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Troy Today
By the People, for the People
Troy and Marshall to meet in Sun Belt title game
Top two seeds advance to conference tournament championship after navigating challenging bracket
Published on Mar. 2, 2026
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The Sun Belt Conference tournament features a unique format that ensures the top two regular season teams, Troy and Marshall, will meet in the championship game. Despite a crowded field of contenders, the Trojans and Thundering Herd navigated the multi-round bracket to set up a title showdown on March 9.
Why it matters
The Sun Belt has emerged as one of the more competitive mid-major conferences in recent years, with several teams capable of pulling off upsets in the NCAA Tournament. Troy and Marshall's path to the championship game highlights the parity in the league, as well as the conference's innovative tournament structure designed to reward regular season success.
The details
The 14-team Sun Belt tournament features a seven-round format with no more than two games per round. The top two seeds, Troy and Marshall, earned byes all the way to the semifinals, while lower-seeded teams had to win multiple games to advance. Despite tight competition from the likes of Texas State, Arkansas State, and Coastal Carolina, the Trojans and Thundering Herd emerged victorious to set up a title showdown.
- The Sun Belt tournament began on March 3.
- The championship game is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on March 9.
The players
Troy
The Trojans won the Sun Belt regular season title by a single game over a crowded group of contenders.
Marshall
The Thundering Herd finished tied for second in the regular season standings and earned a bye to the semifinals of the conference tournament.
What they’re saying
“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”
— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)
What’s next
The winner of the Sun Belt championship game will receive an automatic bid to the 2026 NCAA Tournament.
The takeaway
The Sun Belt's unique tournament format has ensured that the league's top regular season teams will meet in the championship game, setting up an intriguing title matchup between Troy and Marshall that could have major implications for the NCAA Tournament field.
