NEW ORLEANS – Sun Belt Conference men’s basketball league play kicks into high gear with multiple important matchups for teams currently positioned at or near the top of the standings entering the fourth week of league play. ‘
 
The mid-week schedule is split into three games apiece on Wednesday and Thursday, Jan. 14-15, before a full seven-game slate on Saturday, Jan. 17. All 13 contests will be available on ESPN+.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR
BATTLE AT THE TOP: Troy (11-6, 4-1 SBC) looks to get back to its winning ways in a first-place battle at home against Southern Miss (11-7, 5-1 SBC) on Wednesday evening, as the Golden Eagles visit Trojan Arena riding the conference’s longest winning streak at four in a row. Troy has won six of its last seven games and seven of its last nine while maintaining a 5-1 record on its home court this season. The Trojans currently lead the Sun Belt in scoring offense (85.9), 3-point percentage (.359) and 3-pointers made per game (10.5), while forcing a league-leading 14.9 turnovers per game. Southern Miss ranks third in the Sun Belt in field goal percentage (.460) and free throw attempts per game (23.9) while junior forward Tylik Weeks leads the conference in scoring (18.0 PPG).
 
GAME OF THE WEEK: The Sun Belt Men’s Basketball Game of the Week features the first of two regular season meetings between reigning conference co-champions South Alabama (12-5, 3-2 SBC) and Arkansas State (12-5, 4-1 SBC) in Mobile, Ala., on Wednesday evening. The teams met three times last season, as South Alabama won both regular season matchups before Arkansas State defeated the Jaguars in the semifinals of the Sun Belt Conference Championship in Pensacola, Fla., last March. This season, South Alabama ranks No. 1 nationally in fewest fouls per game (11.6) and No. 3 in field goal percentage defense (.375). Additionally, the Jaguars lead the conference in field goal percentage (.469) and rank second in scoring defense (67.4). Meanwhile, Arkansas State ranks No. 15 nationally and leads the Sun Belt with 36.1 bench points per game, as their 13.8 offensive rebounds per contest lead the league.
 
GOLDEN EAGLE GAINS: Southern Miss became the first Sun Belt team to earn a pair of regular season series sweeps, collecting home-and-home victories over Louisiana and ULM during the first month of league play. During the Golden Eagles’ current four-game winning streak, graduate forward Djahi Binet has emerged with three double-doubles while averaging 16.5 points and 12 rebounds per game while shooting 25-for-35 (.714) from the floor. As a unit, Southern Miss is shooting just shy of 49 percent overall and has turned up its defensive pressure with 9.5 steals per contest during that span.
 
STATESBORO SAFEHOUSE: After having its nine-game winning streak snapped at South Alabama last Saturday, Georgia Southern (12-6, 4-1 SBC) returns to Statesboro, Ga., to open a four-game homestand Thursday evening against Old Dominion (5-13, 2-4 SBC). The Eagles are the only Sun Belt team unbeaten at home season with a 7-0 record and have won 10 in a row dating back to last season - a streak that began with a 78-75 victory over the Monarchs on Feb. 15. Georgia Southern is in search of a season sweep against Old Dominion after earning a 93-86 road win on Jan. 3.
 
HUSTLING HERD: Winners in three of its last four Sun Belt games, Marshall (11-6, 3-2 SBC) owns an 8-1 record on its home court this season and opens a four-game homestand Wednesday evening against Coastal Carolina (9-9, 2-4 SBC) before welcoming James Madison (9-8, 2-3 SBC) on Saturday afternoon. The Thundering Herd currently leads the conference in blocks per game (5.4) and assists (17.4) per game while topping all teams in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.34). The Herd are also ranks second in 3-pointers made per game (10.0) and 3-point field goal percentage (.356).
 
CHAMPIONSHIP REMATCH REDUX: Troy hosts Arkansas State in the second round of a rematch of last season’s Sun Belt championship game. The Trojans are in search of a series split after the Red Wolves rolled to an 86-74 home win on Jan. 7. Arkansas State placed five scorers in double-figures in that matchup while owning a 44-30 rebounding advantage and owning a +11 margin in free throws made and attempted, respectively. Troy currently leads the conference in the NCAA’s NET rankings at No. 126 while Arkansas State is close behind at No. 129. The matchup pits two of the Sun Belt’s top offenses up against one another as the Trojans lead the conference in scoring (85.9 PPG) and 3-pointers made per game (10.4), while the Red Wolves are first in rebounding margin (+6.2) and third in scoring (83.3 PPG).
 
PARTY IN PENSACOLA: The 2026 Visit Pensacola Sun Belt Men’s Basketball Championship presented by Air Force Reserve will be held March 3-9, 2026 at the Pensacola Bay Center in Pensacola, Fla., The championship game will be televised nationally on ESPN or ESPN2 on Monday, March 9 at 6 p.m. (CT). The 2026 tournament will mark the sixth consecutive season the Sun Belt hosts the event in Pensacola, which will remain at the venue through the 2029-30 campaign. A different program has been crowned champion in each of the first five years in Pensacola: Troy (2025), James Madison (2024), Louisiana (2023), Georgia State (2022) and App State (2021).

IMPACT PLAYERS – Sun Belt Statistical Leaders
Points Per Game: Tylik Weeks, Southern Miss (18.0)
Rebounds Per Game: Thomas Dowd, Troy (10.2)
Assists Per Game: Jalen Speer, Marshall (5.9)
Blocks Per Game: Matt Van Komen, Marshall (2.4)
Steals Per Game: Kaden Gumbs, Texas State (2.1)
Field Goal Percentage: D.J. Hall, Texas State (.562)
3-Point Field Goal Percentage: Cooper Campbell, Troy (.425)

 WHERE TO WATCH

Date	Time	Matchup	ESPN+
Weds., Jan. 14	6:00 p.m.	Coastal Carolina at Marshall	ESPN+
Weds., Jan. 14	6:00 p.m.	Southern Miss at Troy	ESPN+
Weds., Jan 14	7:00 p.m.	Louisiana at Texas State	ESPN+
Thurs., Jan 15	5:30 p.m.	James Madison at App State	ESPN+
Thurs., Jan 15	6:00 p.m.	Old Dominion at Georgia Southern	ESPN+
Thurs., Jan 15	7:00 p.m.	Arkansas State at South Alabama	ESPN+
Saturday, Jan. 17	12:00 p.m.	Old Dominion at App State	ESPN+
Saturday, Jan. 17	2:00 p.m.	Coastal Carolina at Georgia Southern	ESPN+
Saturday, Jan. 17	2:30 p.m.	Georgia State at ULM	ESPN+
Saturday, Jan. 17	3:00 p.m.	Louisiana at South Alabama	ESPN+
Saturday, Jan. 17	3:00 p.m.	James Madison at Marshall	ESPN+
Saturday, Jan. 17	3:30 p.m.	Southern Miss at Texas State	ESPN+
Saturday, Jan. 17	3:30 p.m.	Arkansas State at Troy	ESPN+

All Times CT