2012 Sun Belt Champion: Western Kentucky Tops North Texas, 74-70

In a highly entertaining game back-and-forth game, the No. 7 seed Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (15-18_ pulled off the 74-70 win over the No. 5 seed North Texas Mean Green for the 2012 Sun Belt Tournament championship and an automatic bid to the the NCAA Tournament. The Hilltoppers had to win four games in four nights to pull this off and are currently on a 6-0 winning streak. And let's not forget to mention that the school fired its head coach after a 5-11 start.

The Mean Green had at one point built a 13-point lead, 55-42, against the Hilltoppers, but just as quickly as it came it went away. Teeng Akol had the top performance with his 25 points, 6 rebounds and 2 blocks. He was 9-of-12 from the field for the Hilltoppers.

George Fant and Kahlil McDonald were huge for Western Kentucky as well, scoring 17 and 14 points, respectively. They combined to go 13-of-13 from the free throw line, with the team 19-of-22 overall from the charity stripe.

North Texas was led by Tony Mitchell's 18 points on 7-of-13 shooting, but their defense let them down, especially when they held that 13-point lead. Alzee Williams and Brandon Walton each chipped in 14 points while Jacob Holmen added 13 points.

Western Kentucky will now wait until Sunday to find its seed for the NCAA Tournament.

For updates on the tournament, stick with SB Nation Denver. Head over to SB Nation NCAA Basketball for more news and notes from around the college hoops world. Stay up to date with the 2012 Sun Belt Tournament bracket.

2012 Sun Belt Tournament: North Texas Leads Western Kentucky, 32-30

The No. 5 North Texas Mean Green and the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers are playing a spirited game for the 2012 Sun Belt Championship. At halftime, the Mean Green lead the Hilltoppers, 32-30.

In a less than packed Summit Arena, the Mean Green and the Hilltoppers played a back-and-forth contest with plenty of action around the boards. Neither team shot well (36.7 percent for Western Kentucky and 37.5 percent for North Texas), leading to 37 total rebounds in the first half.

Tony Mitchell has been the offensive spark for the Mean Green with his nine points and four rebounds. Jacob Holmen has followed with eight points, but on 3-of-9 shooting.

Teeng Akol has scored 12 points on 5-of-7 points for the Hilltoppers, double the points of T.J. Price, who is second on the team in scoring. The Hilltoppers have equaled North Texas' turnover total with seven.

For updates on the tournament, stick with SB Nation Denver. Head over to SB Nation NCAA Basketball for more news and notes from around the college hoops world. Stay up to date with the 2012 Sun Belt Tournament bracket.

Sun Belt Basketball Championship Game 2012: North Texas Vs. Western Kentucky Settles Spot In Big Dance

The 2012 Sun Belt Tournament comes to an end on Tuesday evening when the No. 5 North Texas Mean Green and the No. 7 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers take the court at Summit Arena in Hot Springs, Ark. For the Denver Pioneers and its fans, this is a disappointing day because the team was the No. 3 seed and the prohibitive favorite to win the conference's automatic bid. Yet, that all ended with a 67-63 loss to the Hilltoppers on Monday night.

Should the Hilltoppers, 14-18 overall, pull off this upset victory, the NCAA Tournament will have a team with a losing record as its Sun Belt conference representative, which just goes to show that even a playoff doesn't solve every postseason issue in college sports. Oh, and the Hilltoppers fired their head coach in early January after a 5-11 start.

North Texas defeated the Arkansas St. Red Wolves on Monday night in the early game, 76-72. All five starters scored at least 10 points, led by Jacob Holmen's 21 points (5-of-5 from beyond the arc). North Texas defeated Western Kentucky earlier in the season, 84-67, but that wound up meaning little to the Pioneers (who did the same to the Hilltoppers).

Game time/date: 5:00 p.m. MT, Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Location: Summit Arena, Hot Springs, Ark.

TV: ESPN2/ESPN3

For updates on the tournament, stick with SB Nation Denver. Head over to SB Nation NCAA Basketball for more news and notes from around the college hoops world. Stay up to date with the 2012 Sun Belt Tournament bracket.

Denver Vs. Western Kentucky Final Score, 2012 Sun Belt Tournament: Hilltoppers Upset Pioneers, 67-63

The No. 3 Denver Pioneers' run for a 2012 Sun Belt Tournament championship and a berth in the NCAA Tournament came to an end on Monday night with a loss to the No. 7 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, 67-63. The top four teams are now all eliminated from the tournament, leaving the Hilltoppers to face the No. 5 North Texas Mean Green on Tuesday night for the tournament championship and a spot in the Big Dance.

