It didn't take long for things to get serious.
UALR basketball Coach Chris Beard and his assistants cracked open their laptops and iPads almost as soon as the Trojans' chartered bus left New Orleans' Lakefront Arena for Little Rock early Sunday evening.
The Trojans defeated Louisiana-Monroe 70-50 earlier Sunday afternoon to win the Sun Belt Tournament championship and earn the conference's automatic bid, celebrated enthusiastically on the court and in the locker room, and then attended a watch party with supporters to find out their seed, site and opponent.
It didn't take long for reality to take hold.