Updating Sun Belt Conference men’s basketball race with 2 weeks left in regular season

We’re two weeks away from the start of the Sun Belt Conference basketball tournament, and no closer to figuring out who is the league’s front-runner.

If anything, things are even more confusing following a dramatic Saturday in the league. Troy beat first-place Arkansas State, while South Alabama and James Madison both won, creating a four-way logjam at the top of the standings with four games remaining in the regular season.

Despite stumbling last week, Appalachian State and Marshall are still within striking distance as well. The Sun Belt’s unusual tournament set-up and its likely status as a one-bid league for the NCAA tournament means finishing in the top four in the standings goes a long way toward a less-difficult postseason road.

Here are how things stand among the six Sun Belt men’s basketball contenders as we head into the final two weeks of the regular season:

Arkansas State (10-4)

Remaining home games: South Alabama (2/19), Louisiana-Monroe (2/22)

Remaining road games: Louisiana (2/26), Louisiana-Monroe (2/28)

Has tiebreaker on: Appalachian State (1-0)

Loses tiebreaker to: South Alabama (0-1), Marshall (0-1), James Madison (0-1)

Split with: Troy (1-1)

Note: The Red Wolves suffered their first home loss in more than a year against Troy on Saturday, which raises the stakes even higher on Wednesday’s home game with South Alabama. Arkansas State is the most-talented team in the conference, but could wind up on the bad end of several tiebreakers.

James Madison (10-4)

Remaining home games: Georgia State (2/20), Georgia Southern (2/22)

Remaining road games: Louisiana-Monroe (2/25), Texas State (2/28)

Has tiebreaker on: Troy (1-0), Arkansas State (1-0)

Loses tiebreaker to: App State (0-2), South Alabama (0-1)

Split with: Marshall (1-1)

The Dukes pulled one out of the fire against lowly Coastal Carolina this past Saturday, and enter the final two weeks having won seven straight conference games. The tiebreakers over Troy and/or Arkansas State could wind up being big.

South Alabama (10-4)

Remaining home games: Louisiana (2-28)

Remaining road games: Arkansas State (2/19), Texas State (2/22), Southern Miss (2/26)

Has tiebreaker on: Arkansas State (1-0), James Madison (1-0), Marshall (1-0)

Loses tiebreaker to: None

Split with: Troy (1-1)

Note: Wednesday’s game is huge for the Jaguars, who would be in great shape for a top two seed with a win and a sweep of the Red Wolves. A loss would make that path much more difficult, as South Alabama stays on the road Saturday at Texas State, whom it had trouble putting away in Mobile this past weekend.

Jackson Fields (15) at Troy are in a four-way tie for first in the Sun Belt Conference standings with four regular-season games remaining. (Troy athletics photo)Troy athletics

Troy (10-4)

Remaining home games: Louisiana (2/20), Coastal Carolina (2/22)

Remaining road games: Texas State (2/25), Southern Miss (2/28)

Has tiebreaker on: Marshall (1-0), App State (1-0)

Loses tiebreaker to: James Madison (0-1)

Split with: Arkansas State (1-1), South Alabama (1-1)

The Trojans are playing as well as any team in the conference right now, and are unlikely to lose the rest of the way. That would virtually guarantee them a top two seed, and perhaps a regular-season championship if they don’t finish tied with JMU.

Appalachian State (9-5)

Remaining home games: Georgia Southern (2/20), Marshall (2/22)

Remaining road games: Georgia Southern (2/25), Marshall (2/28)

Has tiebreaker on: James Madison (2-0)

Loses tiebreaker to: Arkansas State (0-1), Troy (0-1)

Split with: None

The Mountaineers lost to Georgia State on Saturday, knocking them out of a chance to stay tied for first. App State still has two games left with Marshall and does not South Alabama, but the sweep over JMU is a positive.

Marshall (8-6)

Remaining home games: Old Dominion (2/25), Appalachian State (2/28)

Remaining road games: Old Dominion (2/20), Appalachian State (2/22)

Has tiebreaker on: Arkansas State (1-0)

Loses tiebreaker to: Troy (0-1), South Alabama (0-1)

Split with: James Madison (1-1)

The Thundering Herd was in very good shape before getting swept by South Alabama and Louisiana last week, so they need to win out and get some help to remain in title contention. Marshall has nice wins over Arkansas State and James Madison, but being two games back with four left is a lot of ground to make up.

This week’s schedule

(All times Central; all games on ESPN+ unless noted)

Wednesday, Feb. 19

South Alabama at Arkansas State, 7 p.m.

Louisiana-Monroe at Texas State, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 20

Georgia Southern at Appalachian State, 5:30 p.m.

Marshall at Old Dominion, 6 p.m.

Georgia State at James Madison, 6 p.m.

Louisiana at Troy, 6 p.m.

Coastal Carolina at Southern Miss, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 22

Marshall at Appalachian State, noon

Louisiana-Monroe at Arkansas State, 2 p.m.

Coastal Carolina at Troy, 3:30 p.m.

Georgia Southern at James Madison, 4 p.m.

South Alabama at Texas State, 4:30 p.m.

Georgia State at Old Dominion, 6 p.m.

Louisiana at Southern Miss, 7 p.m.