Conference tournament are starting to get underway, and the Sun Belt Conference is part of the group that will get things started on Tuesday, Feb. 28.
Southern Miss locked in the No. 1 seed in the tournament, while Louisiana, Marshall, and James Madison will also all have byes to the quarterfinals.
Let’s take a peak at the tournament odds, bracket, schedule, and my best bet to win the Sun Belt Conference tournament.
Sun Belt Conference tournament odds
Sun Belt Conference tournament bracket
Sun Belt Conference tournament schedule (Dates, times, channel)
The first round will take place on Tuesday Feb. 28 and it will be broadcast on ESPN+. The second round will take place on Thursday, March 2, and will be aired on ESPN+. The Quarterfinals will be this weekend, on Saturday, March 4 and will be aired on ESPN+. The semi-finals will take place on Sunday, March 5, and will be aired on ESPN+.
The Championship Game will take place at 6pm et on Monday, March 6, and will be aired on ESPN 2.
Sun Belt Conference tournament prediction and pick
The Sun Belt Conference is wide open, especially amongst the top four teams. Southern Miss took the top seed at 14-4, but Marshall and Louisiana finished at 13-5 in conference play, and James Madison was in fourth at 12-6.
I’m going to ride with the third team on the odds list, James Madison, at +380 odds.
I think the Dukes are the most complete team in the conference. They may not be the best at anything, but they have no weaknesses. They’re 104th in the country in effective field goal percentage, 40th in defensive efficiency, and 39th in extra scoring chances per game.
Their ability to create turnovers could be the difference maker in this tournament.
I think they’re the best bet to make at the current odds.
Sun Belt Conference tournament dark horse
If you’re looking for a dark horse, I’d recommend the team that sits just outside the top four on the odds list, South Alabama. They had a disappointing regular season, finishing at 9-9 in conference play, but the Jaguars are fourth on the odds list, despite being the No. 8 seed, for a reason.
South Alabama is one of the better shooting teams in the conference, and if the Jaguars get hot, watch out. They’re 84th in the country in effective field goal percentage, and 87th in defensive efficiency.
They also do a great job not turning the ball over, ranking 15th in turnovers per possession.
Their biggest weakness is a complete inability to rebound the ball, but they’re strong enough in other areas to make up for it. Don’t be surprised if they go on a run.
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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
