Here are the games in the Sun Belt Conference on this Thursday, January 22.

ARKANSAS STATE (3-5, 8-9, 5-4 road) at LOUISIANA (10-8, 4-3, 7-2 home)—John Brady’s bunch lost four straight then won two in a row then lost to Georgia State on Monday.  The Red Wolves, like the Cajuns, have been inconsistent shooting the basketball.  But unlike the Cajuns, Arkansas State has issues with depth.  Four of their starters are averaging 36 minutes or more since league play began.  Watch for a couple of interesting matchups.  Sophmore Anthony Livingston  has put up numbers almost identical to Shawn Long.  And Jay Wright’s defense could be critical tonight against the much-traveled P. J. Hardwick, the Sun Belt assist leader.

UT ARLINGTON (10-7, 4-3 3-5 road) AT UL MONROE (12-6, 6-1, 8-0 home)—The league leaders are back home where they have yet to lose this year.  The Warhawks squeaked out a win against Louisiana Monday night by doing what they do:  holding field goal percentage down.  This is the second meeting between the two teams.  ULM came back from a 13 point deficit to win 76-73 in overtime earlier in Arlington.  Close games have been the norm for ULM.  We won’t be surprised if that’s the case again tonight.

GEORGIA SOUTHERN (4-2, 11-4, 4-4 road) at TEXAS STATE (4-4, 10-7, 7-1 home)—After a tough loss to rival UT Arlington Monday night, Danny Kaspar’s crew takes on a rested Georgia Southern team that had a bye on Monday night.  You may remember the first game between the two teams made watching paint dry an exciting thing as Georgia Southern beat the Bobcats 40-36.  Texas State had four, count em, four field goals in the second half.  The ‘Cats held Jelani Hewitt to just one field goal, but it was a big one that tied the game at 33.  We’ll see if Hewitt can bounce back with a big game.

TROY (7-9, 2-5, 1-6 road) at UALR (6-11, 1-6, 5-4 home)—Four of UALR’s six losses in the league are by four points or less, two in overtime.  And, if it weren’t for bad luck….their best big man, James White is done for the year after a knee injury.  That decimates an already very thin inside game.  They’re hoping to get well against a Troy club that has really struggled away from Trojan Arena.  Troy has shown they can be dangerous, however as, like just about everyone else in this league, they’re capable of beating anyone.

SOUTH ALABAMA (6-12, 4-4, 2-8 road) at APPALACHIAN STATE (6-10, 3-4, 2-3 home)—The Mountaineers looked like they were destined for the bottom of the Sun Belt.  Now they have a chance to get their third straight win and even their conference record at home against South Alabama.  The Jags, after a slow start, have won four of their last six.  Each team had a plethora of players in double figures in Mobile when USA knocked off App 104-95.  Jags built a huge lead before the Mountaineers got hot to make the score closer.

More From 103.3 The GOAT