CHARLOTTE — The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) prepares for its 2018 Women’s and Men’s Basketball Tournament with the release of a new tournament format.

The CIAA’s tournament restructure ensures student-athlete welfare for all its women’s and men’s basketball teams with built-in rest days for participants. Women’s and men’s teams will continue to be seeded 1-6 by division for a full tournament slate of 24 teams and 22 games. However, the conference’s new format limits the number of games played consecutively, ensuring that no team will play 5 days in a row. In the conference’s previous tournament format, it was possible for a men’s basketball team to begin competition Tuesday and play each day until advancing to the championship on Saturday.

The new basketball format also accommodates playing time in both of the CIAA’s tournament venues, distributing women’s and men’s contests evenly between Bojangles’ Coliseum and Spectrum Center. The full women’s and men’s tournament brackets will be released at a later date.

New Tournament Format

*Not displayed in playing order. Tournament seeds and times will be announced at a later date.

Last Year’s Tournament Format

The CIAA’s 2017-18 Basketball Media Day will be held Thursday, October 5th from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. in Charlotte, North Carolina. An extended circuit format will include Q&A with all 24 Head Basketball Coaches and tournament updates by CIAA partners and officials, including Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams.

The 2018 CIAA Basketball Tournament will be held February 27 – March 3 in Charlotte, North Carolina. For hotel and ticket information, visit www.ciaatournament.org.