The Pioneers started the second half down by three points, 34-31, but the Hilltoppers were able to keep their shooting percentage above 50 percent while Denver's sank to 45 percent. Brian Stafford led the team with 19 points on 7-of-15 shooting. Royce O'Neale provided strong play with 15 points and nine rebounds, but his six turnovers left much to be desired. The team had 12 in total to just 10 assists.

The Hilltoppers were able to find the free throw line 34 times, sinking 24 of them. The Pioneers, on the other hand, hit the charity stripe 12-of-16 times. Western Kentucky's George Fant went 6-of-8 from the field and 7-of-9 at the line to lead the team with 19 points. Kahlil McDonald was a sharpshooter with three of his four treys hitting the mark. He had 14 points in total.

The Pioneers' dreams of an NCAA Tournament bid ended, but the National Invitation Tournament awaits.

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2012 Sun Belt Tournament, Denver Vs. Western Kentucky: Hilltoppers Hold 3-Point Lead At Halftime

The Denver Pioneers held the lead for a good portion of the final minutes of the first half against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, but at halftime they find themselves down by three points, 34-31. Western Kentucky ended the half of a 6-0 run with a couple of free throws, a jumper and a layup.

The Pioneers went on a 14-1 run during the middle of the frame, holding a 22-17 lead with 8:39 left on the clock. However, sharper shooting for the Hilltoppers has kept them alive and, ultimately, in the lead. Western Kentucky has hit 55.6 percent of its shots and four of its five free throws.

The Pioneers, on the other hand, are just 12-of-25 from the field and 4-of-7 from the free throw line. Rob Lewis and Royce O'Neale are tied for the team lead with seven points each. Chris Udofia has put in six points, as well.

With 20 minutes left to play, can the Pioneers pull out the victory and play in the Sun Belt Tournament championship game?

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Sun Belt 2012: North Texas Outlasts Arkansas St. 76-72

North Texas shot 58 percent from the field to outlast Arkansas St. 76-72 on Monday night at the Sun Belt Conference Tournament. The fifth seeded Green Wave will now advance to the tournament championship game to play the winner of the Denver Pioneers vs. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers game, which gets under way shortly. The victory pushes North Texas to 18-13 overall, while the Red Wolves will see their season end at 14-20.

North Texas was led by forward Jacob Holmen, who shot 8-of-11 from the floor and 5-of-5 from three-point range to finish with 21 points, four rebounds and four assists. Four other Green Wave players would reach double-figures in scoring. Guard Alzee Williams scored 12. Guard Brandan Walton and forward Tony Mitchell each scored 11 off the bench.

Trey Finn scored 21 points on 5-of-12 shooting (that included 5-of-10 shooting from three-point range) to lead Arkansas St. Forward Malcoln Kirkland finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Red Wolves in the loss.

For updates on the tournament, stick with SB Nation Denver. Head over to SB Nation NCAA Basketball for more news and notes from around the college hoops world. Stay up to date with the 2012 Sun Belt Tournament bracket.

2012 Sun Belt Tournament, Denver Vs. Western Kentucky: Game Time, TV Schedule And More

The Denver Pioneers are the prohibitive favorite to win the 2012 Sun Belt Tournament now that they are highest remaining seed in the tournament at No. 3. The No. 1 Middle Tenn. St. Blue Raiders and the No. 2 Ark.-Little Rock Trojans both fell in the quarterfinals on Sunday, the No. 7 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, Denver's opponent, defeating the latter team.

Denver picked up a 61-50 victory over the No. 6 South Alabama Jaguars on Saturday night. Brian Stafford and Rob Lewis tied for the team-high of 14 points while Royce O'Neale put in 11 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double. They fended off Augustine Rubit, who scored 21 points.

Western Kentucky was powered by Derrick Gordon's 25 points and 15 rebounds in the victory over the Trojans. George Fant (13 points) and Kahlil McDonald (11) joined Gordon in double digits, but the team shot just 38.2 percent in the game.

Let's see how Chris Udofia performs in this game. He scored 20 points and pulled down 11 rebounds in Denver's 78-65 victory on Jan. 15.

