Men's Basketball Sun Belt Conference

Men's Basketball Tips Off Conference Play New Year's Day

NEW ORLEANS – The Sun Belt Conference men’s basketball teams will usher in New Year’s Day with the start of their 18-game conference schedules Jan. 1-2. The 2020-21 SBC schedule will look different than in years past with the conference’s 12 schools split into East and West divisions. The conference previously played a divisional schedule from 2000-01 until 2012-13. To minimize travel amid the COVID-19 pandemic, teams will play each other on back-to-back days (Fridays and Saturdays) at the same location. Coastal Carolina, App State and Georgia Southern will host the first East Division series, while Little Rock, Louisiana and ULM will host West Division series.

PRESEASON PROJECTIONS
Little Rock and Georgia State were the preseason favorites to win the West and East Divisions, respectively. The Little Rock Trojans received 140 total points in the Sun Belt’s preseason coaches’ poll and nine first-place votes as the overall Sun Belt favorite. Georgia State followed with 131 points and one first-place vote. Louisiana (106) was voted second in the SBC West, followed by UTA (87), Arkansas State (49), Texas State (47) and ULM (35). South Alabama (98) and Coastal Carolina (86) follow Georgia State in the East, with App State (79), Georgia Southern (55) and Troy (22) rounding out the division.


NON-CONFERENCE REWIND
  • Seven Sun Belt Conference teams tallied six non-conference wins each including 6-1 performances by Coastal Carolina, Georgia State and Louisiana. As a whole, Sun Belt teams went 60-35 against non-conference foes this season. The conference performed best against the Southland Conference (9-1) and split 12 games (6-6) against Conference USA. SBC teams swept non-conference action against the ACC (1-0), MEAC (3-0) and Summit League (2-0).
  • The highlight of the season so far is Georgia State’s four-overtime, opening-day win at Georgia Tech, 123-120, to claim bragging rights in Atlanta. The Panthers won their eighth straight season opener and snapped a 14-game losing streak to Georgia Tech. A school-record four GSU players scored 20 or more points, led by Justin Roberts’ career-high 26 points. Kane Williams recorded his first double-double with 20 points, 12 rebounds. Corey Allen logged a program-record 50 minutes to score 22 points, along with Eliel Nsoseme. It was the only Sun Belt vs ACC matchup of the season.
  
THIS WEEKEND’S MATCHUPS:
Date
Game
Time
Broadcast
Friday, Jan. 1
UTA at Little Rock
4 p.m.
ESPN+
Friday, Jan. 1
Troy at App State
5 p.m.
ESPN+
Friday, Jan. 1
South Alabama at Georgia So.
5 p.m.
ESPN+
Friday, Jan. 1
Georgia St. at Coastal Carolina
5 p.m.
ESPN+
Friday, Jan. 1
Arkansas State at ULM
6 p.m.
ESPN+
Friday, Jan. 1
Texas State at Louisiana
6 p.m.
ESPN+
Saturday, Jan. 2
Georgia St. at Coastal Carolina
2 p.m.
ESPN+
Saturday, Jan. 2
South Alabama at Georgia So.
2 p.m.
ESPN+
Saturday, Jan. 2
Troy at App State
3 p.m.
ESPN+
Saturday, Jan. 2
Texas State at Louisiana
4 p.m.
ESPN+
Saturday, Jan. 2
UTA at Little Rock
4 p.m.
ESPN+
Saturday, Jan. 2
Arkansas State at ULM
4 p.m.
ESPN+
(All times listed are Central.)


WEST DIVISION:

UTA (4-4) vs. Little Rock (4-3)

Little Rock, winner of two regular season titles and five divisional titles since 2004, looks to defend its 2019-20 Sun Belt Conference title as they host UT Arlington to kick off the Sun Belt’s New Year’s Day schedule at 4 p.m. Little Rock is riding an eight-game home win streak since last Jan. 11, and has won the last four meetings at home against UTA. The visiting Mavs lead the all-time series 7-6 including a 76-65 win in Arlington on Feb. 15, 2020. The preseason favorite Trojans (4-3) are led by Markquis Nowell (17.0 ppg), Nikola Maric (15.4 ppg) and Sun Belt Conference Preseason Player of the Year Ruot Monyyong (10.4 ppg), who also averages 8.9 rebounds per game. Monyyong has the third-best field goal percentage in the conference (.644), while Maric is shooting .634. UTA (4-4) is led in scoring by Shahada Wells (14.6 ppg) and David Azore (12.4 ppg). Both lead the Mavs in 3-point percentage and assists, while Azore leads the team with 32 defensive rebounds. UTA has produced the second-best shooting defense (.388) through non-conference play.


Texas State (6-3) vs. Louisiana (6-1)
Despite their preseason rankings of No. 2 and No. 5, Louisiana and Texas State will open their Sun Belt West Division slates with the best records in the division. Louisiana has the longest active win streak among Sun Belt Conference teams, having won its last six since a season-opening loss to Coaches Poll Preseason No. 1 Baylor in Las Vegas. The Ragin’ Cajuns (6-1) puts their 5-0 home record on the line this weekend when Texas State (6-3) visits the Cajundome. The Ragin’ Cajuns are 20-9 all-time when opening conference play at home, but have lost four of their last five SBC openers. While Louisiana leads the all-time series against Texas State, 12-4, the Bobcats have won the last three. The visiting Bobcats are led by Mason Harrell (14 ppg) and Caleb Asberry (12.1 ppg). Four Louisiana players are averaging double-digit points, led by Cedric Russell’s 19 points per game. Mylik Wilson is scoring 13 a game, while the Ragin’ Cajuns sport two players with season-average double-doubles: Theo Akwuba (11.1 points, 11.0 rebounds) and Dou Gueye (10.4 points, 10.1 rebounds). Louisiana head coach Bob Marlin is two Sun Belt wins shy of tying the late Gene Bartow (UAB) for third-most SBC wins (196).

