Men's Basketball Earns NCAA Tournament Berth

BATON ROUGE — The LSU Men’s Basketball team, SEC Tournament runner-up, earned the No. 8 seed in the East Region of the 2021 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament and will face No. 9-seed St. Bonaventure (16-4) on Saturday, March 20, at 12:45 p.m. CT in Bloomington, Ind.

The game will be televised by TNT and broadcast on the LSU Sports Radio Network and at www.LSUsports.net/live.

“It’s always good to see your name on the screen,” said LSU Head Coach Will Wade on a post-selection show Zoom. “We have a huge challenge in front of us. They got a very good team. Coach (Mark) Schmidt – I’m familiar with him from the Atlantic 10 – is as good of a ball coach as there is out there in the country.”

LSU (18-9), the No. 3 in the SEC Tournament, advanced to Sunday’s final before falling to top-seed and No. 6-ranked Alabama, 80-79. The Tigers advanced to play in the NCAA Tournament for the 23rd time in program history and the second-straight tournament. The 2020 Tigers squad was poised to enter the tournament as well before the postseason was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The meeting will be the first between the Tigers and Bonnies. 

Though the Tigers were ranked higher in the NET ratings (No. 28) than each of the No. 7 seeds in the tournament, the Tigers received a No. 8 seed.

“I was surprised,” Wade said of the Tigers’ seed. “I thought we’d be a little bit better than that. But, at the end of the day, we lost to Saint Louis and we lost to Texas Tech in the non-conference. We didn’t have the non-conference profile that we needed. We were the top eight seed, right there to get a seven (seed). But, I’ve said this: conference tournaments don’t matter (for NCAA Tournament seeding). Our seed was set on, probably Friday night. We’re in the deal. That’s the number one thing.”

The winner of the first-round game will face the winner of No. 1 seed Michigan and a First Four participant – either No. 16 seed Mount St. Mary’s or Texas Southern.

“I couldn’t be prouder of the team for the way they competed at the SEC Tournament this week,” said LSU Athletics Director Scott Woodward. “Their hard work and determination helped them make history and made Tiger fans everywhere proud. I’m looking forward to their continued success heading into the NCAA Tournament.”

First-round games will be televised on TBS, CBS, TNT and truTV from these venues in Indiana: 

• Mackey Arena (West Lafayette, Ind./Purdue University)
• Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall (Bloomington, Ind./Indiana University)
• Bankers Life Fieldhouse (Indianapolis, Ind./Indiana Pacers)
• Hinkle Fieldhouse (Indianapolis, Ind./Butler University)
• Indiana Farmers Coliseum (Indianapolis, Ind./IUPUI)
• Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis, Ind./Indianapolis Colts)

2021 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Pairings
All Games Played in Indiana
Game times and locations TBD

First Four

March 18
16 Norfolk St. vs. 16 Appalachian St.
11 Wichita St./11 Drake
16 Mount St. Mary’s/16 Texas Southern
11 Michigan St./11 UCLA

West Region

Saturday, March 20
1 Gonzaga vs. 16 Norfolk St./16 Appalachian St.
8 Oklahoma vs. 9 Missouri
5 Creighton vs. 12 UC Santa Barbara
4 Virginia vs. 13 Ohio
6 USC vs. 11 Wichita St./11 Drake
3 Kansas vs. 14 Eastern Washington
7 Oregon vs. 10 VCU
2 Iowa vs. 15 Grand Canyon

South Region

Friday, March 19
1 Baylor vs. 16 Harvard
8 North Carolina vs. 9 Wisconsin
5 Villanova vs. 12 Winthrop
4 Purdue vs. 13 North Texas
6 Texas Tech vs. 11 Utah St.
3 Arkansas vs. 14 Colgate
7 Florida vs. 10 Virginia Tech
2 Ohio St. vs. 15 Oral Roberts

Midwest Region

Friday, March 19
1 Illinois vs. 16 Drexel
8 Loyola Chicago vs. 9 Georgia Tech
5 Tennessee vs. 12 Oregon St.
4 Oklahoma St. vs. 13 Liberty
6 San Diego St. vs. 11 Syracuse
3 West Virginia vs. 14 Morehead St.
7 Clemson vs. 10 Rutgers
2 Houston vs. 15 Cleveland St.

East Region

Saturday, March 20
1 Michigan vs. 16 Mount St. Mary’s/16 Texas Southern
8 LSU vs. 9 St. Bonaventure
5 Colorado vs. 12 Georgetown
4 Florida St. vs. 13 UNC Greensboro
6 BYU vs. 11 Michigan St./11 UCLA
3 Texas vs. 14 Abilene Christian
7 UConn vs. 10 Maryland
2 Alabama vs. 15 Iona

2021 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Schedule

Sunday, March 14 (5 p.m. CT)
Selection Sunday
TV: CBS

Thursday, March 18  (starting at 3 p.m. CT)
First Four
Locations: Mackey Arena, Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall
TV: truTV, TBS

Friday, March 19 and Saturday, March 20 (starting at 11 a.m. CT)
First Round
Locations: Mackey Arena, Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indiana Farmers Coliseum, Lucas Oil Stadium
TV: TBS, CBS, TNT, truTV

Sunday, March 21 and Monday, March 22 (starting at 11 a.m. CT)
Second Round
Locations: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indiana Farmers Coliseum, Lucas Oil Stadium
TV: TBS, CBS, TNT, truTV

Saturday, March 27 (1 p.m./6 p.m. CT) and Sunday, March 28 (12 p.m./6 p.m.)
Sweet 16
Locations: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Hinkle Fieldhouse
TV: CBS (afternoon games), TBS (primetime games)

Monday, March 29 (6 p.m. CT) and Tuesday, March 30 (5 p.m. CT)
Elite Eight
Location: Lucas Oil Stadium
TV: CBS (Monday) and TBS (Tuesday)

Saturday, April 3 (starting at 4 p.m. CT) and Monday, April 5 (8 p.m. CT)
Final Four
Location: Lucas Oil Stadium
TV: CBS