Game time/date: 7:30 p.m. MT, Monday, March 5, 2012

Location: Summit Arena, Hot Springs, Ark.

TV: Sun Belt Network

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Sun Belt Tournament Schedule 2012: Day 3 Features Denver Vs. Western Kentucky

The 2012 Sun Belt Tournament continues on Monday with its final four participants taking the court at Summit Arena in Hot Springs, Ark. The tournament is with its top two seeds after the No. 1 Middle Tenn. St. Blue Raiders and the No. 2 Ark.-Little Rock Trojans lost on Sunday night to the No. 9 Arkansas St. Red Wolves and the No. 7 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, respectively. That leaves the Denver Pioneers as the highest remaining seed in the tournament at No. 3.

The Pioneers, who beat South Alabama on Sunday night, will take on the Hilltoppers for a chance to return to the Sun Belt Tournament championship game, which takes place on Tuesday night. The Pioneers took care of the Hilltoppers on Jan. 15 with a 78-65 victory at Magness Arena.

The first match of the day, though, will put the No. 5 North Texas Mean Green against the underdog Red Wolves. That tips off at 6:00 p.m. MT

For updates on the tournament, stick with SB Nation Denver. Head over to SB Nation NCAA Basketball for more news and notes from around the college hoops world. Stay up to date with the 2012 Sun Belt Tournament bracket.

Sunbelt 2012: Western Kentucky Beats Arkansas-Little Rock, 68-63

In the final game of Sunday's quarterfinal action in the 2012 Sun Belt Conference Tournament, Western Kentucky came from behind to beat Arkansas Little-Rock, 68-63. The Hilltoppers were down 56-45 with a little less than six minutes to play before going on a 12-0 run to claim a 57-56 lead. They used the momentum gained from that run to finish off UALR.

Related: Sun Belt 2012: Denver Prevails 61-50 Over South Alabama

Derrick Gordon finished with 25 points on 9-14 shooting for Western Kentucky; he also had 15 rebounds. George Fant finished with 13 points.

D'Andre Williams led Little Rock with 19 points.

Western Kentucky will play Denver in the semifinal round on Monday.

For updates on the tournament, stick with SB Nation Denver. Head over to SB Nation NCAA Basketball for more news and notes from around the college hoops world. Stay up to date with the 2012 Sun Belt Tournament bracket.

Sun Belt 2012: Denver Prevails 61-50 Over South Alabama

The Denver Pioneers got one step closer to a Sun Belt Conference Tournament championship on Sunday night with a 61-50 win over South Alabama in the quarterfinal round. Brian Stafford and Rob Lewis paced the Pioneers with 14 points apiece.

Related: 2012 Sun Belt Tournament, South Alabama Vs. Denver: Pioneers Begin Quest To Capture Elusive SBC Title

Denver built on its halftime advantage to lead by as many as 10 points in the second half, but the Jaguars were able to rally and pull within two points with about five minutes to go. From there, though, the Pioneers took control of the game and South Alabama did not score another point.

Denver will play the winner of the Arkansas-Little Rock vs. Western Kentucky game on Monday.

For updates on the tournament, stick with SB Nation Denver. Head over to SB Nation NCAA Basketball for more news and notes from around the college hoops world. Stay up to date with the 2012 Sun Belt Tournament bracket.

Sun Belt 2012: Denver Leads South Alabama At Halftime, 27-22

The third-seeded Denver Pioneers have a slim 27-22 lead over No. 6 seed South Alabama at halftime of this 2012 Sun Belt Conference Tournament quarterfinals matchup. The Pioneers shot 44.4% from the field in the half, and also finished +2 in the turnover category. The Pioneers were just 2-6 from beyond the three-point line, though, and they'll need to get that going if they want to make things a little easier on themselves in the second half.

Related: 2012 Sun Belt Tournament, South Alabama Vs. Denver: Pioneers Begin Quest To Capture Elusive SBC Title

South Alabama was competitive in every respect, but so far Denver's slight edges in shooting and the turnover department have been the difference.

Rob Lewis leads Denver with nine points; Chris Udofia, who is hampered by foul trouble, went scoreless in the opening half. Udofia already has three fouls, which could prove a factor down the stretch.

For updates on the tournament, stick with SB Nation Denver. Head over to SB Nation NCAA Basketball for more news and notes from around the college hoops world. Stay up to date with the 2012 Sun Belt Tournament bracket.

