With two games remaining for most teams in Sun Belt Conference play,
there are still four schools in competition for two remaining first-round byes
at next week’s Sun Belt Tournament in Hot Springs.
Middle Tennessee (17-1), Arkansas State (12-6) and South Alabama (13-5)
are already assured of the Nos. 1, 2 and 3 seeds. That leaves the No. 4 and No.
5 seeds.
The four remaining teams vying for the two remaining byes are: Florida
International (10-8), UALR (9-9), Western Kentucky (9-9) and Florida Atlantic
(8-11).
If Florida International wins either Thursday at Louisiana-Monroe or
Saturday at Florida Atlantic, they will be the No. 4 seed. If they lose either
game, it opens up a number of possibilities.
If UALR wins either Thursday (ULL) or Saturday (ASU) OR Western
Kentucky wins Thursday (USA) or Saturday (MTSU) it will eliminate Florida
Atlantic and Louisiana-Lafayette from bye consideration.
Florida International and UALR are the only teams in control of their
bye destiny. UALR would guarantee a bye by winning both Thursday and Saturday.
Here are some tiebreaking scenarios:
- UALR and WKU at either 9-11, 10-10 or 11-9: UALR wins
- UALR and FIU at either 10-10 or 11-9: FIU wins
- UALR, WKU and FIU at either 10-10 or 11-9: UALR gets the 4, FIU the 5 and WKU the 6.
- UALR, WKU and Florida Atlantic at 9-11: FAU gets the 5, UALR the 6 and WKU the 7.
- UALR, WKU, FAU and ULL at 9-11: FAU gets the 5, ULL gets the 6, UALR the 7 and WKU the 8.
