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2023 Sun Belt Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament Basics

Dates

• Tuesday, February 28 (first round)
• Thursday, March 2 (second round)
• Saturday, March 4 (quarterfinals)
• Sunday, March 5 (semifinals)
• Monday, March 6 (championship)

Format

Traditional bracket

Site

This will be the Sun Belt Tournament’s third season in Pensacola, Florida (out of a five-year contract) with the event exclusively at the Pensacola Bay Center.

Participants

All 14 Sun Belt members will play in this season’s event, which means there are now two rounds before the quarterfinals.

Downloadable PDF Bracket

Schedule

All times are p.m. Eastern.

First Round (Tues., Feb. 28)

Game 1: (13) Arkansas State 86, (12) Coastal Carolina (11-20, 5-15) 69
Game 2: (14) Georgia State (10-21, 3-15) 76, (11) Texas State 81

Second Round (Thurs., March 2)

Game 3: (9) App State (16-16, 9-9) 61, (8) South Alabama 68
Game 4: (13) Arkansas State (13-20, 4-14) 59, (5) Troy 63
Game 5: (11) Texas State 65, (6) Old Dominion (19-12, 11-7) 36
Game 6: (10) ULM (11-21, 7-11) 57, (7) Georgia Southern 66

Quarterfinals (Sat., March 4)

Game 7: (8) South Alabama 78, (1) Southern Miss. (25-7, 14-4) 61
Game 8: (5) Troy (20-13, 11-7) 72, (4) James Madison 75
Game 9: (11) Texas State 71, (3) Marshall (24-8, 13-5) 68
Game 10: (7) Georgia Southern (17-16, 9-9) 49, (2) Louisiana 67

Semifinals (Sun., March 5)

Game 11: (8) South Alabama 75, (4) James Madison (22-11, 12-6) 66
Game 12: (11) Texas State (16-19, 6-12) 58, (2) Louisiana 64

Championship (Mon., March 6)

Game 13: (8) South Alabama (19-16, 9-9) 66, (2) LOUISIANA (26-7, 13-5) 71

Mayhem Potential Since 2011

Data originally posted by Bob Vetrone Jr. on Twitter in 2020 with my own additions for the seasons beyond.

The Sun Belt Tournament has been a bit of a demolition derby for higher seeds since 2011. The No. 1 seed has won just three titles over that span, with the No. 2 claiming just one.

• 1 seed (3): 2015, 2016, 2019
• 3 seed (2): 2014, 2022
• 6 seed (2): 2013, 2017
• 2 seed (1): 2018
• 4 seed (1): 2021 (East Division)
• 5 seed (1): 2011 (West Division)
• 7 seed (1): 2015

NCAA Seeding Record Since 2011

Years with an NCAA win are in bold.

• 11 seed (1): 2013 (at-large)
• 12 seed (1): 2016
• 14 seed (3): 2014, 2015, 2019
• 15 seed (2): 2017, 2018
• 16 seed (4): 2011, 2012, 2013 (automatic), 2022

And the inability of the conference to place its strongest team in the NCAAs has led to seeding issues with just two Sun Belt representatives being seeded higher than 14th since the field expanded to 68. Making matters worse, the teams responsible for most of the Sun Belt’s recent tournament success—Middle Tennessee, North Texas, and Western Kentucky—are all in C-USA now with the Mean Green headed to the American after this season. Georgia State, which qualified last year and won a game in 2015, remains, but the head coach of that team, Ron Hunter, is now at Tulane.

If one of the conference’s stronger teams wins the auto bid, a 13 seed is possible. If not, look for something a bit lower

Last NCAA Tournament Appearances

Georgia State: 2022 (16 seed, 1st Round)
Appalachian State: 2021 (16 seed, 1st Round)
Old Dominion: 2019 (14 seed, 1st Round, C-USA member)
Marshall: 2018 (13 seed, 2nd Round, C-USA member)
Troy: 2017 (15 seed, 1st Round)
Coastal Carolina: 2015 (16 seed, Round of 64, Big South member)
Louisiana: 2014 (14 seed, Round of 64)
James Madison (2013, 16 seed, Round of 64, CAA member)
Southern Mississippi: 2012 (9 seed, at-large, Round of 64, C-USA member)
South Alabama: 2008 (10 seed, at-large, 1st Round)
Arkansas State: 1999 (15 seed, 1st Round)
Texas State: 1997 (16 seed, 1st Round, Southland member)
ULM: 1996 (15 seed, 1st Round, Southland member)
Georgia Southern: 1992 (15 seed, 1st Round, TAAC (ASUN) member)

While all 14 current Sun Belt members have qualified for at least one NCAA Tournament, a whopping eight last did so while members of other conferences.