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2020 Sun Belt Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament Basics

Dates

Saturday, March 7th (first round); Monday, March 9th (second round); Wednesday, March 11th (quarterfinals); Saturday, March 14th (semifinals); Sunday, March 15th (championship)

With the first three rounds moving back on campus for this season, the Sun Belt Tournament is seriously stretched out.

Format

Stepladder bracket

Site(s)

Higher seeds host the first three rounds, with the two survivors joining the top two seeds in New Orleans. This season’s semifinals and finals shift from Lakefront Arena on the campus of Southland member New Orleans Privateers for the Smoothie King Center.

Next season, the event moves to Pensacola, Fla. for a five-year stint with all 12 teams scheduled to participate and travel to the Florida Panhandle.

TV/Streaming Info

ESPN2 will carry the championship game on Selection Sunday afternoon. The other nine games will be streaming on ESPN+.

Participants

While all 12 teams will be involved in 2021, only the top 10 made the cut this season. So, the the ULM Warhawks (9-20, 5-15) and Troy Trojans (9-22, 5-15), did not qualify.

Downloadable Bracket

Schedule

First Round (Sat., March 7)

ESPN+ ($) will stream both games.

Game 1: No. 9 Arkansas State Red Wolves (16-16, 8-12) 66, No. 8 Louisiana 73
The season series was a home split.

Game 2: No. 10 Coastal Carolina 63, No. 7 UT Arlington Mavericks (14-18, 10-10) 62
The Chanticleers swept the season series.

Second Round (Mon., March 9)

ESPN+ ($) will stream both games.

Game 3: No. 8 Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns (14-19, 8-12) 81, No. 5 Georgia Southern 82
The Eagles swept the season series.

Game 4: No. 10 Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (16-17, 8-12) 65, No. 6 Appalachian State 70
The season series was a road split.

Quarterfinals (Wed., March 11)

ESPN+ ($) will stream both games.

Game 5: No. 5 Georgia Southern 81, No. 4 Georgia State Panthers (19-13, 12-8) 62
The season series was a road split.

Game 6: No. 6 Appalachian State Mountaineers (18-15, 11-9) 68, No. 3 Texas State 85
The season series was a home split.

Semifinals (Sat., March 14)

ESPN+ ($) will stream both games.

Game 7: No. 5 Georgia Southern Eagles (20-13, 12-8)vs. No. 1 Little Rock Trojans (21-10, 15-5), 12:30 p.m.
The Trojans won the pair’s lone meeting of the season at home.

Game 8: No. 3 Texas State Bobcats (21-11, 13-7) vs. No. 2 South Alabama Jaguars (20-11, 13-7), approx. 3 p.m.
The Jaguars won the pair’s lone meeting of the season at home.

Championship (Sun., March 15)

Game 9: Semifinal winners, 2 p.m. (ESPN2)

College Hoops Coast to Coast host T.J. Rives will have a radio call of Sunday’s final at this TuneIn link if you would like an alternative call or are unable to watch.

10-Year Mayhem Potential

Data from Bob Vetrone Jr. on Twitter.

Over the past 10 seasons, the Sun Belt’s No. 1 and 2 seeds have combined to win just five titles. Last year’s victory by Georgia State was the first for the top-seeded team since 2016 and only the third since 2009.

• 1 seed (3): 2015, 2016, 2019
• 2 seed (2): 2010, 2018
• 6 seed (2): 2013, 2017
• 3 seed (1): 2014
• 7 seed (1): 2015
• 5 seed (1): 2011 (West Division)

10-Year NCAA Seeding Record

Years with an NCAA win are in bold.

• 14 seed (3): 2014, 2015, 2019
• 15 seed (3): 2010, 2017, 2018
• 16 seed (3): 2011, 2012, 2013 (automatic)
• 12 seed (1): 2016
• 11 seed (1): 2013 (at-large)

The teams responsible for the Sun Belt’s 2010, 2012, and 2013 bids, the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders, North Texas Mean Green, and Western Kentucky Hilltoppers are all in C-USA now.

This year’s champ is likely to be a 15 or 16 seed, simply due to the carnage in the conference race. There’s no 2016 Little Rock in this group.

Last NCAA Tournament Appearances

Georgia State: 2019 (14 seed, 1st Round)
Little Rock: 2016 (12 seed, 2nd Round)
Coastal Carolina: 2015 (16 seed, Round of 64, Big South member)
Louisiana: 2014 (14 seed, Round of 64)
South Alabama: 2008 (10 seed, at-large, 1st Round)
UT Arlington: 2008 (16 seed, 1st Round, Southland member)
Appalachian State: 2000 (14 seed, 1st Round, SoCon member)
Arkansas State: 1999 (15 seed, 1st Round)
Texas State: 1997 (16 seed, 1st Round, Southland member)
Georgia Southern: 1992 (15 seed, 1st Round, TAAC (ASUN) member)

Troy (2017, 15 seed, 1st Round) and ULM (1996, 15 seed, 1st Round, Southland member) will have to wait at least a year to return to the field, due to their inability to qualify for this season’s Sun Belt Tournament.

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