Let’s make March fun again with the Sun Belt conference tournament. We’ve got the favorites, contenders, and dark horses that you need to know in our 2024 Sun Belt tournament preview. That includes picks and best bets for the outright winner of the tournament, who will earn the Sun Belt’s automatic berth.
The Fun Belt starts its conference tournament on March 5th, and it runs through March 11th, with all games played at the Pensacola Center in Pensacola, FL. That’s right. The SBC settles its tournament on a neutral site.
2024 Sun Belt Tournament Preview, Best Bets, and Picks
Check out our top plays, place the bets, and let it ride during the 2024 Sun Belt Conference tournament.
The Favorite: James Madison +120
James Madison is the two-seed in the 2024 Sun Belt Conference tournament, so why are they the betting favorite? The Dukes lost twice to Appalachian State this year, but both games were single-digit losses.
It’s really hard to beat the same team three times in the same season, and if they meet this time, the game won’t be on campus.
JMU was an early-season darling that started the season 14-0 and worked its way into a top-25 ranking before getting beaten up in conference play. The Dukes picked up non-conference wins against Michigan State and Fresno State.
They went 15-3 in conference and ended the regular season with a 28-3 overall record. Appalachian State and Southern Miss were the only two teams to trip them up all year.
The Dukes are on the same side of the bracket, with a few teams that could trip them up. Southern Miss already has a win over James Madison, and the Dukes didn’t play Troy in the regular season this year.
They also have the two losses to the Mountaineers, and Arkansas State played them tough. They may make it to the final, but they are just as likely to get tripped up before or in the championship. They’re at plus odds, so it’s not a terrible bet, but the Sun Belt is historically not chalky. Look elsewhere.
Other Contenders: Appalachian State +180 and Troy +500
Appalachian State is the one-seed and has +180 odds. They’ll get a winnable quarterfinal matchup and then have to face either Louisiana or Arkansas State in the semifinals. The Mountaineers drilled both of those teams. In fact, they’ve drilled every team on their side of the bracket this year. App State may roll into the final, but they may bump into a team that has given them trouble. Which brings us to…
Troy is at +500 odds as the three-seed. They had a win over Appalachian State and finished 13-5 in the conference. They never played JMU, so they’ll have to pass a test there, but they’ve proven they can win in the conference and will likely only have one tough game to get into the final.
The Trojans have a young frontcourt, but they have a couple of senior guards to lead the way. They also make their free throws, can shoot from beyond the arc, and are in the upper half of the Sun Belt in terms of team defense. Consider a sprinkle on the Trojans at +500
Dark Horse: Louisiana-Lafayette +1200
If you’re looking for another sprinkle here, consider the Ragin’ Cajuns. Louisiana-Lafayette went 18-13 with a 10-8 conference record. They get a winnable semi-final matchup and then get to play Arkansas State on a neutral site. The Ragin’ Cajuns won both their games against the Red Wolves this year.
They’ll likely run into Appalachian State in the semifinals. The Mountaineers drilled the Cajuns in Boone, but it’s a neutral site game, and anything can happen.
Louisiana-Lafayette is middle of the pack in terms of offense and defense, and they have a roster with a lot of juniors in key roles. This is a team that could be looking to stay together and build or try to find their next opportunity. Either way, a conference tournament championship would look great on a resume.
Even More College Basketball Content
SGPN has you covered with all the best college basketball content. Our team of degens, experts, and handicappers have been diving deep to know all the teams in advance of March Madness. So, who are you going to roll with as we get into the Conference and NCAA Tournaments? Some Johnny-Come-Lately Corporate Gambling Shill, or the Degens, are LIVE every night at midnight Eastern, breaking down EVERY SINGLE GAME. Ride with Degen Nation, and SGPN will not let you down.
