Tulsa Men to Face Wichita State in AAC First Round Game Thursday

CHAMPIONSHIP BRACKET

IRVING, Texas –– The Tulsa men's basketball team will open the 2022 Air Force Reserve American Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Championship in first round action against No. 7 seed Wichita State on Thursday, March 10. The tournament runs from March 10-13 at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.

Tulsa-Wichita State will tip-off at 2 p.m. (CT) and will be aired on ESPNU. The winner will face No. 2 seed SMU on Friday at 6 p.m. in quarterfinal play.

The Hurricane has an overall 10-19 record and 4-14 mark in the AAC, while Wichita State is 15-12 and 7-11 in The American. WSU won both regular season games this year.

The team that wins the 2022 American Men's Basketball Championship will receive the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship. Teams in the American tournament are seeded based on winning percentage from regular-season conference games, with the top-five seeds in the 2022 tournament bracket receiving first-round byes.

Fans may visit www.TheAmerican.org/MBB for the latest information the 2022 Championship, including links for single-session tickets and all-session ticket packages.

No. 1 Houston (26-5, 15-3 American) is the No. 1 seed for the Championship after earning at least a share of the regular-season title for the third time in the last four seasons. It is the second time the Cougars have been the No. 1 seed for the Championship (2019). Defending tournament champion Houston opens the tournament against the winner of Tulane/Temple on Friday, March 11 at 1 p.m. ET/Noon CT on ESPN2.

No. 2 SMU (21-7, 12-5) is the No. 2 seed. It is the Mustangs' highest seed since being the No. 1 seed in 2017, which was one of SMU's two tournament championships (2015). SMU will play the winner of Tulsa/Wichita State on Friday at 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT on ESPNU.

No. 3 Memphis (19-9, 13-5) has won 10 of its last 11 games and earned the No. 3 seed after defeating Houston, 75-61, on Sunday, March 6. Memphis will play the winner of South Florida/UCF on Friday at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT on ESPNU.

No. 4 Temple (17-11, 10-7) earned the No. 4 seed after defeating South Florida, 75-47, on Sunday. It is the Owls' highest seed since being No. 3 in 2019. Temple will face Tulane on Friday at 3 p.m. ET/2 p.m. CT on ESPN2.

No. 5 Tulane (13-13, 10-7) earned the No. 5 seed and a first-round bye for the first time since joining The American. The Green Wave's previous-best seed was No. 7 in 2015. Tulane will face Temple on Friday at 3 p.m. ET/2 p.m. CT on ESPN2.

No. 6 UCF (17-11, 9-9) will be the No. 6 seed for the second straight Championship. The Knights will play in-state rival South Florida on Thursday, March 10 at 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT on ESPNU.

No. 7 Wichita State (15-12, 6-9) is the No. 7 seed after defeating East Carolina, 70-62, on Saturday, March 5. The Shockers will play Tulsa on Thursday at 3 p.m. ET/2 p.m. CT on ESPNU.

No. 8 Cincinnati (17-14, 7-11) earned the No. 8 seed for the Championship. The Bearcats will face East Carolina on Thursday on 1 p.m. ET/Noon CT on ESPNU.

No. 9 East Carolina (15-14, 6-11) is the No. 9 seed for the Championship. The Pirates will take on Cincinnati on Thursday at 1 p.m. ET/Noon CT on ESPNU.

No. 10 Tulsa (10-19, 4-14) is the No. 10 seed after defeating UCF, 73-72, on a buzzer-beater on Sunday. The Golden Hurricane will face Wichita State on Thursday at 3 p.m. ET/2 p.m. CT on ESPNU.

No. 11 South Florida (8-22, 3-15) is the No. 11 seed for the Championship. The Bulls will take play in-state rival UCF on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT on ESPNU.

2022 Air Force Reserve American Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Championship

First Round • Thursday, March 10
Men's Game 1: No. 9 East Carolina vs. No. 8 Cincinnati – 1 p.m. ET/Noon CT | ESPNU
Men's Game 2: No. 10 Tulsa vs. No. 7 Wichita State – 3 p.m. ET/2 p.m. CT | ESPNU
Men's Game 3: No. 11 South Florida vs. No. 6 UCF – 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT | ESPNU

Quarterfinals • Friday, March 11
Game 4: Winner of Game 1 vs. No. 1 Houston – 1 p.m. ET/Noon p.m. CT | ESPN2
Game 5: No. 5 Tulane vs. No. 4 Temple – 3 p.m. ET/2 p.m. CT | ESPN2
Game 6: Winner Game 2 vs. No. 2 SMU – 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT | ESPNU
Game 7: Winner Game 3 vs. No. 3 Memphis – 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT | ESPNU

Semifinals • Saturday, March 12
Game 8: Semifinal 1, Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5 – 3 p.m. ET/2 p.m. CT | ESPN2
Game 9: Semifinal 2, Winner Game 6 vs. Winner Game 7 – 5 p.m. ET/4 p.m. CT | ESPN2

Final • Sunday, March 13
Game 10: Championship, Semifinal Winners – 3:15 p.m. ET/2:15 p.m. CT | ESPN

Tulsa Men to Face Wichita State in AAC First Round Game Thursday

Related Videos