Breaking down the Sun Belt Conference basketball tournament schedule

The Sun Belt Conference Championship stretches from March 5th through 8th, with games taking place between Pensacola State College and the Bay Center Arena in Pensacola Florida. The Sun Belt Conference Championship game will be played at the Bay Center Arena in Pensacola, Florida.

The tournament will include all 12 teams in the Sun Belt Conference, and the first round of the tournament will pit the East Division against the West Division. The top two teams in each division will receive a first-round bye and guaranteed bid to the quarterfinals.

The first three rounds of the conference championship will be broadcast on ESPN+. The Sun Belt Championship game will air on ESPN2.

The Georgia State Panthers are the favorite entering the event, and currently rank No. 145 in Ken Pomeroy’s ratings and No. 137 in the NCAA’s NET rankings. Texas State is right behind them, ranking No. 178 in the Pomeroy ratings and No. 146 in the NET rankings. This is for sure a one-bid league only.

Friday, March 5th

Game 1: No. 4 Arkansas State 62-58 over No. 5 Georgia Southern
Game 2: No. 3 South Alabama 80-72 over No. 6 Louisiana-Monroe
Game 3: No. 6 Troy 91-86 over No. 3 Texas-Arlington
Game 4: No. 4 App State 67-60 over No. 5 Arkansas-Little Rock

Saturday, March 6

Quarterfinals 1: No. 1 Georgia State 71-68 over No. 4 Arkansas State
Quarterfinals 2: No. 2 Louisiana 79-68 over No. 3 South Alabama
Quarterfinals 3: No. 2 Coastal Carolina 86-68 over No. 6 Troy
Quarterfinals 4: No. 4 App State 76-73 (OT) over No. 1 Texas State

Sunday, March 7th

Semifinal 1: No. 1 Georgia State 84-73 over No. 2 Louisiana
Semifinal 2: No. 4 App State 64-61 over No. 2 Coastal Carolina

Monday, March 8th

Championship: No. 4 App State 80-73 over No. 1 Georgia State

App State moves on to the NCAA Tournament with an automatic bid.