The Southwestern Athletic Conference revealed a new format for its 2027 men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, reshaping how the ten qualifying teams will compete.
Under the revised bracket, the highest‑seeded teams receive byes that skip them straight to the semifinals, while seeds three and four move directly into the quarterfinals, and seeds five and six advance to the second round without playing the opening games.
The opening round will feature a clash between the eighth and ninth seeds and another between the seventh and tenth seeds; victorious teams then meet the fifth and sixth seeds in the second round, setting up quarterfinal pairings that pit the fourth seed against the winner of the fifth‑side bracket and the third seed against the winner of the sixth‑side bracket.
Assessment and Future Plans
A dedicated working group will continue to evaluate the tournaments’ viability, growth prospects and long‑term sustainability, with further announcements about dates, times and ticketing expected in the coming weeks.