Overview
- The tournament opens Tuesday with two first-round games on ESPN+, then quarterfinals March 5, semifinals March 8, and a March 11 title game on CBSSN that awards the league’s NCAA berth.
- Top-seeded Navy went 17-1 in conference play and 25-6 overall, riding a 21-1 stretch behind guard Austin Benigni and center Aidan Kehoe under first-year coach Jon Perry.
- Colgate enters as the No. 3 seed with proven March chops, but star point guard Jalen Cox’s status is uncertain after he missed Saturday’s game with a concussion.
- Lehigh secured the No. 2 seed at 11-7 with late-season momentum, fueled by scoring leader Nasir Whitlock and improved frontcourt play from Hank Alvey.
- The 4–5 quarterfinal between Boston University and American looms as a swing game, with BU surging and American holding the season’s lone win over Navy.