Sun Belt Men's Basketball Conference Championship Preview

After a week full of chaos and upsets in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament, only two teams remain and the championship matchup is set. Troy looks to defend their championship, while Georgia Southern looks to complete an incredible Cinderella run.

(1) Troy Trojans

As the No. 1 seed, Troy got a bye all the way to the semifinals, where it took on a red-hot Southern Miss team. The Trojans were able to take them down 78-70, getting back to the conference championship in back-to-back seasons.

Trojan Nation showed out yesterday! We need that same energy tonight.

Bring the Noise 🗣️#TakeTheStairs | #OneTROY ⚔️🏀 pic.twitter.com/8svIiHm3x8

— Troy Trojans MBB (@TroyTrojansMBB) March 9, 2026

Troy comes off a season where it reached the NCAA Tournament, losing in the first round. It returns only one starter from that team, Thomas Dowd. The first-team all-conference selection is averaging 14.6 points and 10.1 rebounds on the season, the only player in the conference averaging a double-double. Fellow all-conference selection Victor Valdes was a key bench contributor last season and leads the team in scoring this year (15).

The starting backcourt consists of two brothers in sophomore Cooper Campbell and redshirt junior Cobi Campbell. Cooper was also a key bench contributor last season and is putting up 12.8 points and 4.3 assists this season, including a 32-point, 12-rebound, eight-assist performance this season. Cobi is a sharpshooter, shooting 39.8% from deep on over five attempts per game.

Theo Seng was a huge contributor all season long, being top three on the team in scoring. However, his injury has given room for senior Jerrell Bellamy. The center is coming off a career game in the semifinals, putting up 22 points and six blocks. He also had a 25-point performance against Louisiana late in the season.

As a team, Troy is the second-best offensive rebounding team in the conference. It also makes just under 10 threes a game while averaging over 80 points per game.

Troy came out on top against Georgia Southern in its only meeting this year, behind 22 points from Valdes and a double-double from Dowd. The Trojans outrebounded the Eagles by 13, including 17 total offensive rebounds.

(10) Georgia Southern

The Georgia Southern Eagles are the surprise run of the tournament, winning five games in as many days and looking for their sixth to advance to their first March Madness in over 30 years. They advanced to the finals with a nail-biting win over Marshall.

Georgia Southern is creating chaos in the Sun Belt's gauntlet of a conference tournament.

After winning five games in five days, the Eagles are in the championship game—and could clinch their first March Madness bid in 34 years.

— Front Office Sports (@FOS) March 9, 2026

Tyren Moore is having a historic tournament and looks to lead the Eagles to the big dance after transferring back to Statesboro this past offseason. Moore has set the tournament record for points, among many others, including a 40-point performance in the win over Coastal Carolina. He is joined in the backcourt by Spudd Webb, who is averaging 15.1 points per game and is coming off a 31-point game against Marshall.

Forward Alden Applewhite is also having a breakthrough tournament. Applewhite is averaging just under 15 points and six rebounds on the season but has scored 27 or more points in three of the Eagles’ five games in the tournament. Fellow forward Nakavieon White is also a threat, proving he can go for 20-plus points anytime.

Georgia Southern’s depth has been impressive on the season, as six more players are averaging at least three points. Bigs Andres Burney and Shainen Carter don’t put up the biggest numbers but have proven to be crucial for the team in big moments. Khayri Dunn has also been a scoring threat off the bench from the guard position.

The Eagles have gone on this run by speeding teams up and shooting the lights out of the ball. Despite only making seven threes against the Herd, they broke the tournament record a few games ago by making 23 shots from deep on 44 attempts. They also lead the conference in forced turnovers and are ranked fourth in KenPom in tempo.

In their meeting this season, Applewhite led the team with 19 points. The Eagles forced the Trojans into 13 turnovers but shot only 34% from deep and sent Troy to the free-throw line 24 times.

Tipoff: 7 p.m. ET (6 p.m. CT)

TV: ESPN2

Radio: WTBF 94.7 (Troy), The Varsity Network (Georgia Southern)