One Game Left in Sun Belt Hoops, and Lots to be Decided

Tuesday marks the final night of the regular season in the Sun Belt Conference and not much has been decided.

Little Rock has clinched the #1 seed and a spot in the semifinals.  Troy and ULM have been eliminated from the ten team tournament.  And, that's about it.

Here are the results from the weekend

FRIDAY

TEXAS STATE 87, UTA 85 (3 OT)--The Bobcats had lost to UTA five straight times, but that streak came to an end Friday night as the Bobcats (20-10, 13-6 Sun Belt)  Nijal Pearson (24 points, 15 rebounds) and Marlin Davis (14 points, 10 assists) both notched double doubles and Eric Terry had a career high 30 points to lead Texas State to the victory.  Terry's three point play with 12 seconds left in the third overtime proved to be the game winner.  David Azore (20 points, ten rebounds) and Jabar Narcis (16 points, ten rebounds) each had a double double for UTA (13-17, 9-10).  Texas State has won 20 games in back to back seasons for the first time in 43 years.  The Bobcats can earn the second semifinal berth with a win at South Alabama on Tuesday.

GEORGIA SOUTHERN 79, GEORGIA STATE 70--The Eagles (18-12, 12-7) put aside 28 years of frustration Friday night with their first win in Atlanta since 1992.  The Eagles led wire to wire, jumping out to a 9-0 lead.  Isaiah Crowley led three Eagles in double figures with 18 points and eight rebounds.  But it was the Eagles' defense that did most of the shining, holding Georgia State (18-12, 11-8) to 35 percent shooting.  Georgia Southern can clinch a spot in the quarterfinals with a win Tuesday at home vs. Arkansas State.

SATURDAY

LITTLE ROCK 91, LOUISIANA 69--The Trojans (21-9, 15-4) broke the game open in the second half.  Five Trojans were in double figures, led by Marquis Nowell with 19 points.  Ruot Monyyong had his 16th double double of the season.  Little Rock, picked to finish 11th in the preseason poll, won the regular season title for the first time since the 2015-16 season.  They get a bye to the semifinals at the Smoothie King Center and will have eleven days off.  Mylik Wilson led the Cajuns (12-18, 7-12) with 18 points, while Cedric Russell added 17.  Louisiana can earn a home game in the first round of the tournament with a win Tuesday at home vs. Coastal Carolina.

COASTAL CAROLINA 84, APPALACHIAN STATE 77--For the first time in school history, the Chanticleers (15-15, 8-11 Sun Belt) won a game at the Holmes Convocation Center.  DeVante Jones scored a game high 26 points for Coastal, who avenged a 20 point loss to the Mountaineers (16-14, 10-9) earlier in the season.  Tyrell Gumbs-Frater came off the bench to score 17 points.  The Chants hit eleven three pointers in the game.  O'Showen Williams led App with 19 points.  The Chants can clinch a first round home game with a win at Louisiana Tuesday.  Appalachian State earns a first round bye with a win at ULM.

SOUTH ALABAMA 78, TROY 63--The Jaguars (19-11, 12-7) were the preseason pick to win the league and they're playing like it.  South won its seventh straight game on Saturday as Chad Lott hit nine of ten shots from the field and led the Jags with 22 points.  South Alabama, who placed four in double figures, scored the first eight points and led by as many as 26 points in the contest.  The Jaguars can earn a berth in the semifinals Tuesday with a win at home against Texas State.

TUESDAY'S GAMES:

Little Rock at Georgia State

Arkansas State at Georgia Southern

Texas State at South Alabama

UTA at Troy

Appalachian State at ULM

Coastal Carolina at Louisiana