ASUN Basketball: Preseason power rankings for 2019-20 season
By Logan Butts
No. 3 – NJIT
2018-19 Record: 22-13 (8-8)
Key Returnee: Zach Cooks
Exciting Non-Conference Matchups: Providence, Rutgers, UCF, UCONN, Cornell
NJIT returns the top non-Flame in Zach Cooks, who averaged 17.6 points and 4.8 rebounds to go along with a league-high 2.5 steals per contest. But, they lost his inside-out partner in crime Abdul Lewis, a true bruiser in the paint, to graduation.
Shyquan Gibbs and San Antonio Brinson, two of last season’s starting five, will be expected to fill in some of the lost production from Lewis and fellow starter Diandre Wilson, but NJIT’s top-four chances will live and die with Cooks this season.
No. 2 – North Florida
2018-19 Record: 16-17 (9-7)
Key Returnee: Garrett Sams
Exciting Non-Conference Matchups: Florida, Iowa, Creighton, Florida State, Syracuse, Dayton
Although the Ospreys (another unique nickname in the ASUN) were pretty mediocre last season, and they lost leading scorer and rebounder Noah Horchler as a grad transfer, UNF returns a pretty formidable trio in Garrett Sams, Wajid Aminu, and Ivan Gandia-Rosa. Throw in JT Escobar, another starter from last season, and that’s more than all but one ASUN squad can say (more on that soon).
Just having this much continuity and returning firepower is enough to vault North Florida back into contender status this season. They also have an impressive non-conference schedule.