2024 Southland Conference Tournament
The 2024 Southland Conference Tournament kicks off the conference tournament season beginning on March 10th with games played at The Legacy Center in Lake Charles, LA. The winner will get the conference’s lone bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Eight of the ten teams qualified, as Houston Christian and Incarnate Word fell short of tournament qualification, based on their regular season conference records.
Note that this conference re-seeds after the quarterfinals, “so the highest remaining seed plays the lowest remaining seed in the semifinals”, per the league website.
How to Watch the Southland Conference Tournament
When: March 10-13
Where: The Legacy Center in Lake Charles, LA
Format: Top two seeds get double byes into the semifinals, seeds 3 and 4 get single byes into the quarterfinals.
Watch: ESPN U, ESPN+, ESPN2; Championship Game on ESPN2 on March 13, Time TBD
College Basketball Odds | College Basketball Betting Splits | Greg Peterson’s Daily Lines | Steve Makinen’s Power Ratings
Southland Conference Tournament Bracket
Southland Conference Tournament Seeds, Teams and Odds
1. McNeese (-240)
2. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (+280)
3. Nicholls (+1600)
4. Lamar (+1100)
5. Southeastern Louisiana (+4000)
6. Northwestern State (+10000)
7. Texas A&M-Commerce (+20000)
8. New Orleans (+30000)
(odds from DraftKings Sportsbook accurate at time of publish)
Favorite To Win Southland Conference Tournament
There’s really no question here, as McNeese is the heavy favorite according to the oddsmakers and my T Shoe Index alike. The Cowboys have the league’s top-rated offense and defense, giving them a whopping 8 point power rating advantage over second-rated Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
Southland Conference Tournament Darkhorse
I’m not sure the Southland is capable of producing a true darkhorse champion in this tournament, but if I had to pick a plus-money team that would be capable, it’s Lamar at +1600. Lamar has the No. 2 offense in the conference and ranks fifth on defense, so they potentially could put together a balanced enough attack to make a run, although again, McNeese will likely be waiting. The bye into the quarterfinals helps their path, also.
Players to Watch in Southland Conference Tournament
At 21.4 points per game, New Orleans 6-foot-1 guard Jordan Johnson leads the Southland in scoring. He does average 17 shot attempts per game, so if he gets hot, he’s capable of putting up big numbers, just as he did recently in a 31-point game against Incarnate Word.
If efficient offense is more your thing, look no further than McNeese guard Shahada Wells, who’s putting up a cool 17.2 points per game on 47% from the field and 40% from 3. He also averages nearly five assists per game. Wells is also the player in the conference I’d most encourage you to watch on the other end of the court, as he leads the conference in steals at just under three per game to go along with his 4.6 rebounds per game at just 6-feet tall.
Betting Pick to Win The Southland Conference Tournament
As I mentioned, McNeese is a heavy favorite for a reason, although my calculations indicate not heavy enough. I’d make them more like a -396 favorite in this tournament, so I actually think there’s some value in betting the Cowboys here at just -240. This one is simple; the team with the best offense and best defense and value on the number is a must-bet for me.
T Shoe Index Power Ratings for the Southland Conference
| Team | Power Rating |
| McNeese | 10.8 |
| Texas A&M-Corpus Christi | 2.8 |
| Lamar | 0.7 |
| Southeastern Louisiana | -1.5 |
| Nicholls | -3.3 |
| Northwestern State | -7.0 |
| Texas A&M-Commerce | -10.1 |
| New Orleans | -12.2 |
Pick: McNeese -240
Makinen Power Ratings for Southland Conference
Check out the other previews in our 2024 College Basketball Conference Tournament Betting Guide.