Sun Belt Tournament 2012 Bracket Update: No. 1 Seed Middle Tennessee St. Falls In Quarterfinals

March madness struck the Sun Belt Conference Tournament on Sunday when top-seeded Middle Tennessee State lost 64-61 to No. 9 seed Arkansas State. The Blue Raiders had been the dominant team in the league all season en route to a 14-2 record in conference play, but now their season may be finished. There still is some chance that the Blue Raiders will receive an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, but they're going to be sweating come Selection Sunday.

Related: 2012 Sun Belt Tournament Preview: Middle Tenn. St. Faces Arkansas St.

In other Sun Belt tournament action, No. 5 seed North Texas beat No. 4 seed Louisiana-Lafayette 65-62. North Texas will meet Arkansas State in one semifinal matchup on Monday; the other semifinal matchup has yet to be determined.

For updates on the tournament, stick with SB Nation Denver. Head over to SB Nation NCAA Basketball for more news and notes from around the college hoops world. Stay up to date with the 2012 Sun Belt Tournament bracket.

2012 Sun Belt Tournament Preview: Louisiana-Lafayette Takes On North Texas

In a matchup between two teams who enter the conference tournament playing inconsistent basketball, Louisiana-Lafayette and North Texas will be hoping to keep their NCAA Tournament hopes alive when they meet up in the quarterfinal round. The Ragin Cajuns swept the regular-season series, but both games came down to the wire.

The Ragin Cajuns enter this matchup having split their last six games. Senior guard Josh Brown is the leading scorer for Louisiana-Lafayette, averaging 10.3 ppg, as well as a team-high 6.5 rpg. Brown is the only player on the team to average double-figures in points.

North Texas is led by Tony Mitchell, who is arguably the most talented player in the Sun Belt Conference. The former Missouri commit is averaging a double-double with 15.3 ppg and 10.8 rpg. Mitchell is shooting 58.1% from the floor and has the ability to help lead the Mean Green on a deep run in this conference tournament.

This game can be seen on ESPN3. It will be played on the Convention Center Court in Hot Springs, Ark.

For updates on the tournament, stick with SB Nation Denver. Head over to SB Nation NCAA Basketball for more news and notes from around the college hoops world.

2012 Sun Belt Tournament Preview: Middle Tenn. St. Faces Arkansas St.

It has been quite the season for the Middle Tennessee St. Blue Raiders. During the regular-season, MTSU picked up impressive victories over UCLA, Belmont and Akron. The Blue Raiders also took care of business in Sun Belt play, as they earned the No. 1 seed following a 14-2 record in conference play.

If the Blue Raiders want to continue their season in the NCAA Tournament, winning the Sun Belt tournament will likely be the only way to make that happen. This quest begins with a matchup against Arkansas St., who MTSU defeated in the lone meeting during the regular-season.

The Blue Raiders are one of the most efficient offensive teams in the country, ranking 4th in the nation in team shooting percentage. Middle Tennessee St. does an excellent job of using its depth, as it has 10 guys that play at least 10 minutes per game. LaRon Dendy is the primary offensive option, averaging a team-high 14.8 ppg and a team-high 7 rpg.

Arkansas St. advanced to this game after an impressive 70-55 victory over FAU. Marcus Hooten, who is the leading scorer for the Red Wolves, led the way with a team-high 23 points on 8/12 shooting. Three other guys scored in double-figures for Arkansas St., which held the Owls to just 35.6% shooting from the field.

This game, which will be played at the Summit Arena in Hot Springs, Ark., can be seen on both ESPN3 and the Sun Belt Network

For updates on the tournament, stick with SB Nation Denver. Head over to SB Nation NCAA Basketball for more news and notes from around the college hoops world.

2012 Sun Belt Tournament, South Alabama Vs. Denver: Pioneers Begin Quest To Capture Elusive SBC Title

The No. 3 Denver Pioneers begin their final 2012 Sun Belt Tournament on Sunday night in Hot Springs, Ark. when they take on the No. 6 South Alabama Jaguars. The Jaguars reached the quarterfinals following Saturday's 87-81 victory over the No. 11 Troy Trojans in the first game of the tournament.

The Pioneers defeated the Jaguars on the road back on Jan. 7, 67-50. Chris Udofia led the team with 15 points on 7-of-10 shooting. Brian Stafford put in 12 points while Chase Hallam and Brett Olson each chipped in 11 points. Freshman Royce O'Neale added 10 points and seven rebounds off the bench.

