With the regular season in the rearview, the Texas State Bobcats head to Pensacola, Florida, for the Sun Belt Conference Women’s Basketball Championship, aiming to defy the odds and win the tournament as the No. 10 seed.
The single-elimination event, held March 4–10 at the Pensacola Bay Center, features all 14 Sun Belt teams vying for an automatic NCAA Tournament bid. Texas State (13-16 overall, 7-11 Sun Belt) opens play at 2 p.m. on Wednesday against the winner of Tuesday’s first-round matchup between No. 11 Marshall and No. 14 South Alabama. The Bobcats swept their regular-season series with South Alabama in two games and beat Marshall in their lone meeting.
The Favorites
No. 1 James Madison (27-4, 18-0 Sun Belt) enters as the undisputed juggernaut, riding a perfect conference record and receiving votes in the AP Top 25. The Dukes, led by 2024 Second Team All-Sun Belt center Kseniia Kozlova, anchor JMU into the conference’s defense leader (61.9 PPG allowed).
No. 2 Arkansas State (19-10, 15-3 Sun Belt) and No. 3 Troy (19-12 overall, 13-5 Sun Belt) round out the top contenders. Arkansas State’s stifling defense ranks amongst the best (3rd) in the Sun Belt (14.6 forced turnovers per game), and Troy’s high-octane transition offense (78.7 PPG) makes them formidable challengers.
Dark Horses
No. 4 Coastal Carolina (22-7, 12-6 Sun Belt) thrives on offensive efficiency, averaging a conference-second-best (75.2 points per game). The Chanticleers shoot 43.3% from the field and are second in the Sun Belt in steals (11.3 per game), using their disruptive defense to fuel transition opportunities. Their +11.1 scoring margin highlights their balance on both sides of the ball.
No. 5 Old Dominion (17-14, 9-9 Sun Belt) could disrupt the bracket. ODU leans on its physicality, leading the Sun Belt in offensive rebounds (16.5 per game) and ranking third in total rebounds (42.2 per game). The Monarchs’ ability to crash the glass—paired with drawing 19.5 free-throw attempts per game—keeps them competitive despite middling shooting percentages (37.7% FG, 29.6% 3P).
Texas State’s Path
To reach the third round, the Bobcats must first overcome Marshall or South Alabama on Wednesday. A win would pit them against No. 7 Louisiana (16-13, 9-9 Sun Belt) on Thursday. Texas State split its regular-season meetings with Louisiana, including an 11-point win in February.
Texas State’s matchup against either Marshall or South Alabama will be available to stream on ESPN+.
