Championship Central
PENSACOLA, Fla. – Southern Miss and Louisiana collected victories in first-round action at the 2025 Hercules Tires Sun Belt Men’s Basketball Championship on Tuesday evening at the Pensacola Bay Center.
The No. 12 seed, Southern Miss erased a 10-point second-half deficit to overcome the 13th-seeded Coastal Carolina, 66-63. Despite shooting just 37 percent overall, the Golden Eagles committed just four turnovers while holding the Chanticleers to 31 percent shooting in the final 20 minutes to complete their comeback.
Seeded 11th, Louisiana survived a late rally by 14th-seeded ULM and made 10 shots from 3-point range to earn an overtime victory in the final game of the day.
The second round of the Sun Belt Men’s Basketball Championship is slated for Wednesday, March 5 with two games beginning at 5 and 7:30 p.m., respectively.
Game 1: (12) Southern Miss 66, (13) Coastal Carolina 63 (Box Score)
Southern Miss junior guard Alfred Worrell Jr., led all players with a career-high 22 points on 5-for-10 shooting, including 4-for-9 from 3-point range, while going 8-for-9 at the free throw line.
All-Sun Belt Second Team selection and graduate forward Denijay Harris and senior forward DeAntoni Gorden also reached double-figures with 12 points apiece.
Tied at 29 at halftime, the Chanticleers opened up a double-digit lead, 45-35, on a 3-pointer by Naz Brown with 14:16 left in the game. Ahead by six with under five minutes remaining, the Golden Eagles went on a 10-1 scoring run capped by a pair of free throws by Worrell to pull ahead, 64-61, with 31 seconds to go. Southern Miss made its free throws in the waning moments to escape with the three-point triumph.
The Chanticleers were led by senior center Colin Granger’s team-high 19 points and six rebounds on 7-for-11 shooting, as junior guard Jordan Battle chipped in 13 points.
Southern Miss advances to face ninth-seeded Georgia Southern at 5 p.m. on Wednesday.
Game 2: (11) Louisiana 73, (14) ULM 69 (OT) (Box Score)
Louisiana junior guard Mostapha El Moutaouakkil scored a career-high 28 points on 10-for-17 shooting, while senior guard Michael Thomas contributed career-highs in points (21) and 3-pointers made (5).
Leading 26-24 at halftime, the Ragin’ Cajuns led by as many as eight points with under eight minutes remaining, but a 7-0 scoring run by the Warhawks trimmed that advantage to just one, 57-56, with 3:14 left. Four lead changes in the final two minutes of regulation turned the contest into a seesaw battle before a pair of ULM free throws with 25 seconds left forced overtime.
A 3-pointer by Louisiana senior guard Christian Wright with 1:35 to go in overtime capped five-straight points to give the Cajuns a 71-66 advantage before clamping down on defense to preserve the win.
ULM junior guard Jalen Bolden led the team with 21 points on 9-for-15 shooting, including 3-for-5 from beyond the arc. Senior guard Tyreese Watson added 15 points, five rebounds and three assists.
Louisiana advances to face 10th-seeded Old Dominion at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
2025 Hercules Tires Sun Belt Men’s Basketball Championship
Tuesday, March 4
Game 1 – (12) Southern Miss def. (13) Coastal Carolina, 66-63
Game 2 – (11) Louisiana def. (14) ULM, 73-69 (OT)
Wednesday, March 5
Game 3 – (9) Georgia Southern vs. (12) Southern Miss – 5 p.m. CT [ESPN+]
Game 4 – (10) Old Dominion vs. (11) Louisiana – 7:30 p.m. CT [ESPN+]
Thursday, March 6
Game 5 – (8) Georgia State vs. Winner Game 3 – 5 p.m. CT [ESPN+]
Game 6 – (7) Texas State vs. Winner Game 4 – 7:30 p.m. CT [ESPN+]
Friday, March 7
Game 7 – (5) Marshall vs. Winner Game 5 – 5 p.m. CT [ESPN+]
Game 8 – (6) App State vs. Winner Game 6 – 7:30 p.m. CT [ESPN+]
Saturday, March 8
Game 9 – (4) Arkansas State vs. Winner Game 7 – 5:30 p.m. CT [ESPN+]
Game 10 – (3) Troy vs. Winner Game 8 – 8 p.m. CT [ESPN+]
Sunday, March 9
Game 11 – (1) South Alabama vs. Winner Game 9 – 5 p.m. CT [ESPN+]
Game 12 – (2) James Madison vs. Winner Game 10 – 7:30 p.m. CT [ESPN+]
Monday, March 10 (Championship)
Game 13 – Winner Game 11 vs. Winner Game 12 – 6 p.m. CT [ESPN/ESPN2]