ASUN Basketball: Lipscomb, Liberty favorites in 2019 conference tournament
By Logan Butts
Key Teams
Team to Beat – Lipscomb: 23-6, 14-2 in ASUN play
Despite the tough finish to conference play, Lipscomb still enters the tournament as the favorite. They have home court advantage throughout, tons of experience, and have beaten everyone in the league at least once this season, most of them by double-figures.
If the Bisons can hit from three and recapture some of that early season magic, this tournament will be their’s to lose. If they let teams take advantage of their lack of size and play like they have the last month, then everything is up for grabs.
Top Contender – Liberty: 25-6, 14-2
Liberty just beat Lipscomb in Nashville three weeks ago. The precedent is already set for how the Flames can take down the tournament’s top seed should a rubber match happen in the ASUN Final on March 10.
Liberty is balanced, hard-nosed, and unafraid of the competition in their first season in the ASUN.
Secondary Contender – NJIT: 20-11, 8-8
NJIT has played both Lipscomb and Liberty close in the past month, but both games were on their home floor. However, earlier in the season they were blown out on the road by both teams.
Cooks, Lewis, and company give the Highlanders a chance, but they’d have to do something they haven’t done all season to win the title.
Biggest Sleeper – FGCU: 14-17, 9-7
FGCU has not lived up to the Dunk City era expectations this season, but the Eagles have enough talent to play with anyone.
They lost two stars from last season’s regular season champs (Zach Johnson and the Denver Nuggets’ Brandon Goodwin), but this squad full of transfers beat Lipscomb on Feb. 20 in Fort Myers.