For the first time in its three-year run at Lakefront Arena, the Sun Belt Conference men’s basketball tournament has a legitimate contender for an NCAA at-large berth.
Top seed Arkansas-Little Rock (27-4) may not need to win the event to go dancing. Picked fifth in the league’s preseason poll behind favored Louisiana-Lafayette, the Trojans surprised everyone but themselves by racing to the regular-season championship under first-year coach Chris Beard while tying for the fewest losses in the country.
First-round games start Wednesday, but Little Rock will not play until the Saturday semifinals along with No. 2 seed Louisiana-Monroe.