The 1988 American South Conference men's basketball tournament was held March 4–6 at the Montagne Center at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas.
Louisiana Tech defeated New Orleans in the championship game, 69–66, to take home the first American South men's basketball tournament.
All six of the conference's founding members participated in the tournament field.
They were seeded based on regular season conference records.
All games were played at Lamar's home court at the Montagne Center in Beaumont, Texas.