MOBILE, Ala. - The University of South Alabama men's and women's basketball teams learned their opponents and seeds in this year's Sun Belt Conference Championship on Sunday. The conference tournament is set to begin March 6 and will be held at the Hot Springs Convention Center in Hot Springs, Ark.
The USA men - the ninth seed - will take on eighth-seeded Florida Atlantic Saturday at 2:15 p.m. on the Convocation Center Court floor. The teams split two meetings in the regular season, with each school winning on the road. The Jaguars overcame a 15-point deficit in the second half to win 96-93 in overtime on Jan. 2 while the Owls put together a huge second half run in a 70-59 victory on Jan. 28.
The men enter the tournament with a 16-14 overall record and finished 8-10 in the league. The Jags go into the weekend on a high, rallying from a 22-point deficit in the second half to defeat Denver 54-52 in the season finale.
With Western Kentucky's 64-61 over Florida International Saturday afternoon in Miami, the South Alabama women moved up to the sixth seed in this year's tournament.
The Jaguars (14-15) and the Golden Panthers - both 9-9 in the league - tied in the final regular season standings, but due to its victory over top-seeded UALR earlier in the season, USA earned the higher seed. The two teams split the earlier two meetings, forcing the conference to go to the second tiebreaker to determine the higher seed.
South Alabama will open up the tournament on Saturday (March 6) versus 11th seeded Louisiana-Lafayette. Tip-off between the Jags and the Ragin' Cajuns is set for Noon at Summit Arena Court. The winner of the opening round match up between USA and ULL will advance to the quarterfinals to take on Western Kentucky - the third seed - on Sunday at 2:30 p.m.
USA defeated ULL, 79-59 in the lone meeting between the two clubs back on Feb. 13.
Live stats will be available for every game during the tournament, but only games played on Summit Arena Court will be webcast. Fans can view all available webcasts for the entire tournament for $9.95. First and second round games will take place on both Summit Arena Court and Convention Center Court, while both the semifinals and finals will take place in Summit Arena.
Complete tournament information can be accessed at the Sun Belt Conference's web site, www.sunbeltsports.org.
Fans can also purchase tournament booklets for $80 by contacting the
South Alabama ticket office at (251) 461-1USA. The tournament books will also be available on site at the Hot Springs Convention Center for $128.
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
Men's Championship Seeds
No. 1 - Troy (13-5, .722)
No. 2 - North Texas (13-5, .722)
No. 3 - Middle Tennessee (13-5, .722)
No. 4 - Western Kentucky (12-6, .667)
No. 5 - Arkansas State (11-7, .611)
No. 6 - Denver (10-8, .556)
No. 7 - Louisiana-Lafayette (10-8, .556)
No. 8 - Florida Atlantic (10-8, .556)
No. 9 - South Alabama (8-10, .444)
No. 10 - Louisiana-Monroe (6-12, .333)
No. 11 - Florida International (4-14, .286)
No. 12 - UALR (4-14, .286)
No.13 - New Orleans (3-15, .167)
Sun Belt Conference Men's Basketball Championship Schedule of Events
Saturday, March 6
Game 1 - 2:15 p.m. - No. 8 Florida Atlantic vs. No. 9 South Alabama (Convention Center Court)
Game 2 - 6:45 p.m. - No. 4 Western Kentucky vs. No. 13 New Orleans (Convention Center Court)
Game 3 - 6:30 p.m. - No. 5 Arkansas State vs. No. 12 UALR (Summit Arena)
Game 4 - 8:45 p.m. - No. 6 Denver vs. No. 11 Florida International (Summit Arena)
Game 5 - 9:00 p.m. - No. 7 Louisiana-Lafayette vs. No. 10 Louisiana-Monroe (Convention Center Court)
Sunday, March 7
Game 6 - 6:45 p.m. - No. 1 Troy vs. Winner Game 1 (Convention Center Court)
Game 7 - 6:30 p.m. - Winner Game 2 vs. Winner Game 3 (Summit Arena)
Game 8 - 8:45 p.m. - No. 2 North Texas vs. Winner Game 5 (Summit Arena)
Game 9 - 9:00 p.m. - No. 3 Middle Tennessee vs. Winner Game 4 (Convention Center Court)
Monday, March 8
Game 10 - 6:00 p.m. - Winner Game 6 vs. Winner Game 7 (Summit Arena) - Sun Belt Network
Game 11 - 8:30 p.m. - Winner Game 8 vs. Winner Game 9 (Summit Arena) - Sun Belt Network
Tuesday, March 9
Championship Game - 6 p.m. (Summit Arena) - ESPN2
Women's Championship Seeds
No. 1 - UALR (17-1, .944)
No. 2 - Middle Tennessee (17-1, .944)
No. 3 - Western Kentucky (14-4, .778)
No. 4 - Denver (12-6, .667)
No. 5 - Florida Atlantic (10-8, .556)
No. 6 - South Alabama (9-9, .500)
No. 7 - Florida International (9-9, .500)
No. 8 - Arkansas State (7-11, .389)
No. 9 - Troy (5-13, .278)
No. 10 - North Texas (5-13, .278)
No. 11 - Louisiana-Lafayette (4-14, .222)
No. 12 - New Orleans (4-14, .222)
No. 13 - Louisiana-Monroe (4-14, .222)
Sun Belt Conference Women's Basketball Championship Schedule of Events
Saturday, March 6
Game 1 - 9:45 a.m. - No. 4 Denver vs. No. 13 Louisiana-Monroe (Summit Arena)
Game 2 - 10:00 a.m. - No. 5 Florida Atlantic vs. No. 12 New Orleans (Convention Center Court)
Game 3 - 12:00 p.m. - No. 6 South Alabama vs. No. 11 Louisiana-Lafayette (Summit Arena)
Game 4 - 12:15 p.m. - No. 8 Arkansas State vs. No. 9 Troy (Convention Center Court)
Game 5 - 2:30 p.m. - No. 7 Florida International vs. No. 10 North Texas (Convention Center Court)
Sunday, March 7
Game 6 - 12:00 p.m. - No. 1 UALR vs. Winner Game 4 (Summit Arena)
Game 7 - 12:15 p.m. - Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2 (Convention Center Court)
Game 8 - 2:15 p.m. - No. 2 Middle Tennessee vs. Winner Game 5 (Summit Arena)
Game 9 - 2:30 p.m. - No. 3 Western Kentucky vs. Winner Game 3 (Convention Center Court)
Monday, March 8
Game 10 - 12:00 p.m. - Winner Game 6 vs. Winner Game 7 (Summit Arena) - Sun Belt Network
Game 11 - 2:30 p.m. - Winner Game 8 vs. Winner Game 9 (Summit Arena) - Sun Belt Network
Tuesday, March 9
Championship Game - 1 p.m. (Summit Arena) - ESPNU
All times central and subject to change
-- USA --
