At least one team will represent the state of Louisiana in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.
The Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns will compete in this year’s field of 68 teams after winning the Sun Belt Conference Tournament. The Cajuns, who had won a share of the Sun Belt regular season title, beat South Alabama 71-66 in the championship game to punch their ticket to this year’s “Big Dance.”
This marks the Cajuns’ first conference tournament championship and NCAA Tournament appearance since 2014, when Gretna native and John Ehret standout Elfrid Payton led the Cajuns to the Sun Belt Championship and a berth in the national championship playoff.
Several other Louisiana teams remain alive in their quest for an NCAA Tournament berth. McNeese State, Northwestern State, and New Orleans will all compete in semifinal contests in the Southland Conference Tournament on Tuesday, with McNeese playing Lamar and Northwestern State and New Orleans playing each other. Louisiana Tech will play in the first round of the Conference USA Tournament on Wednesday, taking on Florida International.
Grambling and Southern will play in first-round games of the SWAC tournament this week, with Grambling taking on Jackson State on Wednesday and Southern playing Prairie View A&M on Thursday. Tulane received a bye into the quarterfinals of the American Athletic Conference Tournament. The Green Wave will play the winner of Thursday’s Tulsa/Wichita State game on Friday night. LSU will play Georgia in the opening round of the SEC Tournament on Wednesday.
