ASUN Basketball: Preseason power rankings for 2019-20 season
By Logan Butts
No. 5 – FGCU
2018-19 Record: 14-18 (9-7)
Key Returnee: Christian Carlyle
Exciting Non-Conference Matchups: UMBC, VCU, Campbell, South Dakota State, USC
This seems to be sort of a “hot take,” if any such thing can exist about mid-major college basketball preseason power rankings because FGCU finished third in both the ASUN preseason coaches and media poll. But to me, that feels like a purely meritorious ranking.
FGCU had a down season last year, lost nearly all of their fifth-year transfer mercenary army, and didn’t necessarily bring in more of those guys either. A lot will be riding on Zach Scott and Christian Carlyle to make leaps.
I understand that the Eagles were the class of the ASUN for years, but I’m going to need to see more before going out on a limb for them this year.
No. 4 – Lipscomb
2018-19 Record: 29-8 (14-2)
Key Returnee: Ahsan Asadullah
Exciting Non-Conference Matchups: Middle Tennessee, Belmont, Vermont, Xavier, Auburn
The Bisons are coming off of the most successful pair of seasons in the Division I era of their program’s history. They made their first NCAA Tournament in 2018 and nearly repeated the feat last season.
That’s the good news. The bad news is that they lost their head coach, Casey Alexander, to rival Belmont and six of their top eight players just walked out the door, including current Washington Wizard Garrison Mathews and Kenny Cooper, the expected leader for this season’s squad, who transferred to Western Kentucky over the summer.
Lipscomb is the definition of rebuilding this season, with a new head coach (Lennie Acuff, one of those guys other coaches swear by, but who is entering his first season in Division I) and a young roster. There’s still talent on the roster though, maybe enough to keep the Bisons in the top four of the conference standings.