MICHAEL RIVERA/Herald

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Freshman forward George Fant charges toward the basket on North Texas’ Roger Franklin during the Sun Belt Conference Tournament championship game against North Texas on March 6 in Hot Springs, Ark. Fant scored 17 points to help WKU beat North Texas 74-70 to win the Sun Belt’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. It will be WKU’s 22nd appearance in the NCAA Tournament and its first since 2009.