NEW ORLEANS  – Troy and Louisiana will represent the Sun Belt Conference in the Women’s NCAA Tournament and the Women’s NIT. Troy is the conference’s automatic qualifier to the NCAA Tournament while Louisiana accepted an invite to the WNIT.
 
NCAA Tournament
Monday, March 22  at 5 p.m. CT/ 6 p.m. ET on ESPN2
(#15) Troy (22-5) vs. (#2) Texas A&M (23-2)
Frank Erwin Center, Austin, Texas
 
WNIT Tournament
Friday, March 19 at 2 p.m. CT / 3 p.m. ET
Louisiana (16-6) vs. Colorado (10-10)
My Town Movers Fieldhouse, Collierville, Tenn.
 
Sun Belt Conference Tournament History
Troy claimed the 2021 Sun Belt Championship with a 73-65 win over Louisiana on March 8. The Trojans won their third championship in the last five years. The previous two came in back-to-back years (2016 and 2017). Troy entered the conference tournament as the one-seed in the East Division while Louisiana was the one-seed in the West Division.
Troy’s Alexus Dye was the first Trojan to be named the Sun Belt Conference’s Player of the Year while teammate Felmas Koranga was tabbed as the conference’s New Comer of the Year. Head coach Chanda Rigby was voted the Sun Belt’s Coach of Year.
2021 SBC Championship Information
2020-21 Regular Season Stats
 
Sun Belt Conference NCAA Tournament History

• The last time an SBC member was seed 15^th and opened against a two seed was in 2014 when No. 15 WKU took on No. 2 Baylor in Waco, Texas.
• In 2015, No. 11 Little Rock defeated No. 6 Texas A&M 69-60 to advance to the second round.
• The Sun Belt has had three national runner-up finishes in the NCAA Tournament: WKU (’92), Louisiana Tech (’94 and ’98).
• that a Sun Belt team advanced in the tournament was the 1998 National Championship when former member Louisiana Tech fell to Tennessee, 93-75.
• In 1985, Old Dominion defeated Georgia 70-65 in the National Championship.
• A Sun Belt member made seven appearances in the NCAA Final Four, including four between 1983-86: Old Dominion (’83 and ’85), WKU (’85 and ’86). Louisiana Tech advanced to the Final Four three times (’94, ’98, and ’99).
• The last Sun Belt member to advance to the Sweet 16 was Louisiana Tech in 2011, defeating Missouri, 78-67. Louisiana Tech fell to UConn in the Elite 8, 67-48. The Sun Belt has 11 total trips to the Elite 8.

Troy Notes

• A Trojan win would have them facing either No. 7 Iowa State or No. 10 Michigan State in the Second Round.
• The Trojans had four players earn All-Sun Belt honors: Alexus Dye (First Team), Felmas Koranga (Second Team), Jasmine Robinson (Second Team), and Tiyah Johnson (Fourth Team).
• Troy ranks first in defensive rebounds per game (32.9), first in free throws made (465), second in offensive rebounds per game (19.3), first in rebounds (1,410), first in rebounds per game (52.2), third in scoring (86.2), third in steals (286) and ninth in assists (459) in the NCAA.
• Troy’s 86.2 points per game, 52.2 rebounds per game, and 1,410 rebounds are first in the Sun Belt.
•  Dye leads the team and conference in scoring averaging 16.2 points. She is first in double-doubles (22) in both the NCAA and conference. Dye’s 12.6 rebounds per game rank first in the league.
•  Koranga is averaging a double-double in points (12.5) and rebounds (11.1). Her 11.1 rebounds are second in the Sun Belt.

Sun Belt WNIT Tournament History

• Since 1999, the Sun Belt has been represented in the WNIT with at least one school earning a spot in the tournament.
•  South Alabama advanced to the Second Round in 2019 before falling to Wyoming, 78-71.
• Former Sun Belt member Western Kentucky fell in the WNIT Semifinals to Wisconsin, 79-72 in 2007.
•  Louisiana is playing in its fourth WNIT tournament.

Louisiana Notes

• Before falling in the SBC Championship game, Louisiana had a 15-game winning streak, helping them secure the West Division regular-season crown.
• This is the second meeting between Colorado and Louisiana. The Buffaloes won 73-50 in 1993.
• Louisiana’s Ty’Reona Doucet was named Defensive Player of the Year and earned First Team honors. Teammates Brandi Williams earned Second Team recognition while Skyler Goodwin earned Third Team honors. Williams was also named to the 2021 Sun Belt All-Tournament Team.
• Doucet is first on the team and 10^th league in total rebounds (154) and is 11^th in the Sun Belt and first on the team in defensive rebounds (112). Her 33 blocks rank second in the conference and first on the Cajuns. Doucet is third in scoring on the team averaging 10.7 points per game.
•  Williams is the team’s leading scorer averaging 12.0 points, which ranks 13^th in the Sun Belt. During the conference tournament, she averaged 14 points in three games. Against Troy in the championship, she sank four three-pointers.

 
Sun Belt Championship Tournament Awards
Most Outstanding Player
Alexus Dye, Troy
 
All-Tournament Team
Brandi Williams, Louisiana
Ja’ Kayla Bowie, Texas State
Pre Stanley, App State 
Teal Battle, Little Rock
Jasmine Robinson, Troy
 
Player of the Week Honors
Week 1 - Pre Stanley, Appalachian State
Week 2 - Mayra Caicedo, Little Rock
Week 3 - Tiyah Johnson, Troy
Week 4 - Alexus Dye, Troy
Week 5 - A'Tyanna Gaulden, Georgia Southern
Week 6 - Shondell Vickers, Georgia Southern
Week 7 - Antoinette Lewis, South Alabama
Week 9 - Pre Stanley, App State
Week 10 - Alexus Dye, Troy
Week 11 - Terren Ward, Georgia Southern
Week 12 - Teal Battle, Little Rock
Week 13 - Jasmine Robinson, Troy
Week 14 - Lainey Gosnell, App State