ASUN Basketball Tournament 2026: Bracket, standings, schedule and outlook

The ASUN does not rush March.

This tournament stretches across a full week in Jacksonville, blending campus-site intensity early with a downtown championship feel by the end. When it is over, one team will walk out of VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena with the Atlantic Sun’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

The 2026 ASUN Men’s Basketball Tournament begins March 3 and runs through championship weekend. It is not just about who is playing well. It is about who can handle the grind of the week.

ASUN regular-season standings

Conference record first, overall record second:

• Central Arkansas Bears: 15-3 20-11
• Austin Peay Governors: 15-3 21-8
• Queens Royals: 13-5 18-13
• Lipscomb Bisons: 12-6 19-12
• Florida Gulf Coast Eagles: 8-10 14-17
• West Georgia Wolves: 8-10 14-16
• Eastern Kentucky Colonels: 7-11 11-20
• Bellarmine Knights: 7-11 12-18
• Jacksonville Dolphins: 7-11 12-19
• Stetson Hatters: 7-11 11-20
• North Florida Ospreys: 5-13 7-24
• North Alabama Lions: 4-14 9-20

Central Arkansas and Austin Peay both finished 15-3 in conference play and set the pace all season. They earned their spots at the top and enter the tournament as the teams everyone is chasing.

Queens and Lipscomb sit just behind that tier and have shown they can win consistently.

ASUN tournament format and schedule

All 12 teams qualify for the ASUN Basketball Tournament.

Early-round games are played on campus sites in Jacksonville. North Florida’s games are handled separately at Swisher Gymnasium on Jacksonville University’s campus when necessary. After the early rounds, the quarterfinals, semifinals and championship move downtown to VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena.

That shift creates two different environments in one week. Smaller gyms early. Bigger stage later.

All games through the semifinals stream on ESPN+. The ASUN men’s championship game will air live on ESPN2.

Championship contenders to watch

If you are looking at the standings, the conversation starts with:

Central Arkansas Bears: 15-3 20-11
Austin Peay Governors: 15-3 21-8

Both were steady. Both protected home court. Both finished strong.

Queens at 13-5 18-13 and Lipscomb at 12-6 19-12 are the most realistic challengers. Each has enough offense to string together three wins in a week.

After that, the middle of the league becomes dangerous. Several teams hovered around .500 in conference play. In a single-elimination format, one hot night can flip everything.

What makes this ASUN tournament different

It is not just a weekend sprint. It is a seven-day stretch with travel between venues and short recovery windows.

Teams must adjust quickly from campus atmospheres to a larger arena setting. Depth matters. Composure matters. Handling momentum swings matters.

On paper, a Central Arkansas vs. Austin Peay championship matchup makes sense.

But March rarely stays on script.

Twelve teams enter. One leaves with the NCAA tournament bid.

And in Jacksonville, you have to survive the entire week to earn it.