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ASUN Basketball: Lipscomb, Liberty favorites in 2019 conference tournament

By Logan Butts

CHARLOTTE, NC - MARCH 16: Garrison Mathews #24 of the Lipscomb Bisons lays up a shot against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Spectrum Center on March 16, 2018 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NC - MARCH 16: Garrison Mathews #24 of the Lipscomb Bisons lays up a shot against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Spectrum Center on March 16, 2018 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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CHARLOTTE, NC – MARCH 16: Kenny Cooper #21 of the Lipscomb Bisons reacts after a score against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Spectrum Center on March 16, 2018 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NC – MARCH 16: Kenny Cooper #21 of the Lipscomb Bisons reacts after a score against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Spectrum Center on March 16, 2018 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) /

Conference tournament week is kicking off with the ASUN Basketball Tournament, which features two top dogs and a number of potential spoilers.

Regular Season Recap

Like last season, the ASUN has consisted of two squads perched at the top of the standings all year long with a number of frisky spoilers waiting for their chance to strike.

The setup may be the same, but the teams are different. Out with FGCU, last year’s number one seed and regular season co-champions, who have struggled after a major talent exodus, in with Liberty, coming in hot from the Big South in their first season of ASUN action.

The Lipscomb Bisons were the lone constant atop the standings over the two years, splitting the regular season title with Dunk City last season before taking out the Eagles in an epic ASUN Championship game to earn their first-ever NCAA Tournament bid.

This year, the Bisons have spent the majority of the season perched atop the ASUN throne, earning national attention for their non-conference resume and conference dominance.

But, Lipscomb is far from a sure thing entering ASUN Tournament thanks to a less-than-impressive home stretch of the regular season. The Bisons 19-game conference winning streak (and 11-game overall winning streak) came to an end as they lost two of their final five ASUN games.

Liberty, with a similarly strong resume, are at worst a hair behind the Bisons and more likely neck-and-neck with the ASUN incumbents heading into tournament play.

Lipscomb dominated Liberty 79-59 in Lynchburg, Virginia at the end of January, but the Flames got their revenge with a 74-66 win in Nashville.

NJIT also won 20 games this season, although the numbers were fattened by a somewhat soft conference schedule. The Highlanders could give either of the top teams a battle in the semifinals.

FGCU lurks as a talented-but-flawed squad that could be a tough out, and North Florida, North Alabama, and Jacksonville can cause fits based on the matchup.

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