Arkansas State (3-4) vs. ULM (2-5)
Friday will mark the 70th all-time meeting between ULM (2-5) and Arkansas State (3-4) when the Red Wolves travel to Monroe, Louisiana. A-State leads the series 41-28, but ULM is the favorite at home, 20-11. Arkansas State forward Norchad Omier, who has produced four-straight double-doubles, is the only Division I true freshman averaging a double-double this season with 13.8 ppg and 11.5 rpg. He’s followed in scoring by Caleb Fields (12.7) and Marquis Eaton (10.0). A-State is holding opponents to 27% shooting beyond the arc, ranked 17th in the nation in 3-point defense. ULM looks to snap a three-game skid with the start of conference play. Russell Harrison (14.4) and Koreem Ozier (12.8) lead the Warhawks in scoring.

EAST DIVISION:
Georgia State (6-1) vs. Coastal Carolina (6-1)
Preseason East Division favorite Georgia State (6-1) will travel to Coastal Carolina (6-1) to open the weekend’s East Division schedule. The Panthers have the highest RPI in the conferences and ranks No. 20 in the national index at .6455. Coastal Carolina will look to keep its lead in the series against the Panthers, entering the weekend with a 5-3 mark against GSU, including 4-1 in Conway, South Carolina. GSU’s last win at CCU was January 2018. This matchup will feature the top two scoring offenses in the conference and five of the Sun Belt’s top nine scorers this season. Coastal, 6-0 at home in the HTC Center this season, averages 96.1 points per game, led by DeVante’ Jones’ conference-best 23.4 points per game. Jones is joined by Deanthony Tipler (16.9 ppg) and Essam Mostafa -none of five SBC players averaging a double-double with 15.3 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. GSU is averaging 93.6 ppg and is led by Justin Roberts (16.1 ppg) and Corey Allen (15.3), who leads the conference in 3-point field goal percentage (.563). CCU is winning games by an average of 29.9 points and GSU is beating opponents by an 18.7 point average. Both teams are shooting 50% or better and holding opponents to 39.4% from the floor.

South Alabama (6-3) vs. Georgia Southern (6-3)
After sweeping the month of February last year, South Alabama closed the 2019-2020 season with an eight-game, in-conference win streak, the third-longest active streak in DI at the time. The Jags (6-3) look to continue their run against Sun Belt foes where it began Feb. 1, 2020, on the road at Georgia Southern (6-3). South Alabama leads the series, 9-6, but is Georgia Southern is 4-3 at home and have never lost back-to-back home games to the Jags. Both teams have averaged 83-plus points per game through their nine non-conference games, but the Eagles have defeated opponents by 16.1 points per game compared to USA’s nine points per game margin. GS is one of three teams shooting better than 50% this year, but South Alabama has the second-best 3-point percentage in the conference at 39.5%. The Eagles have four players scoring in double figures, led by Zak Bryant’s 16.2 points per game, while Eric Boone leads GS in 3-pointers made (10), assists (30), steals (22), defensive rebounds (28) and total points (113). Michael Flowers leads South Alabama’s offense with 20.8 points per game and leads the Sun Belt with 187 total points. He’s one five Jags averaging 10 points or better per game and is top three on the team for rebounds and top two in assists (30) and steals (21). Kayo Goncalves leads the Jags in rebounds (6.0/game) and 3-point shooting (.441).

Troy (5-4) vs. App State (6-3)
Since defeating Carver by 82 points, 105-23, in its home opener, App State has built a 6-3 record to start the season, including 4-1 at home in Holmes Convocation Center. The Mountaineers lead the all-time series with Troy, 8-4, including three-straight wins. App State built its best non-conference record since 2006-07, led in scoring by Adrian Delph (12.0) and Donovan Gregory (11.0). Troy (5-4) opens Sun Belt play on the road for the first time since Jan. 2, 2017 and is looking for its first conference-opening road win since joining the Sun Belt Conference. Zay Williams leads the Trojans with 12.4 points per game. Williams (7.9) and Nick Stampley (7.8) lead Troy in rebounding average, good for seventh and eighth in the Sun Belt.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS
Georgia State collected its second Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week honor on Dec. 29, with senior guard Corey Allen earning his first award of the season. Allen hit six 3-pointers and tallied a team-high 20 points in the Panthers’ win over College of Charleston, 72-55, on Dec. 21. He was 7-of-9 from the floor, including 6-of-7 from the arc. He added six rebounds, two steals and an assist in his 29 minutes. GSU’s Justin Roberts earned the first Player of the Week honor following Week 1. Markquis Nowell of Little Rock collected Week 2 honors, Adrian Delph of App State earned the honor in Week 3 and DeVante’ Jones of Coastal Carolina in Week 4.

Week 1 - Justin Roberts, Georgia State
Week 2 - Markquis Nowell, Little Rock
Week 3 - Adrian Delph, App State
Week 4 - DeVante' Jones, Coastal Carolina
Week 5 - Corey Allen, Georgia State

SUN BELT CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP
The Sun Belt Conference Tournament moves to Pensacola, Florida in March 2021 with all 12 teams participating in the tournament. The men’s and women’s basketball tournaments will take place March 5-8 at the Pensacola Bay Center and Pensacola State Community College. Pensacola will serve as home to the tournament through the 2024-25 season. Ticket packages are on sale for each session and range in price from $30 to $75 for children and $100 to $250 for adults.