2024 March Madness Conference Tournament Brackets and Scores: Morehead State Victorious in OVC, Securing First Automatic Bid

Morehead State earns first NCAA Tournament bid with win over Little Rock. Riley Minix scores 26 points in victory. #MarchMadness

Morehead State made history on Saturday by securing the first automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The No. 3 seed Eagles defeated No. 1 seed Little Rock 69-55 in the Ohio Valley Tournament title game, earning their spot in the 2024 NCAA Tournament. This victory marks the beginning of a streak for Morehead State, as they have now achieved four straight seasons with 20 or more wins under the leadership of coach Preston Spradlin. Riley Minix led the team with 26 points, while Drew Thelwell added 21 to seal the win.

In addition to Morehead State's triumph, other No. 1 seeds faced defeat on Saturday. Top-seeded Central Connecticut State fell to No. 6 seed Wagner 66-56 in the NEC Tournament semifinals, while No. 1 seed High Point suffered an 80-79 overtime loss to No. 5 seed Longwood in the Big South Tournament.

Sunday will see three more NCAA Tournament bids awarded as the ASUN, Big South, and Missouri Valley crown their tournament champions. Exciting matchups include No. 2 seed Stetson versus No. 4 seed Austin Peay in the ASUN title game, and No. 2 seed UNC Asheville facing off against No. 5 seed Longwood for the Big South crown.

The highlight of Sunday's action will be in the Missouri Valley Tournament, where No. 1 seed Indiana State battles No. 2 seed Drake for the title after splitting their regular-season series. Additionally, the Patriot League and SoCon will narrow down their fields from four to two in semifinal action, while the Big Sky, CAA, and Summit conferences will play quarterfinal games.

As teams secure automatic bids to the NCAA Tournament, the excitement continues to build. Stay tuned for updates as the tournament progresses.

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