https://www.pensacolabaycenter.com/even ... ionships-3
https://sunbeltsports.org/sports/2023/8 ... ath=mbball
What a lovely week it was. Throttling ODU and A-State to claim the undisputed and outright Sun Belt regular season championship with the most wins in program history, cutting down the nets in Holmes and celebrating with an overnighted trophy from New Orleans.
And now none of those matters now. Thus, the reality of mid-major college basketball.
The Apps head down to Pensacola on Thursday for the Sun Belt Tournament, playing in the now-traditional No. 1 seed spot at 12:30 p.m. ET (11:30 a.m. CT local time) versus the No. 8/9 winner from Thursday.
That game, also at 12:30 a.m. ET/11:30 a.m. CT, pits South Alabama versus Georgia Southern. App had to use overtime to beat both on the road and pulled away late from the Eagles in Boone. But that matters very little now.
The Sun Belt Tournament has been in Pensacola since 2021, so three years previous. Here's something that'll excite you. The winner of the first quarterfinal in Pensacola each of those years has made the finals. And here's something that'll scare you. None of those have been the No. 1 seed. The record of the No. 1 seed (who has been undisputed regular season champs all three years) in Pensacola? 0-3. Yes, zero and three.
In 2021, the COVID year, App State knocked off regular season champs Texas State in overtime in the middle of winning four games in four days to go social-distanced dancing (the Sun Belt Tournament utilized a second site that year to cut down the days and stopped doing that because the coaches whined).
In 2022, Texas State won the regular season again, and again lost the opening game, this time to No. 8 seed Louisiana 79-72. The Cajuns made it to the Sun Belt title game, losing to No. 3 Georgia State, who had beat No. 2 App State in the semifinals.
In 2023, last year, Southern Miss rose up to have an amazing regular season. Then No. 8 South Alabama, who had handled No. 9 App State two days before, walloped the Golden Eagles by 17. The Jags made it to the finals, upsetting JMU before losing to No. 2 Louisiana.
So there's some recent history to overcome in this quarterfinal. Nothing should be taken for granted.
Only thing I have to offer is that App is undefeated in game starting between 12-1 p.m. ET this season. UNCW and Murray State in Ft. Myers, Austin Peay, Auburn, ULM and Toledo, although I don't think any of us want to go through another Toledo. App State is 5-2 in Pensacola all time, buoyed by that 4-0 record in 2021.
You can't win three until you win one. And for the No. 1 seed in Pensacola, it's a giant leap that hasn't been done yet.