HOT SPRINGS, Ark. — Many assumed Western Kentucky’s dancing shoes would be tucked deeply in the closet this season.

But the Hilltoppers are dancing in the NCAA Tournament once again.

What once seemed unexpected became reality Tuesday, when WKU posted a 64-56 Sun Belt Conference Tournament championship victory over South Alabama. It’s the second straight conference title for the Hilltoppers and comes with a second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance.

Tuesday’s victory was especially gratifying for WKU considering the Hilltoppers lost plenty of personnel from last year’s NCAA Sweet 16 team, had a new coaching staff and were picked to finish third in SBC East Division.

“Vindication, baby,” WKU forward Sergio Kerusch said. “It was great to prove people wrong because we believed in ourselves when no one believed in ourselves.”

The Hilltoppers (24-8) picked up steam after dubious early-season losses to Murray State and Evansville, won the SBC regular season and capped a roller coaster run Tuesday. They find out Sunday night where they’re headed in the NCAA Tournament.

“We laughed about it right after the game, me and (assistant coach Lawrence Brenneman) said, ‘When we started off (slow), did you think this would be possible?’ and gave me a big hug,” WKU coach Ken McDonald said. “It’s exciting to look back on that and how far we’ve come.”

Tuesday’s victory over sixth-seeded South Alabama (20-13) symbolized the Hilltoppers’ wild season of ups and downs.

WKU blitzed South Alabama with a 11-0 run to open the game and led by as many as 15 in the first half, only to see the Jaguars lead 43-39 with 12:14 remaining.

But in the end, WKU pulled through.

The Hilltoppers took the lead for good at 48-46 on two Orlando Mendez-Valdez free throws with 8:12 remaining, which began a 7-0 WKU run.

“It was tough,” Mendez-Valdez said. “We’ve been in that situation so many times, but nothing like a championship game like this. I remember being in the huddle after they made that big run telling myself, ‘We came too far. There’s no way I’m going to lose and I don’t want this to be my last game.’ ”

Mendez-Valdez, the Sun Belt Conference’s Player of the Year, finished with 10 points and eight assists. A.J. Slaughter, the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, had 18 points.

USA got within 57-53 on DeAndrae Ross’ 3-pointer, but Mendez-Valdez responded with a 3-pointer of his own.

“There is no one in this conference that withstood the pressures of an MVP more than him,” USA coach Ronnie Arrow said. “I don’t care what conference it is. He makes that team go. Slaughter is a very good player – they arguably have the best backcourt, not only in the conference, but top five to eight in the country.”

DeAndre’ Coleman’s three-point play with 2:52 remaining cut WKU’s lead to 60-56, but the Hilltoppers held USA scoreless the rest of the way.

WKU withstood a near-heroic effort from the 6-foot-7, 235-pound Coleman, who had a career-high 27 points and nine rebounds.

“That’s a big boy, that is a big boy,” Kerusch said. “I tried to wrestle with him, but he’s huge.”

Even with Coleman, WKU held its own inside. The Hilltoppers outrebounded USA 32-22 with the help of 14 offensive rebounds.

— Click here for a photo slideshow of the Hilltoppers’ Sun Belt Championship.

WKU had 10 offensive rebounds in the first half. Stunningly, only Coleman was credited with a rebound for USA in the first half.

“The game was won on rebounding,” Arrow said. “They outrebounded us (by) 10, they doubled us up on offensive boards. They kicked our tails on the boards.”

Rebounding and Steffphon Pettigrew helped WKU take immediate command. Pettigrew scored 12 of WKU’s first 16 points and had all 15 of his points in the first half. Pettigrew scored a total of 15 points in WKU’s first two SBC Tournament games.

His 3-pointer, followed by Slaughter’s running floater, gave the Hilltoppers their biggest lead at 27-12 with 5:47 remaining in the first half. WKU led 35-25 at halftime.

“Coach Mac told me in shoot around, ‘Don’t even think about it, just go out and shoot,’ ” Pettigrew explained. “I came up there, just played my game and went out there and shot it.”

But the Jaguars duplicated WKU’s first-half spurt. South Alabama hit the Hilltoppers with a 13-2 run to open the half and took its first lead on Coleman’s tip-in with 15:19 remaining.

“We really started off the game aggressive and we got away from that a little bit when South Alabama went on their run,” McDonald said.

Still, WKU persevered and celebrated with another net-cutting ceremony.

Mike Walker, who missed last year’s tournament with a knee injury, was the first to cut a piece of the net.

McDonald, who took over this year after a stint as a Texas assistant, completed the net-cutting job and promptly placed the net over Mendez-Valdez’s head, almost like it was a crown.

“The net is theirs, this team did it,” McDonald said.

Almost an hour later, Mendez-Valdez still had the net around his neck.

“It looks good, I’m just going to keep it there,” Mendez-Valdez said. “A lot of people didn’t think we were going to be .500 this year. No one expected A.J. or myself or any of the other guys to step up. That’s what makes this year so proud and so exciting.”