This time around, though, the Pioneers will be without Chase Hallam, who has a back injury that has ended his junior season.

Denver has appeared in the championship game only once before, and 88-69 loss to Louisiana-Lafayette back in 2005. The road to the conference's automatic NCAA Tournament bid begins on Sunday night.

Game time/date: 7:45 p.m. MT, Sunday, March 4, 2012

Location: Convocation Center Court, Hot Springs, Ark.

TV: SBC Extra($)

Radio: AM 1510 & FM 93.7

For updates on the tournament, stick with SB Nation Denver. Head over to SB Nation NCAA Basketball for more news and notes from around the college hoops world.

Sun Belt Tournament Schedule 2012: Denver Pioneers Start Postseason Vs. South Alabama

The 2012 Sun Belt Tournament in Hot Springs, Ark., continues to heat up on Sunday when eight teams will be whittled down to the final four. There were no major upsets on Saturday night when three games were played. The No. 9 Arkansas St. Red Wolves did defeat the No. 8 Florida Atlantic Owls, 70-55, but that's hardly an upset with the teams so close together in seeding. The Red Wolves will have a real test when they face the No. 1 Middle Tenn. St. Blue Raiders on Sunday.

The No. 6 South Alabama Jaguars defeated the No. 11 Troy Trojans to advance to the quarterfinals. They will play the No. 3 Denver Pioneers, who will be missing senior guard Chase Hallam. The No. 7 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers fended off the No. 10 Fla. International Golden Panthers, 67-64, to face the No. 2 Ark.-Little Rock Trojans on Sunday.

The only quarterfinals matchup that was known before Sunday was the No. 4 Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns' contest against the No. 5 North Texas Mean Green. They will play the second game of the day. For the complete schedule on Sunday, see below:

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Arkansas State Vs. Florida Atlantic Final Score: Red Wolves Defeat Owls, 70-55

The No. 9 Arkansas St. Red Wolves pulled off a minor upset on Saturday evening when they defeated the No. 8 Florida Atlantic Owls, 70-55, in the 2012 Sun Belt Tournament. Marcus Hooten scored 23 points off the bench on 8-of-12 shooting (3-of-5 from beyond the arc) for the Red Wolves.

The Arkansas State starters were no slouches, as three of them reached double digits in points. Malcoln Kirkland scored 15 points and grabbed nine boards. Ten of Trey Finn's 12 points came at the free throw line, but he, too, also grabbed nine boards. Following a similar line, Brandon Peterson grabbed nine boards and scored 13 points.

Florida Atlantic struggled to reach 35.6 percent shooting from the field. Dennis Mavin (12 points) and Shavar Richardson (11 points) led the team in scoring.

The Red Wolves play the No. 1 Middle Tenn. St. Blue Raiders in the first game on Sunday at 5:00 p.m. MT.

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Troy Vs. South Alabama Final Score: Jaguars Advance To Next Round After 87-81 Victory Over Trojans

The No. 6 South Alabama Jaguars defeated the No. 11 Troy Trojans on Saturday evening, 87-81, to kick off the 2012 Sun Belt Tournament. The Jaguars will now play the No. 3 Denver Pioneers on Sunday afternoon.

The Jaguars held a 10-point lead at the end of the first half, 44-34, but lost the second half, 47-43. South Alabama, though, received big performances from both its starters and its bench. Augustine Rubit powered the starters with 18 points and 14 rebounds. Freddie Goldstein had a game-high 25 points off the bench while Antione Lundy scored 12 points and pulled down 11 boards. Dallas Jones needed just seven minutes to score 11 points.

Will Weathers led Troy with 17 points, but Alan Jones (13 points off the bench) and R.J. Scott (12 points) were the only other Trojans able to join him in double digits.

Denver and South Alabama will play the final game on Sunday at 7:45 p.m. MT.

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Sun Belt Tournament 2012: Pioneers To Face Winner Of South Alabama Vs. Troy

The Denver Pioneers will begin their quest for a spot in the NCAA Tournament tomorrow when they face the winner of the matchup between Troy and South Alabama. The Pioneers faced both Troy and South Alabama once this season and came away victorious in each game.

South Alabama, who is the No. 6 seed in the conference tournament, swept Troy during the regular-season and closed out the regular-season winning four of its last five games. The Jaguars are led by sophomore big man Augustine Rubit. Rubit is averaging a team-high 14.9 ppg and 9.3 rpg and is the focal point of the South Alabama offense.

