Pac‑12 Basketball Returns to the Las Vegas Strip
The Pac‑12 Conference is set to reclaim the spotlight on the Las Vegas Strip as it hosts its men’s and women’s basketball tournaments at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in March 2027. The events will run from March 9 through March 13, bringing a fresh play‑in ladder format that pits all nine participating schools against each other in a bid to earn automatic bids.
This marks a symbolic homecoming for the conference, which last staged its men’s tournament at the T‑Mobile Arena from 2017 through 2024 and saw the women’s championship concluded at the same MGM Grand venue in 2024. The return to the Strip underscores the league’s ambition to blend high‑stakes competition with the entertainment capital’s vibrant atmosphere.
A Revamped Play‑In Format
The new tournament structure introduces a play‑in ladder for all nine schools, with the top two seeds receiving double‑byes, a design meant to reward regular‑season performance while keeping the competition dynamic.
Commissioner Teresa Gould emphasized that the move reflects the growing strength of the Pac‑12’s basketball brand and the caliber of its teams. “Bringing the tournaments back to Las Vegas is a testament to the strength of the teams and brands,” she said, highlighting the addition of new members such as Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Gonzaga, San Diego State, Texas State and Utah State, alongside the remaining Oregon State and Washington State.
Meanwhile, the Mountain West Conference will continue to hold its own basketball championships at the Thomas & Mack Center on the UNLV campus, preserving a separate but neighboring schedule that underscores the evolving landscape of collegiate sports in the region.