2024–25 Sun Belt Conference men's basketball season

2024–25 Sun Belt Conference men's basketball season
LeagueNCAA Division I
SportBasketball
DurationNovember 4, 2024 – March 2025
Number of teams14
TV partner(s)ESPN
2024–25 NCAA Division I men's basketball season
Tournament
Basketball seasons
2025–26 →
2024–25 Sun Belt Conference men's basketball standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
Georgia Southern 0 – 0   – 4 – 2   .667
Arkansas State 0 – 0   – 3 – 1   .750
Marshall 0 – 0   – 3 – 1   .750
Southern Miss 0 – 0   – 2 – 1   .667
South Alabama 0 – 0   – 3 – 2   .600
Georgia State 0 – 0   – 2 – 2   .500
James Madison 0 – 0   – 2 – 2   .500
Texas State 0 – 0   – 2 – 2   .500
Troy 0 – 0   – 2 – 2   .500
Louisiana–Monroe 0 – 0   – 2 – 4   .333
Appalachian State 0 – 0   – 1 – 2   .333
Louisiana 0 – 0   – 1 – 2   .333
Coastal Carolina 0 – 0   – 1 – 3   .250
Old Dominion 0 – 0   – 1 – 3   .250
† 2025 Sun Belt tournament winner
As of November 18, 2024

The 2024–25 Sun Belt Conference men's basketball season is the season for Sun Belt Conference men's basketball teams that will begin with practices in October 2024, followed by the start of the 2024–25 NCAA Division I men's basketball season in November. Conference play will begin in December 2024, and conclude in March 2025. The 2025 Sun Belt Conference men's basketball tournament will take place at the Pensacola Bay Center in Pensacola, Florida.

Head coaches

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Coaching changes

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Coastal Carolina

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On December 6, 2023, head coach Cliff Ellis retired with assistant coach Benny Moss named interim head coach for the rest of the season. On March 12, 2024, Western Carolina head coach Justin Gray was named new head coach.[1][2]

James Madison

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On March 25, 2024, Mark Byington left to become head coach of Vanderbilt. On March 29, 2024, Morehead State head coach Preston Spradlin was named new head coach of the Dukes.[3] [4]

Marshall

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On March 25, 2024, head coach Dan D'Antoni and Marshall parted ways. Later that day, associate head coach Cornelius Jackson was named his successor.[5]

Old Dominion

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Jeff Jones resigned following a heart attack he had on December 20, 2023, and special assistant coach Kieran Donahue was named interim head coach for the rest of the season. Jones retired on February 26, 2024. Former Old Dominion player and Maryland assistant coach Mike Jones was named new head coach on March 1, 2024.

Coaches

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Team Head coach Previous job Years at school Overall record Sun Belt record Sun Belt titles Sun Belt Tournament titles NCAA Tournaments
Appalachian State Dustin Kerns Presbyterian 6 98–67 (.594) 55–35 (.611) 1 1 1
Arkansas State Bryan Hodgson Alabama (Asst.) 2 20–16 (.556) 11–7 (.611) 0 0 0
Coastal Carolina Justin Gray Western Carolina 1 1–0 (1.000) 0–0 (–) 0 0 0
Georgia Southern Charlie Henry Alabama (Asst.) 2 9–23 (.281) 8–10 (.444) 0 0 0
Georgia State Jonas Hayes Xavier (Assoc.) 3 25–38 (.397) 11–25 (.306) 0 0 0
James Madison Preston Spradlin Morehead State 1 1–0 (1.000) 0–0 (–) 0 0 0
Louisiana Bob Marlin Sam Houston 15 265–188 (.585) 150–103 (.593) 1 1 1
Louisiana–Monroe Keith Richard LSU (Asst.) 15 163–271 (.376) 91–165 (.355) 0 0 0
Marshall Cornelius Jackson Marshall (Assoc.) 1 1–0 (1.000) 0–0 (–) 0 0 0
Old Dominion Mike Jones Maryland (Asst.) 1 0–1 (.000) 0–0 (–) 0 0 0
South Alabama Richie Riley Nicholls State 7 110–83 (.570) 57–50 (.533) 0 0 0
Southern Miss Jay Ladner Southeastern Louisiana 6 65–88 (.425) 33–57 (.367) 0 0 0
Texas State Terrence Johnson Texas State (Asst.) 5 69–51 (.575) 37–29 (.561) 2 0 0
Troy Scott Cross TCU (Asst.) 6 81–76 (.516) 43–45 (.489) 0 0 0