Troy, the no. 11 seed in the conference tournament, features a balanced offensive attack. Three guys average in double-figures, with Will Weathers leading the way at 12 ppg. Justin Wright averages 10.4 ppg, while Alan Jones averages 10.2 ppg.

For updates on the tournament, stick with SB Nation Denver. Head over to SB Nation NCAA Basketball for more news and notes from around the college hoops world.

Sun Belt Tournament Schedule 2012: Bracket Kicks Off With 3 Games On Saturday

The 2012 Sun Belt Tournament begins in Hot Springs, Ark., on Saturday with three opening round matchups featuring seeds 6-11. The Denver Pioneers, as the No. 3 seed, will wait until Sunday to begin play, but they will keep their eyes mostly on Game 1, which pits the No. 6 South Alabama Jaguars against the No. 11 Troy Trojans. Winner faces Denver. The Pioneers went 2-0 against those teams during the regular season by scores of 79-62 and 67-50, respectively.

In the day's other action, the No. 8 Florida Atlantic Owls and the No. 9 Arkansas St. Red Wolves will vie for a spot to play the No. 1 Middle Tenn. St. Blue Raiders. For the Ark.-Little Rock Trojans, the No. 7 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers and the No. 10. Fla. International Golden Panthers will look to gain a shot at defeating the No. 2 seed on Sunday.

For updates on the tournament, stick with SB Nation Denver. Head over to SB Nation NCAA Basketball for more news and notes from around the college hoops world.

2012 Sun Belt Tournament: Chase Hallam Out For Denver Pioneers

Denver Pioneers guard Chase Hallam is out for the remainder of the season, reports Irv Moss of the Denver Post. Hallam, a junior, has a ruptured disc in his back that will prevent him from taking part in the Sun Belt Tournament and any postseason play beyond that this March.

This has been a season-long injury, but it forced him to miss only one game before Friday's news. He did not play in the Pioneers' season-ending victory over the North Texas Mean Green. Hallam averaged 7.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 28 games.

The Pioneers start their Sun Belt Tournament, their final one before moving to the West Coast Conference this summer, on Sunday night when they play the winner of Saturday contest between the No. 6 South Alabama Jaguars and the No. 11 Troy Trojans.

The full schedule can be found here.

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Sun Belt Tournament 2012: Bracket, Schedule, TV Information And More

Regular season play is finished in the Sun Belt Conference, and on Sunday the league announced the seeds and schedule for the 2012 Sun Belt tournament, which will be held March 3-6 in Hot Springs, Ark. The Denver Pioneers finished strong and won four in a row, which was good enough to land them the No. 3 seed. That also means the Pioneers receive a first-round bye.

The Pioneers will look win the Sun Belt Tournament in its final year as part of the conference. They will join the Western Athletic Conference in the summer. Denver has never won the Sun Belt Tournament, but it did lose the championship game to Louisiana-Lafayette in 2005.

The schedule, including television information, is listed below, courtesy of the Sun Belt's website. Additional tournament information can be found at this link.

(All times Central.)

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North Texas Vs. Denver Final Score: Pioneers Capture Sun Belt's No. 3 Seed With 64-52 Victory Over Mean Green

The Denver Pioneers needed a win against the North Texas Mean Green on Sunday to pick up its 21st victor over the season and the No. 3 seed in the upcoming Sun Belt Conference Tournament. A 64-52 victory on Sunday at Magness Arena provided the Pioneers with that and a win in its last-ever regular season Sun Belt game. The Pioneers will be in the Western Athletic Conference next season.

North Texas played the Pioneers a bit closer in the second half, being outscored by five points, 37-32; however; there wasn't a finish like the teams' previous game, which saw Alzee Williams tip in a bucket at the buzzer in overtime.

Royce O'Neale had the best all-around game with 11 points, 11 rebounds and 7 steals. Chris Udofia and Brian Stafford each put in 15 points, but the former added six rebounds, three blocks and two steals.

For North Texas, Williams scored 10 points and pulled down seven boards. Tony Mitchell fell a point short of a double-double, scoring nine points and grabbing 12 rebounds.

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2012 Sun Belt Basketball Tournament: Denver Pioneers Clinch 1st Round Bye

The Denver Pioneers have already clinched a first-round bye into the quarterfinals of the 2012 Sun Belt Tournament.