IRVING, Texas – The bracket is set for the 2021 Air Force Reserve American Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Championship, to be held March 11-14 at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.
Regular season champion Wichita State (15-4, 11-2) is the No. 1 seed for the first time since the conference four years ago.
WSU will open with a quarterfinal matchup against the South Florida / Temple winner on Friday, Mar. 12 (11 a.m. CT, ESPN2).
A potential WSU-Temple matchup would be the third-straight time that those teams have met in the American quarterfinals. The Shockers eliminated the Owls from the 2018 and 2019 tournaments.
Should USF advance to Friday, it would be the second meeting in six days between the schools. WSU defeated the Bulls, 80-63, in Saturday's regular season finale.
Houston (21-3, 14-3) claimed the No. 2 seed after taking down Memphis on Sunday. The Cougars have been a top-3 seed in the conference tournament each of the last six seasons. Houston faces the winner of Tulsa/Tulane on Friday, March 12 at 6 p.m. CT on ESPNU.
Memphis (15-7, 11-4) will be the No. 3 seed for the championship. The Tigers earned their highest-ever seed since joining The American. Memphis plays the winner of UCF/East Carolina on Friday, March 12 at 9 p.m. CT on ESPNU.
SMU (11-4, 7-4) is the No. 4 seed for the tournament. The Mustangs will play Cincinnati on Friday, March 12 at 2 p.m. CT on ESPN2.
Cincinnati (10-10, 8-6) earned the No. 5 seed for the championship. The Bearcats will face SMU on Friday, March 12 at 2 p.m. CT on ESPN2.
UCF (10-11, 8-10) claimed the No. 6 seed after winning its last four games. The Knights take on East Carolina on Thursday, March 11 at 6 p.m. CT on ESPNU.
Tulsa (11-11, 7-9) will compete as the No. 7 seed for the tournament. The Golden Hurricane plays Tulane on Thursday, March 11 at 2 p.m. CT on ESPNU.
USF (8-12, 4-10) earned the No. 8 seed for the tourney. The Bulls will face off against Temple on Thursday, March 11 at 11 a.m. CT on ESPNU.
Temple (5-10, 4-10) is the No. 9 seed for the tournament. The Owls take on USF on Thursday, March 11 at 11 a.m. CT on ESPNU.
Tulane (9-12, 4-12) is the No. 10 seed for the championship. The Green Wave will compete against Tulsa on Thursday, March 11 at 2 p.m. CT on ESPNU.
East Carolina (8-10, 2-10) will compete as the No. 11 seed. The Pirates will face UCF on Thursday, March 11 at 6 p.m. CT on ESPNU.
Fans may visit www.TheAmerican.org/MBB for the latest information the 2021 Championship, including links for single-session tickets and all-session ticket packages.
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Air Force Reserve American Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Championship Schedule
First Round - Thursday, March 11
Game 1 | No. 9 Temple vs. No. 8 USF | 11 a.m. CT | ESPNU
Game 2 | No. 10 Tulane vs. No. 7 Tulsa | 2 p.m. CT | ESPNU
Game 3 | No. 11 East Carolina vs. No. 6 UCF | 6 p.m. CT | ESPNU
Quarterfinals - Friday, March 12
Game 4 | Winner of Game 1 vs. No. 1 Wichita State | 11 a.m. CT | ESPN2
Game 5 | No. 5 Cincinnati vs. No. 4 SMU | 2 p.m. CT | ESPN2
Game 6 | Winner of Game 2 vs. No. 2 Houston | 6 p.m. CT | ESPNU
Game 7 | Winner of Game 3 vs. No. 3 Memphis | 9 p.m. CT | ESPNU
Semifinals - Saturday, March 13
Game 8 | Winner of Game 4 vs. Winner of Game 5 | 2 p.m. CT | ESPN2
Game 9 | Winner of Game 6 vs. Winner of Game 7 | 4:30 p.m. CT | ESPN2
Final - Sunday, March 14
Game 10 | Winner of Game 8 vs. Winner of Game 9 | 2:15 p.m. CT | ESPN
Regular season champion Wichita State (15-4, 11-2) is the No. 1 seed for the first time since the conference four years ago.
