Conference Tourney

Does anyone know for sure, what the conference tournament format is like? As far as I know, it is the top 8 teams in the belt and seedings are based on overall conference record. Is this correct?

Good question.

Here is a <a href="http://basketball.sunbeltsports.org/x/M/standings">LINK</a> to Sunbelt standings and a really good breakdown of stats.

But no info on who goes and who stays.

I'm pretty sure all the teams go this year. Seems there was an explanation by WW on the Ask the Comm thread.

Here's the note I was referring to:

Basketball Questions

Question (Mark Green): This is just one man's opinion, but I hope in the future we will return to the 8-team format in the conference basketball tournament. Last year the conference race was really exciting, and the games meant so much more.

Commissioner Wright Waters: Mark, good and bad in everything. Let me give you the other side. For probably 98% of the 4500 student-athletes that compete in the Sun Belt Conference the Conference Championship will be their highest level of competition - ever. Not sure I want to take that opportunity away from someone, but I sure understand the logistics issue. The real answer is to get out teams to a level where we can eventually separate the two tournaments and play them both at separate neutral sites with huge crowds - but we are not there yet but making progress.

so if that is the case, 1 2 and 3 get byes and the 1 seed would get a double bye. Does that sound right?

Thanks Turbine for the link. I went back and looked at last years tournament. Last year they did play an 8 team bracket, however, UALR was the second seed and I couldnt find last years ranking to see how they did the seedings. I guess it really doesnt matter in an 8 team bracket. The good thing is, with an 8 team bracket, I dont want to say impossible to lose, but Cajuns are certainly a level above all the teams 6-11 in the conference. Even though we ourselves lack depth on the court, I still feel ours is better than the other top teams in the conference and should give us the edge playing 3 straight games. I can see it right now, our toughest game in the tourney will be the second one. I will probably be Mid Tenn, UALR, or WKU. Getting past that one will be the battle, then I can sense us smoking the championship game and head back to the NCAA! Then to St. Louis!

Here's the way the tournament will work

FRIDAY
#4 East vs. #5 West
#4 West vs. #5 East
#3 East vs. #6 West
#3 West, #1 East and West, #2 East and West, BYE

SATURDAY
#1 East vs. 4W/5E Winner
#1 West vs. 4E/5W winner

Sunday
#2 East vs. #3 West
#2 West vs. #3E/#6W winner

Monday Semifinals
Tuesday Finals

Yeah, scratch my last post. Thanks for the explanation! I heard it on the radio. Still looks like we will end up playing Mid Tenn or one of the Ark's to start it off. We need to get that 1 seed!