The 2026 Sun Belt Men’s Conference Tournament is set to get underway in beautiful Pensacola, Florida, this week, with one of its unique features being the “ladder format,” as the tourney will get underway on Tuesday, March 3, on both the women’s and men’s sides, respectively. The Sun Belt Conference is truly the wild, wild west among mid-major conferences; however, having six teams enter the conference tournament with identical league records is absolutely wild to me. Unlike last season, there wasn’t
a four-way tie for first-place in the league standings. No. 1 Troy (20-11, 12-6 SBC), the defending Sun Belt Tournament Champions under seventh-year head coach Scott Cross, goes into the tournament as the favorite. The Trojans demonstrated their overall strength during the non-conference schedule by posting impressive road wins over MAC perennial power Kent State (W, 103-97), SoCon perennial contender Furman (W, 64-61) and then traveled west for two thrillers, securing a 108-107 triple-overtime win at Viejas Arena against one of the country’s best mid-major programs, San Diego State.
During that same trek to the West Coast, the Trojans led nearly the whole game against the other “Trojans” of Southern California before dropping a 107-106 double-overtime win at the Galen Center. This season, the Trojans claimed the regular-season title outright with an 80-65 win over hapless Louisiana Monroe on the final day of the regular season. App State, Marshall, and South Alabama all entered the final day of league play tied with Troy atop the league standings, but the Trojans were the only one of the four tied to win on the final day of the regular season.
The Trojans made it back to the NCAA Tournament last season as a No. 14 seed by knocking off Arkansas State, 94-81, in the SBC title game to reach the dance for the first time since 2017 and for the first time under Cross. Though they tied for the regular-season title last season, the Trojans entered the SBC Tournament in Pensacola as the No. 3 seed. Troy will get its tourney underway on Saturday evening, as the Trojans will open the contest at 6 p.m. EST to open up the night session.
Heading to Pensacola as the No. 2 overall seed is the Marshall Thundering Herd (19-12, 11-7 SBC) under second-year head coach Corneilous Jackson. Jackson’s Herd had the Cam Henderson Center rocking throughout the 2025-26 season, and the Herd, despite only returning one starter, in talented guard Jalen Speer (15.7 PPG, 4.0 RPG) has combined his leadership with the another veteran returnee—6-10 senior post Wyatt Fricks (15.6 PPG, 5.7 RPG)—to become of the Sun Belt’s most exciting teams to watch. Fricks is the only player in college basketball to have 45 dunks and 45 threes this season. The Herd will open the tournament on Saturday evening at approximately 8:30 p.m.
The No. 3 seed heading to Pensacola will be the upstart Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (19-12, 11-7 SBC) under another second-year head coach, in Justin Gray. Gray has helped lead a renaissance of sorts in Conway, posting one of the best turnaround stories in all of college basketball this season. The Chants won just 10 games last season, including going a woeful 3-15 in conference play. The Chanticleers will get their tournament underway on Saturday evening at 9 p.m. EST in the second quarterfinal of the evening session.
The No. 4 seed will be the App State Mountaineers (19-12, 11-7 SBC), who have been a model of consistency under ninth-year head coach Dustin Kerns. The Mountaineers have maybe the best combo of inside-outside scoring in the league, with a talented backcourt comprised of the duo of Kasen Jennings (15.2 PPG, 4.2 RPG) and Alonzo Dodd (13.8 PPG, 5.3 RPG), while Luke Wilson (10.7 PPG, 8.1 RPG) is an efficient low-post scorer, connecting at a 65.5% clip this season. That kind of versatility could provide a roadmap to success for the Black and Gold over the course of this week, especially needing to win just three games in three days and not having to compete in the opening round. The Mountaineers’ most impressive work might have been done in the pre-conference schedule, knocking off a High Point team that is 27-4 overall this season, including 15-1 in the Big South heading into the Big South Tournament. Kerns’ teams are known for their defensive attention to detail, and heading into the tournament, the Mountaineers lead the SBC in defensive efficiency (101.2) according to KenPom.
The Tournament will get underway with a pair of matchups on Tuesday, as No. 12 Louisiana Lafayette (10-21, 7-11 SBC) will take on No. 13 Georgia State in the tournament opener at 6 p.m. EST at the Pensacola Bay Center. That will be followed by the nightcap when No. 11 Old Dominion (11-20, 7-11 SBC) takes on No. 14 Louisiana Monroe (4-27, 1-17 SBC) 30 minutes after the conclusion of game 1.
1. Troy (20-11, 12-6 SBC): With the veteran leadership of league-leading rebounder Thomas Dowd (10.1 RPG), as well as two of the league’s top perimeter threats in brothers Cooper Campbell (3rd in SBC in 3pt FG%/39.2%) and Cobi Campbell (10th in 3pt FGs made with 66), the Trojans have a team that is versatile and well rounded. A tough non-conference slate helped prepare Cross’s team for league play, and now it’s time for the Trojans to put all the pieces together to win a pair of games to get back to the Big Dance for a second-straight season.