WSU will open with a quarterfinal matchup against the South Florida / Temple winner on Friday, Mar. 12 (11 a.m. CT, ESPN2).
A potential WSU-Temple matchup would be the third-straight time that those teams have met in the American quarterfinals. The Shockers eliminated the Owls from the 2018 and 2019 tournaments.
Should USF advance to Friday, it would be the second meeting in six days between the schools. WSU defeated the Bulls, 80-63, in Saturday's regular season finale.
Houston (21-3, 14-3) claimed the No. 2 seed after taking down Memphis on Sunday. The Cougars have been a top-3 seed in the conference tournament each of the last six seasons. Houston faces the winner of Tulsa/Tulane on Friday, March 12 at 6 p.m. CT on ESPNU.
Memphis (15-7, 11-4) will be the No. 3 seed for the championship. The Tigers earned their highest-ever seed since joining The American. Memphis plays the winner of UCF/East Carolina on Friday, March 12 at 9 p.m. CT on ESPNU.
SMU (11-4, 7-4) is the No. 4 seed for the tournament. The Mustangs will play Cincinnati on Friday, March 12 at 2 p.m. CT on ESPN2.
Cincinnati (10-10, 8-6) earned the No. 5 seed for the championship. The Bearcats will face SMU on Friday, March 12 at 2 p.m. CT on ESPN2.
UCF (10-11, 8-10) claimed the No. 6 seed after winning its last four games. The Knights take on East Carolina on Thursday, March 11 at 6 p.m. CT on ESPNU.
Tulsa (11-11, 7-9) will compete as the No. 7 seed for the tournament. The Golden Hurricane plays Tulane on Thursday, March 11 at 2 p.m. CT on ESPNU.
USF (8-12, 4-10) earned the No. 8 seed for the tourney. The Bulls will face off against Temple on Thursday, March 11 at 11 a.m. CT on ESPNU.
Temple (5-10, 4-10) is the No. 9 seed for the tournament. The Owls take on USF on Thursday, March 11 at 11 a.m. CT on ESPNU.
Tulane (9-12, 4-12) is the No. 10 seed for the championship. The Green Wave will compete against Tulsa on Thursday, March 11 at 2 p.m. CT on ESPNU.
East Carolina (8-10, 2-10) will compete as the No. 11 seed. The Pirates will face UCF on Thursday, March 11 at 6 p.m. CT on ESPNU.
Fans may visit www.TheAmerican.org/MBB for the latest information the 2021 Championship, including links for single-session tickets and all-session ticket packages.
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Air Force Reserve American Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Championship Schedule
First Round - Thursday, March 11
Game 1 | No. 9 Temple vs. No. 8 USF | 11 a.m. CT | ESPNU
Game 2 | No. 10 Tulane vs. No. 7 Tulsa | 2 p.m. CT | ESPNU
Game 3 | No. 11 East Carolina vs. No. 6 UCF | 6 p.m. CT | ESPNU
Quarterfinals - Friday, March 12
Game 4 | Winner of Game 1 vs. No. 1 Wichita State | 11 a.m. CT | ESPN2
Game 5 | No. 5 Cincinnati vs. No. 4 SMU | 2 p.m. CT | ESPN2
Game 6 | Winner of Game 2 vs. No. 2 Houston | 6 p.m. CT | ESPNU
Game 7 | Winner of Game 3 vs. No. 3 Memphis | 9 p.m. CT | ESPNU
Semifinals - Saturday, March 13
Game 8 | Winner of Game 4 vs. Winner of Game 5 | 2 p.m. CT | ESPN2
Game 9 | Winner of Game 6 vs. Winner of Game 7 | 4:30 p.m. CT | ESPN2
Final - Sunday, March 14
Game 10 | Winner of Game 8 vs. Winner of Game 9 | 2:15 p.m. CT | ESPN