Preseason

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Preseason Coaches Poll

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On October 14, 2024, the conference announced a preseason conference poll as voted by the league's 14 head coaches.[6]

Rank Team
1. Arkansas State(12)
2. James Madison (1)
3. Troy (1)
4. Louisiana
5. Southern Miss
6. Appalachian State
7. Texas State
8. Georgia Southern
Old Dominion
10. Marshall
11. South Alabama
12. Georgia State
13. Coastal Carolina
14. Louisiana–Monore

Preseason awards

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Sun Belt preseason player of the year

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  • Kobe Julian – Arkansas State [6]

Preseason All-Sun Belt team

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2024-25 Sun Belt Men's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Teams[6]
First Team Second Team Third Team

Mark Freeman – James Madison
Kobe Julian – Arkansas State
Hosana Kitenge - Louisiana
Nate Martin – Marshall
Myles Rigsby – Troy

Obinna Anochili-Killen – Marshall
Tayton Conerway – Troy
C.J. Huntley – Appalachian State
Toneari Lane – Georgia State
Taryn Todd – Arkansas State

Xavier Brown – Appalachian State
Andre Curbelo – Southern Miss
Tyrel Morgan – Texas State
Izaiyah Nelson – Arkansas State
Myles Tate – Appalachian State

Regular season

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Early season tournaments

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Team Tournament Finish
Appalachian State Live Oak Bank Holiday Classic
Arkansas State Baha Mar Hoops Nassau Championship
Coastal Carolina MTE Men's Basketball Tournament
Georgia Southern Rock Hill Classic
Georgia State Jacksonville Classic
James Madison Boardwalk Battle
Louisiana Paradise Jam
Old Dominion Cayman Islands Classic
South Alabama Jaguar Classic
Texas State Myrtle Beach Invitational

Player of the week

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Week Player(s) of the Week School
Nov 11[7] Jackson Fields Troy
Nov 18

Records against other conferences

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Power 6 Conferences
Conference Record
ACC 0–0
Big East 0–0
Big Ten 0–1
Big 12 0–2
Pac–12 0–0
SEC 0–3
Combined 0–6
Other NCAA Division I Conferences Record
America East 0–0
American 0–4
ASUN 0–0
Atlantic 10 0–0
Big Sky 0–0
Big South 0–1
Big West 0–0
CAA 0–1
Conference USA 0–0
Horizon 0–0
Independents/Non-Division I 2–0
Ivy 0–0
MAAC 0–0
MAC 9–4
MEAC 0–1
Missouri Valley 0–0
Mountain West 0–0
Northeast 0–0
OVC 0–2
Patriot 0–0
Southern 0–0
Southland 2–0
SWAC 0–0
Summit 0–0
West Coast 0–0
WAC 0–0
Combined 13–13

Post season

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Sun Belt tournament

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Main article: 2025 Sun Belt Conference men's basketball tournament

NCAA tournament

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Main article: 2025 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament
Seed Region School First Four 1st round 2nd round Sweet 16 Elite Eight Final Four Championship
W–L (%): 0–0 (–) 0–0 (–) 0–0 (–) 0–0 (–) 0–0 (–) 0–0 (–) 0–0 (–) Total: 0–0 (–)

References

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  1. ^ "Cliff Ellis Announces Retirement, Ending 49-Year Coaching Career". Coastal Carolina University Athletics. December 6, 2023. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
  2. ^ "Coastal to Introduce Men's Basketball Coach Justin Gray at Press Conference Thursday". goccusports.com. March 12, 2024. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
  3. ^ "James Madison Welcomes Preston Spradlin as Men's Basketball Head Coach". James Madison University Athletics. March 29, 2024. Retrieved 2024-03-31.
  4. ^ "Vanderbilt Names Mark Byington Head Basketball Coach". VUCommodores.com. March 25, 2024. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
  5. ^ Morehouse, Keith (March 25, 2024). "MU parting ways with Coach Dan D'Antoni". WSAZ-TV. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c "Arkansas State Tops 2024-25 Sun Belt Men's Basketball Preseason Poll". Sun Belt Conference. October 14, 2023. Retrieved November 13, 2024.
  7. ^ "Troy's Jackson Fields Tabbed Sun Belt Men's Basketball Player of the Week". November 12, 2024. Retrieved November 13, 2024.
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