Sun Belt makes drastic changes to basketball scheduling

Texas State Basketball

The Sun Belt announced major changes to its men’s basketball non-conference and conference scheduling on Monday. 

Additionally, the conference announced changes to its men’s and women’s conference tournament bracket and location. 

“The Sun Belt is committed to being an elite Division I NCAA conference and to accomplish our mission we are moving beyond the status quo to become more competitive in basketball,” said Dr. Mark Becker, Sun Belt Conference and Georgia State University President. “The conference is positioned for and has an established history of success, and our membership recognizes that new ideas are often needed to rise to new levels of success.  The initiatives passed today demonstrate the commitment we have to pushing ourselves to the pinnacle of intercollegiate athletics.”

The men’s Sun Belt non-conference schedules will now feature one home and one away game against peer conference opponents starting during the 2019-2020 season. 

The conference schedule is moving to what the Sun Belt is dubbing a “20-game smart schedule,” beginning in the 2019-2020 season

The 12 teams will be split into two divisions — East: Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, South Alabama and Troy; West: Little Rock, Arkansas State, Louisiana, Louisiana-Monroe, UT Arlington, and Texas State. 

Teams will play 16 games with 10 contests against divisional opponents — five home, and five away — and six games against non-divisional teams — three home and three away. 

The final four games will be played with a pod system, where the 12 teams will be divided into four pods with three teams each based on conference standings. Pod A will feature the No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 teams. Pod B will have No. 4, No. 5 and No. 6. Pod C has No. 7, No. 8 and No. 9. Pod D will have No. 10, No. 11 and 12. Each team will play its pod opponents twice with one home and one away game. Pod results will determine seeding for the 10-team conference tournament. Additionally, a team can't finish lower than the lowest seed in its own pod. For example, the No. 1 pod seed can't enter the tournament with a seed worse than No. 3.

The women’s schedule will remain in the same format as season’s past with an 18-game, non-divisional schedule. 

The men’s and women’s conference tournaments will be moving to the Smoothie King Center in downtown New Orleans for the championship games and semifinals beginning in 2020. The No. 1 and No. 2 seeds receive byes into the semifinals, while the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds will host first round and quarterfinal games. 

“I applaud the commitment of our president and chancellors, athletic directors, and basketball coaches for their willingness to accept the unique concepts that were approved today,” Sun Belt Conference Commissioner Karl Benson said in a statement.  “Not only will these initiatives push our men’s and women’s basketball success to the next level, but our student-athlete and fan experience will be elevated with our new tournament format and host site at the Smoothie King Center.”

The 2018-2019 schedule also receives changes. The Sun Belt will no longer feature doubleheaders. The 18-game schedule will have the men’s teams at home, while the women’s teams are on the road playing the same team as the men, and vice versa. 

The 2019 Sun Belt tournament also has changes. Only 10 teams will make the field in both the women’s and men’s bracket with only eight teams making it to Lakefront Arena in New Orleans. Each bracket will have two opening round games at campus sites with the No. 7 seed hosting the No. 10 seed, and No. 8 seed hosting the No. 9 seed. The No. 1 seed and No. 2 seed will receive byes to semifinals, while the No. 3 seed and No. 4 seed to receive byes to quarterfinals.

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