It's tournament time!
With all eyes on the conference tournaments this week, here's a look at the top contenders for the Southland's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Favorites
NEW ORLEANS
- Key question: Can anyone guard Eric Thomas and then attack a defensive fortress in New Orleans?
- Record: 13-5 18-11, 13-5 Southland (No. 1 seed).
- Wins vs. Power 5 & Big East: Beat Washington State, 70-54.
- Southland Tournament opener: Friday vs. Thursday's Houston Baptist-Central Arkansas/Sam Houston State winner.
- NCAA ranks: No. 14 in turnovers forced (16.38).
- Southland ranks: No. 1 in field-goal shooting (47.2%), 3-point defense ( 30.9%) and assists (16.1); No. 2 in scoring margin (3.5).
TEXAS A&M-CORPUS CHRISTI
- Key question: Who can slow down the high-scoring tandem of Rashawn Thomas (21.7), Ehab Amin (17.5) and the red-hot Islanders?
- Record: 19-10, 12-6 Southland (No. 2 seed).
- Southland Tournament opener: Friday vs. Thursday's Stephen F. Austin-Lamar/Southeastern Louisiana winner.
- NCAA ranks: Ehab Amin No. 1 in steals (3.38), Rashawn Thomas No. 13 in scoring 21.7 and TAMU-CC No. 8 in steals (9.1).
- Southland ranks: No. 1 in field-goal shooting (47.2%) and steals (9.1); No. 2 in free-throw shooting (72.4%).
Contenders
STEPHEN F. AUSTIN
- Key question: Can the Lumberjacks continue their conference domination?
- Record: 17-13, 12-6 Southland (No. 3 seed).
- Southland Tournament opener: Thursday vs. Wednesday's Lamar-Southeastern Louisiana winner.
- NCAA ranks: No. 10 in turnovers forced (16.67).
- Southland ranks: No. 1 in assist/turnover ration (1.1); No. 2 in scoring defense (68.7).
HOUSTON BAPTIST
- Key question: Can anyone control the red hot and high scoring Huskies, winners of nine in a row and the Southland’s scoring leader?
- Record: 17-12, 12-6 Southland (No. 4 seed).
- Southland Tournament opener: Thursday vs. Wednesday's Sam Houston State-Central Arkansas winner.
- Southland ranks: No. 1 in scoring offense (79.4) and rebound margin (6.2).
SAM HOUSTON STATE
- Key question: Can any team defend the Bearkats' balanced attack — six players average between 7.0-10.3 points per game — and handle their pressure?
- Record: 19-12, 10-8 Southland (No. 5 seed).
- Southland Tournament opener: Thursday vs. Wednesday's Southeastern Louisiana-Lamar winner.
- NCAA ranks: No. 8 in turnovers forced (16.77).
- Southland ranks: No. 1 in field-goal defense (42.6%), turnover margin (2.7) and assist/turnover ratio (1.1); No. 2 in assists (15.2).
Longshot
LAMAR
- Key question: Can anyone slow down the Cardinals' high-powered offense?
- Record: 18-13, 10-8 Southland (No. 6 seed).
- Southland Tournament opener: Wednesday vs. No. 7 Southeastern Louisiana.
- Southland ranks: No. 1 in scoring margin (6.5) and assist/turnover ratio (1.1); No. 2 in socring offense (78.3), 3-point shooting (32.1%), steals (8.1) and turnover margin (2.65).
Other wins vs. Power 5 & Big East
- Nicholls: Beat Boston College, 79-73.
Other NCAA leaders
- Individual: Liam Thomas Nicholls — No. 1 in blocked shots (4.19); Jordan Howard Central Arkansas — No. 7 in 3-point shooting (45.3%) and T13 in 3-pointers made (3.26).
- Team: Nicholls — T4 in blocked shot (6.1).
Tournament schedule
WEDNESDAY
- No. 8 Central Arkansas vs. No. 5 Sam Houston State, 6 p.m. ET
- No. 7 Southeastern Louisiana vs. No. 6 Lamar, 8:30 p.m.
THURSDAY
- Central Arkansas-Sam Houston State winner vs. No. 4 Houston Baptist, 6 p.m. ET
- Southeastern Louisiana-Lamar vs. No. 3 Stephen F. Austin, 8:30 p.m. ET
FRIDAY
- Houston Baptist-Central Arkansas/Sam Houston State winner vs. No. 1 New Orleans, 6 p.m. ET
- Stephen F. Austin-Southeastern Louisiana/Lamar vs. No. 2 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 8:30 p.m. ET
SATURDAY
- Championship: 8:30 p.m. ET
Projected automatic bid
NEW ORLEANS
Mark Adams is ASN's lead basketball analyst. Follow him on Twitter at @EnthusiAdams.