2. Marshall (19-12, 11-7 SBC): The Thundering Herd has a rich, proud tradition on the college basketball hardwood, with six NCAA Tournament appearances (1956, ’72, ’84, ’85, ’87, and 2018); however, four of those came within a 15-year span, and outside of that, success has been fleeting. The program has always had, within its tradition, great scorers, from John Taft (1988-91) to Shawn Moore (1992-95) to Keith Veney (1995-97) to Jon Elmore (2015-19) to current senior guard Jalen Speer. Speer is the latest gunner for the Thundering Herd, and if anyone is going to lead the Green and White in a tournament format, it’s Speer, who’s already made 89 triples this season to lead a team in the Thundering Herd that leads the Sun Belt in three-pointers made (312) and three-point field goal percentage (36.7%). Earlier this season, Marshall set SBC records for three-pointers made (26) and attempted (52) in a 115-60 win over ULM on Jan. 22.
3. Coastal Carolina (19-12, 11-7 SBC): The Chanticleers have been to four NCAA Tournaments in their men’s basketball history, with back-to-back appearances in 1993 and ’94 and again in 2014 and ’15. For Gray to lead the Chants back to the tournament for the first time in 11 years and fifth time overall, he’ll need his veteran backcourt trio of AJ Dancler (15.8 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 2.1 APG), Joshua Beadle (17.5 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 2.9 APG) and Rasheed Jones (14.9 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 2.9 APG) to rise to the occasion, while getting added support on the defensive end, where the Chants have been pretty solid this season, thanks in large part to the rim protection of 6-10 Nadjrick Peat (2nd in SBC in blocks/54 blocks).
4. Appalachian State (19-12, 11-7 SBC): The Mountaineers are always one of the best defensive teams in the Sun Belt, and once again, the Mountaineers lead the league in scoring defense (65.4 PPG). Not only do the Mountaineers lead the league in defensive efficiency (101.2), according to KenPom, they also rank fourth in offensive efficiency (110.3) in conference-only games, which is the kind of balance you want when entering a tournament. If that were the only two parts of the tournament equation, the Mountaineers would be the odds-on favorites to capture the 2026 crown, but you factor in the fact that the Black and Gold rank among the worst in the country (66.1%), and it could end up being costly in a tournament setting.
5. Texas State (19-12, 11-7 SBC): Texas State is one of the teams that has a real shot at winning the SBC Tournament outside the top four. The Bobcats are led by dynamic guard DJ Hall (15.3 PPG, 7.5 RPG), and with their thrilling 60-57 win over the Mountaineers on the final day of the regular-season, there’s a real reason to believe in this team due to it winning seven of its final eight games of the 2025-26 season heading into the tournament.
6. South Alabama (21-10, 11-7 SBC): Ricky Riley’s Jaguars have the league’s overall highest win total and were considered one of the favorites to be a factor atop the SBC coming into the season. Like Texas State, the sixth-seeded Jaguars are a threat to potentially cause havoc in the tournament over the course of the coming week. The Jaguars are led by arguably the best player in the league, in 6-6 point guard Chaze Harris (18.9 PPG, 4.7 APG, 4.6 RPG). The Jaguars will go as far as Harris can take them, and will open tournament play at 8:30 p.m. EST this coming Friday.
7. Arkansas State (20-11, 11-7 SBC): The Red Wolves had been a perennial contender in the SBC, but find themselves in the unfamiliar position of being below the No. 4 seed line since being the 13 seed in 2023. The Red Wolves were considered one of the favorites in the league coming into the season under the direction of first-year head coach Ryan Pannone. He’s sustained some of the success at least, winning 20 games during the regular season, and there’s something to be said for that after having to replace all five starters coming into the season. The Red Wolves have been reliant on the glass this season, particularly on the offensive end of the floor, where they lead the league in offensive rebounds per game (14.1), offensive rebounding percentage (37.8%), rebounding margin (+7.74), and scoring offense (83.2 PPG). Pannone’s Red Wolves will open the tournament on Thursday, March 5, with tip-off set for 7:30 p.m. EST against an opponent to be determined.
8. Southern Miss (16-15, 9-9 SBC): Like South Alabama, Southern Miss brings a dynamic scoring threat into the tournament in the form of 6-7 forward Tylik Weeks (18.8 PPG, 5.8 RPG), and he currently ranks second in the league in scoring average behind only USA’s Harris. Weeks is in his first season with the Golden Eagles since transferring in from Southwest Mississippi Community College, and he’s quickly shown why he was one of the top players in the JUCO ranks last season. He’s been a major part of the Golden Eagles’ resurgence, exceeding preseason expectations, which had USM four spots lower in the poll. The Golden Eagles have also won five more basketball games, and sixth-year head coach Jay Ladner knows he has a player in Weeks that could lead USM above and beyond expectations again in one weekend. USM starts its tourney journey on Thursday, March 5, against an opponent to be determined.
