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Two years ago, after just missing the NCAA Tournament, the Seton Hall basketball team quickly gathered itself and won the NIT, starting with three memorable games at raucous Walsh Gym and culminating in a widely watched thriller against Indiana State at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
The Pirates' postseason will look very different this time around.
After falling to St. John's in Friday's Big East Tournament semifinals, the Pirates (21-11) will have to wait until Monday to learn their almost certain assignment in the College Basketball Crown, a consolation tournament in Las Vegas for select high majors. Then they'll have to wait 16 more days to play in the made-for-TV event.
The Crowd debuted last year as a 16-team field and has been narrowed to eight teams this time around. As explained in this USA TODAY report, the Big East, Big Ten and Big 12 are obligated to send their top two teams that don’t make the NCAA Tournament. The “top two” are determined by NET ranking, which easily makes the Hall the No. 1 Big East rep. The final two spots are wild cards determined by a committee.
At the moment, the six "auto bids" to the Crown would go to Seton Hall and Providence from the Big East, Indiana and Washington from the Big Ten, and Cincinnati and Baylor from the Big 12.
The Crown schedule is as follows (times are Eastern):
Quarterfinal day 1: Wednesday, April 1 at MGM Grand Arena, 8 and 10:30 p.m. (airing on Fox Sports 1).
Quarterfinal day 2: Wednesday, April 2 at MGM Grand Arena, 8 and 10:30 p.m. (airing on Fox Sports 1).
Semifinals: Saturday, April 4 at T-Mobile Arena, 1:30 and 4 p.m. (airing on Fox).
Championship game: Sunday, April 5 at T-Mobile Arena, 5:30 p.m. (airing on Fox).
The schedule is designed as a lead-in to the NCAA Tournament's Final Four and national title game, to give Fox some counter-programming to CBS.
There is prize money. Last year champion Nebraska received $300,000, runner-up Central Florida $100,000 and the semifinal losers $50,000 apiece.
The Crown bracket will be announced Monday, March 16 at 5:30 p.m. Eastern on Fox Sports 1.
After their loss to St. John's, Seton Hall captains A.J. Staton-McCray and Budd Clark both expressed a desire to continue playing, no matter what the tournament.
“We’ve still got some things to solve given the opportunity, so the feeling is high to come back and continue proving ourselves," Staton-McCray said in the Pirates' locker room. "It’s always fun to play basketball games. We’re all basketball players – we love to hoop, NCAA championship or not.”
The transfer portal window has been pushed back this year to April 7-21, so that won't interfere with the postseason, although many decisions already will have been made.
Jerry Carino has covered the New Jersey sports scene since 1996 and the college basketball beat since 2003. Contact him at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: March Madness 2026, When is the College Basketball Crown?
Continue reading...
The Pirates' postseason will look very different this time around.
After falling to St. John's in Friday's Big East Tournament semifinals, the Pirates (21-11) will have to wait until Monday to learn their almost certain assignment in the College Basketball Crown, a consolation tournament in Las Vegas for select high majors. Then they'll have to wait 16 more days to play in the made-for-TV event.
The Crowd debuted last year as a 16-team field and has been narrowed to eight teams this time around. As explained in this USA TODAY report, the Big East, Big Ten and Big 12 are obligated to send their top two teams that don’t make the NCAA Tournament. The “top two” are determined by NET ranking, which easily makes the Hall the No. 1 Big East rep. The final two spots are wild cards determined by a committee.
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At the moment, the six "auto bids" to the Crown would go to Seton Hall and Providence from the Big East, Indiana and Washington from the Big Ten, and Cincinnati and Baylor from the Big 12.
The Crown schedule is as follows (times are Eastern):
Quarterfinal day 1: Wednesday, April 1 at MGM Grand Arena, 8 and 10:30 p.m. (airing on Fox Sports 1).
Quarterfinal day 2: Wednesday, April 2 at MGM Grand Arena, 8 and 10:30 p.m. (airing on Fox Sports 1).
Semifinals: Saturday, April 4 at T-Mobile Arena, 1:30 and 4 p.m. (airing on Fox).
Championship game: Sunday, April 5 at T-Mobile Arena, 5:30 p.m. (airing on Fox).
The schedule is designed as a lead-in to the NCAA Tournament's Final Four and national title game, to give Fox some counter-programming to CBS.
There is prize money. Last year champion Nebraska received $300,000, runner-up Central Florida $100,000 and the semifinal losers $50,000 apiece.
The Crown bracket will be announced Monday, March 16 at 5:30 p.m. Eastern on Fox Sports 1.
After their loss to St. John's, Seton Hall captains A.J. Staton-McCray and Budd Clark both expressed a desire to continue playing, no matter what the tournament.
“We’ve still got some things to solve given the opportunity, so the feeling is high to come back and continue proving ourselves," Staton-McCray said in the Pirates' locker room. "It’s always fun to play basketball games. We’re all basketball players – we love to hoop, NCAA championship or not.”
The transfer portal window has been pushed back this year to April 7-21, so that won't interfere with the postseason, although many decisions already will have been made.
Jerry Carino has covered the New Jersey sports scene since 1996 and the college basketball beat since 2003. Contact him at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: March Madness 2026, When is the College Basketball Crown?
Continue reading...
