Conference men's basketball tournament, also known as The American Championship, is a single-elimination tournament involving all 14 league schools as of the 2023-24 season. The winner of the tournament receives an automatic bid to the NCAA men's basketball tournament, although the official conference championship is awarded to the team with the best regular season record.
The American Championship was created following the split of the original Big East Conference. While The American is the legal successor to the old Big East, it gave up the rights to the conference tournament at Madison Square Garden in New York City to the new Big East. As a result, the 2014 tournament was the first official tournament for the new conference.
The league schools involved in The American Championship as of the 2023-24 season are:
- University of Central Florida (UCF) Knights
- University of Cincinnati Bearcats
- University of Connecticut (UConn) Huskies
- University of Houston Cougars
- University of Memphis Tigers
- University of South Florida Bulls
- Temple University Owls
- Tulane University Green Wave
- Southern Methodist University (SMU) Mustangs
- East Carolina University Pirates
- University of Tulsa Golden Hurricane
- Wichita State University Shockers
- Florida Atlantic University Owls
- Navy (the United States Naval Academy) Midshipmen
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NCAA men's basketball tournament bid
The American Athletic Conference men's basketball tournament (AAC) is a single-elimination tournament involving all league schools. The winner of the tournament receives an automatic bid to the NCAA men's basketball tournament. The official conference championship, however, is awarded to the team with the best regular season record.
The NCAA men's basketball tournament is a highly anticipated annual event, with the 2025 tournament featuring 68 competing teams, 31 of which qualified automatically through conference tournaments. The remaining 37 spots are filled by at-large teams chosen by a selection committee.
The NCAA tournament has a rich history, with the tournament expanding to 64 teams in 1985. The event has grown in popularity, as evidenced by the Bracket Challenge Game, where fans can predict the championship winner.
The NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship, also known as March Madness, is the pinnacle of the tournament. It is a highly competitive event that attracts fans and media attention alike. The 2025 tournament promises to be an exciting spectacle, with teams vying for the coveted championship title.
The road to the NCAA men's basketball tournament begins with conference tournaments, and the AAC tournament plays a crucial role in determining the automatic bid for the NCAA tournament. The tournament format ensures an exciting and challenging route to the championship, with teams battling it out on the court to secure their place in the prestigious NCAA tournament.
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Frequently asked questions
The AAC, or Appalachian Athletic Conference, Men's Basketball Tournament is held in various locations. The 2014 tournament was held in New York City, at Madison Square Garden.
The tournament is a single-elimination format involving all league schools.
As of the 2023-24 season, there were 14 teams competing in the tournament.
The winner of the tournament receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament.
