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
Arkansas State 1 – 0   1.000 10 – 3   .769
South Alabama 1 – 0   1.000 8 – 4   .667
Texas State 1 – 0   1.000 8 – 4   .667
Troy 1 – 0   1.000 8 – 4   .667
Southern Miss 1 – 0   1.000 5 – 7   .417
Old Dominion 1 – 0   1.000 4 – 8   .333
Louisiana 1 – 0   1.000 3 – 9   .250
Georgia Southern 0 – 1   .000 7 – 6   .538
Marshall 0 – 1   .000 7 – 6   .538
Appalachian State 0 – 1   .000 6 – 6   .500
Coastal Carolina 0 – 1   .000 6 – 6   .500
James Madison 0 – 1   .000 6 – 6   .500
Georgia State 0 – 1   .000 4 – 8   .333
Louisiana–Monroe 0 – 1   .000 4 – 10   .286
† 2025 Sun Belt tournament winner
As of December 21, 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]

Louisiana

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Head coach Bob Marlin was fired on December 19, 2024, after 15 seasons with the Ragin' Cajuns. Assistant coach Derrick Zimmerman was named interim head coach for the remainder of the season.[5]

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.[6]

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 15 269–198 (.576) 151–103 (.594) 1 1 1
Derrick Zimmerman (interim) Louisiana (Asst.) 4 0–0 (–) 0–0 (–) 0 0 0
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.[7]

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 [7]

Preseason All-Sun Belt team

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2024-25 Sun Belt Men's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Teams[7]
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 2nd
Arkansas State Baha Mar Hoops Nassau Championship
Coastal Carolina Alabama A&M Bulldog Bash
Georgia Southern Rock Hill Classic 3rd
Georgia State Jacksonville Classic –
James Madison Boardwalk Battle 3rd
Louisiana Paradise Jam 8th
Old Dominion Cayman Islands Classic 8th
South Alabama Jaguar Classic 3rd
Texas State Myrtle Beach Invitational 5th

Player of the week

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Week Player(s) of the Week School
Nov 11[8] Jackson Fields Troy
Nov 18[9] Nate Martin Marshall
Nov 25[10] Bryce Lindsey James Madison
Dec 2[11] Myles Corey South Alabama
Dec 9[12] Denijay Harris Southern Miss
Dec 16[13] Taryn Todd Arkansas State
Dec 23

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. ^ Yoshonis, Scott (December 19, 2024). "UL fires men's basketball coach Bob Marlin". KLFY. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
  6. ^ Morehouse, Keith (March 25, 2024). "MU parting ways with Coach Dan D'Antoni". WSAZ-TV. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ "Troy's Jackson Fields Tabbed Sun Belt Men's Basketball Player of the Week". November 12, 2024. Retrieved November 13, 2024.
  9. ^ "Marshall's Nate Martin Earns Sun Belt Men's Basketball Player of the Week". November 19, 2024. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
  10. ^ "James Madison's Bryce Lindsay Nets Sun Belt Men's Basketball Player of the Week Honor". November 26, 2024. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
  11. ^ "South Alabama's Myles Corey Tabbed Sun Belt Men's Basketball Player of the Week". December 2, 2024. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  12. ^ "Southern Miss' Garners Sun Belt Men's Basketball Player of the Week". December 10, 2024. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
  13. ^ "Arkansas State's Taryn Todd Collects Sun Belt Men's Basketball Player of the Week Nod". December 17, 2024. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
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