Big South Conference Tournament Preview: Prediction, Odds, Standings and Bracket

The Big South has been crowded this season after frontrunners Longwood and Winthrop, but can someone steal a bid and get into the NCAA Tournament? 

Gardner-Webb has the best adjusted efficiency margin at KenPom in the conference, but Longwood and Winthrop aren’t far behind. 

Let’s start by breaking down the odds for the Big South Conference Tournament via WynnBET:

Big South Conference Tournament Odds

• Longwood: +215
• Winthrop: +225
• Gardner Webb: +450
• Campbell: +1000
• UNC Asheville: +1000
• High Point: +2000
• South Carolina Upstate: +2500
• Radford: +5000
• NC A&T: +10000
• Hampton: +20000
• Presbyterian: +20000
• Charleston Southern: +20000

Big South Conference Tournament Standings and Bracket

Here’s a look at the Big South Conference Tournament Bracket: 

Longwood, Winthrop, USC Upstate and Gardner Webb will receive byes into the quarterfinals, while the rest of the conference will face off in the first round beginning on Wednesday.

Big South Conference Tournament Schedule (Dates, Times, Channel)

The first round of the Big South Conference Tournament will start on Wednesday, March 2 on ESPN+. 

The quarterfinals will take place on Friday, March 4 on ESPN+ with the semifinals following on Saturday, March 5, also on ESPN+. 

The championship game will be played the following day on Sunday, March 6 on ESPN2.

Big South Conference Tournament Prediction and Pick

While it lost to Longwood in the regular season, I think Winthrop has what it takes to win this conference tournament. 

The Eagles are the best shooting team in the conference, posting a 58.4 percent effective field goal percentage and posting the best two-point and third best 3-point percentage in the conference. On defense, the Eagles are third in defensive efficiency, and they are fourth in turnover percentage. 

The only place where Winthrop scares me is turning the ball over offensively, but I think the Eagles make up for their league-worst turnover percentage with great shooting. 

Longwood and Gardner-Webb will be tough tests, but I think the Eagles can get hot to take this conference. 

Lean: Winthrop (+225)

Big South Conference Tournament Dark Horse

If there’s a dark horse team that can get hot in this tournament, it’s the USC Upstate Spartans, who are +2500 to win the conference. 

The Spartans can score with the best of them, ranking third in offensive efficiency, according to KenPom, second in 3-point percentage and third in turnover percentage. The Spartans weakness is on the defensive side of the ball, but if they get hot from deep they could make a run in this tournament. 

USC Upstate went 10-6 in the conference this season, and it did beat Gardner Webb twice this season.