Middle 20 fans should root hard for Middle Tennessee, because they truly deserve a bid regardless as the 27th best team in www.kenpom.com behind the duo of Marcos Knight and Bruce Massey, two of the top 100 Low-Major players. However, South Alabama's Augustine Rubit is the top ranked player in teh conference and 15th overall. Championship in Hot Springs Arkansas on March 11.
1-seed Middle Tennessee plays Saturday at 7:30 ET against 8-seed Louisiana Lafayette, which beat Western Kentucky 74-60 Friday. ULL has the second best player the conference in Elfrid Payton, the 20th best player in the Low-Majors.
2-seed Arkansas State faces a surprise opponent in Troy, which came back to stun Florida Atlantic 81-79.
| Conf Rnk |
Low-Maj Rnk |
Elite 8 Players/Teams |
Sun Belt |
Ht |
LM Val Add |
| 1 |
15 |
Rubit, Augustine |
South Alabama |
6-07 |
9.68 |
| 2 |
20 |
Payton, Elfrid |
Louisiana Lafayette |
6-03 |
9.17 |
| 3 |
27 |
Murphy, Tymell |
Florida International |
6-05 |
8.86 |
| 4 |
40 |
Gantt, Greg |
Florida Atlantic |
6-02 |
8.16 |
| 5 |
42 |
Knight, Marcos |
Middle Tennessee |
6-02 |
7.95 |
| 6 |
90 |
Massey, Bruce |
Middle Tennessee |
6-03 |
6.61 |
| 7 |
95 |
Peterson, Brandon |
Arkansas St. |
6-08 |
6.54 |
| 8 |
98 |
Hale, Michael |
Texas San Antonio |
5-09 |
6.48 |
| 1 |
27 |
Team Rank |
Middle Tennessee |
|
|
| 2 |
123 |
Team Rank |
Arkansas St. |
|
|
| 3 |
188 |
Team Rank |
Western Kentucky |
|
|
| 4 |
193 |
Team Rank |
South Alabama |
|
|
| 5 |
205 |
Team Rank |
Florida International |
|
|
| 6 |
216 |
Team Rank |
Arkansas Little Rock |
|
|
| 7 |
229 |
Team Rank |
Florida Atlantic |
|
|
| 8 |
232 |
Team Rank |
North Texas |
|
|