9. James Madison (17-14, 9-9 SBC): While USM may have exceeded expectations this season, James Madison did the opposite by severely underwhelming preseason expectations, finishing in the ninth-spot in the regular-season after being picked to win the league under the direction of second-year head coach Preston Spradlin. The Dukes started Sun Belt slow, losing seven of their first nine, but have won six of seven heading into the tournament, with the only loss in that string of games coming on the final day of the regular-season, which saw the Dukes drop a 69-68 heartbreaker on its home floor to Coastal Carolina. Nevada transfer forward Justin McBride is averaging 15.5 PPG and is shooting the cover off the ball from three-point range this season, connecting at a 40.7% clip (37-of-91), making him an especially versatile wing. The preseason favorite will open up play in the tournament on Thursday, March 4, facing the winner of the matchup between No. 12 Louisiana and No. 13 Georgia State at 6 p.m. EST.
10. Georgia Southern (16-15, 8-10 SBC): It appeared that Georgia Southern was going to be a real factor in the league when the Eagles won their first eight games in SBC play before eventually losing at South Alabama, 87-71. The Eagles then hit a snag by losing six of their next eight to fall out of contention. The folks in Statesboro still know head coach Charlie Henry has had quite the rebuilding job since taking over, and Eagles fans have bought into the excitement provided by players like Emmanuel transfer Tavares “Spudd” Webb (15.2 PPG, 4.7 RPG), and though he’s no relation to the former NBA dunk champion, the Eagles’ version of the former Hawk has been pretty exciting nonetheless, as he is one of three Eagles averaging in double figures, along with guard Tyren Moore (15.3 PPG, 2.8 RPG) and 6-7 forward Alden Applewhite (13.3 PPG, 5.9 RPG). The Eagles open tournament play on Thursday, March 4, facing the winner of No. 11 Old Dominion and No. 14 ULM, with tip-off set for approximately 8:30 p.m. EST.
11. Old Dominion (11-20, 7-11 SBC): When No.11 Old Dominion take on No. 14 Louisiana Monroe in the second game of the double-header of the opening night of the tourney, slated for Tuesday, Mar. 3, they’ll be battling a Warhawks team back on Feb. 4, it will be looking to avenge what was an 85-79 home floor loss, which marks the only win for the Warhawks in league play this season, and one of just four overall. The matchup marks just the fourth all-time meeting between the two programs, with ULM holding the 2-1 all-time series edge. The Monarchs rank in the bottom half of the league in both offensive and defensive efficiency, and any hopes of success the Monarhcs hope to have in the tourney, it will depend its two top players, in Coastal Carolina transfer and local product and 6-2 guard Jordan Battle (14.6 PPG, 4.6 RPG), as well as 6-4 backcourt mate Ketron Shaw (17.1 PPG, 4.2 RPG).
12. Louisiana (10-21, 7-11 SBC): Louisiana first-year head coach Quannas Whitehas team struggle in year one, and some of that was expected, with one two starters back from a team that struggled mightily in Bob Marlin’s final season at the helm. It’s a little hard to believe that a team 26 games and won an NCAA Tournament in 2023 and one that won 19 games a year later, has struggled to find its way to just 12 and 10 wins, respectively, over the past two seasons. In a situation like this, the Ragin’ Cajuns and their proud fanbase have to start with realistic expectations, and that might only be one or two wins, but the reality is to garner momentum and channel it into the White’s rebuilding project in Lafayette. The Ragin’ Cajuns will face No. 13 Georgia State in the opening game of the tournament, which is slated for Tuesday, March 3, at 6 p.m. EST.
13. Georgia State (10-21, 7-11 SBC): Georgia State has fallen on hard times. Once a perennial Sun Belt power, the Panthers have not reached 20 wins in a season since winning 24 games in the 2018-19 season, reaching the NCAA Tournament. The Panthers have now won just 10 games for the second time in four seasons under the direction of fifth-year head coach Jonas Hayes, who is assisted by his brother Jarvis Hayes, who was a standout in the early 2000s at Western Carolina before having similarly upgraded success as a three-year standout after transferring to the University of Georgia, and the good news for the Panthers is seven of their 10 wins came in league play. The lack of success or progress, rather, has put Jonas Hayes on the hotseat and he probably needs to make a deep run in the tournament to save his job, and that might also be true for Panthers Director of Athletics Charlie Cobb.
14. Louisiana Monroe (4-27, 1-17 SBC): It was never going to be easy for first-year head coach Phil Cunningham to turn things around in year one, but the War Hawks are headed for back-to-back single-digit win seasons. Any success in the conference tournament would be considered a surprise, and managing the fallout and keeping continuity alive and in the program after such a disastrous first season might be easier said than done. The one reason to show up for many Warhawks fans this season has been the play of 6-3 guard Krystian Lewis (18.1 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 3.3 APG), who, despite the Warhawks lack of success, has been one of the top players in the Sun Belt.
