Feb. 25, 2011

IRVING, Texas - Conference USA Commissioner Britton Banowsky and Memphis Athletics Director R.C. Johnson announced Friday that the C-USA Men's and Women's Basketball Championships will be hosted by Memphis in 2012, as approved by the Conference Board of Directors. Events will be held March 6-10 at FedExForum and Elma Roane Fieldhouse.

All 12 C-USA men's and C-USA women's programs will compete in the four-day, 11-game tournament format. The winner of each tournament will receive an automatic berth to the 2012 NCAA Basketball Championship.

"Memphis has been a wonderful host in the past for our premier basketball events," Banowsky said. "The Memphis fans and community have truly embraced and supported the event, with FedExForum serving as a spectacular venue to crown our champions."

"We are certainly pleased that the men's and women's Conference USA Basketball Championships are returning to Memphis," added Johnson. "The event has always been well received and well supported by our fans and given the continued growth of C-USA basketball, I am sure that the 2012 championships will be a great event for both the City of Memphis and the Mid-South."

"We are very excited that Conference USA is returning to FedExForum and Memphis for the 2012 tournament," said Eric Granger, FedExForum Vice President of Operations. "As the home of the Memphis Grizzlies and Memphis Tigers we look forward to once again offering the schools, student-athletes and fans a tournament experience second to none. As with past tournaments, we are committed to a successful partnership with Conference USA, The University of Memphis, the Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau and the hospitality community in 2012 and beyond."

The 2012 C-USA Basketball Championship will be the eighth time overall that the City of Memphis has played host to the men's postseason tournament and the second time for the women. The Men's Championship was hosted at FedExForum from 2005-09 and was played at The Pyramid in 1996 and 2000. The 2003 Women's Championship was also held at The Pyramid.