One of the quieter conferences in college basketball, the Atlantic Sun continues to thrive on parity. The league enters conference play with 12 teams in the mix and no clear runaway favorite. A season ago, the ASUN ranked 24th out of 31 conferences in the NET, and the trend of competitive balance held firm as Lipscomb and North Alabama shared the regular-season title.
Atlantic Sun Power Rankings 2025: Parity, New Faces, and Chaos
Lipscomb went on to win the conference tournament, becoming the fifth different ASUN champion in the last five seasons. With league play set to begin in early January, here are the Atlantic Sun power rankings just before Christmas.
1. Lipscomb Bison (6-5)
Lipscomb remains the standard in the conference despite a challenging non-conference schedule. The Bison are coming off a loss at Cameron Indoor Stadium against Duke, snapping a five-game winning streak. Other losses have come against Vanderbilt, Mercer, UNC Asheville, and Belmont.
The Bison are averaging 79.7 points per game while allowing 75.9, and they currently sit atop the ASUN in the NET rankings at 107. Lipscomb hosts a non-Division I opponent before traveling to Cincinnati, then opens conference play at home against Jacksonville on New Year’s Day.
2. Austin Peay Governors (5-5)
Austin Peay has quietly put together one of the more impressive résumés in the league. The Governors own wins over Air Force, UNC Greensboro, Northern Illinois, and East Tennessee State, while remaining competitive in all five losses.
They are scoring 76.3 points per game and allowing just 69.2, one of the better defensive marks in the conference. Collin Parker leads the team at 15.0 points per game. Austin Peay checks in at 141 in the NET and opens league play on January 1 against North Florida.
3. Queens Royals (5-7)
Queens has experienced an uneven season marked by both promise and growing pains. After an opening loss to Winthrop, the Royals climbed back to .500 before defensive struggles resurfaced, including allowing 111 points at Wake Forest and 108 at Arkansas.
The Royals face one final major test at Auburn on December 29 before opening Atlantic Sun play at home against Eastern Kentucky. Queens currently sits 215th in the NET rankings.
4. Florida Gulf Coast Eagles (5-6)
Florida Gulf Coast’s season has been defined by close losses. After winning four straight, the Eagles dropped four consecutive games, all by single digits, against Kennesaw State, Florida Atlantic, Florida International, and New Mexico.
Despite the skid, FGCU owns wins over Chattanooga, Samford, Oral Roberts, and Rice, suggesting a higher ceiling than their record indicates. The Eagles open conference play on January 1 at Central Arkansas.
5. North Alabama Lions (5-5)
North Alabama has hovered around .500 while showing flashes of offensive balance. Donte Bacchus leads the Lions at 13.7 points per game, with Kevin de Kovachich close behind at 12.2.
The Lions travel to Loyola Marymount before returning home to open ASUN play against Stetson on January 1. North Alabama remains one of the more dangerous teams in the league when playing at home.
6. West Georgia Wolves (5-5)
West Georgia has tested itself against high-major competition, with losses to Nebraska, UCLA, and Georgia Tech highlighting a demanding schedule. The Wolves also own solid wins over The Citadel, USC Upstate, Troy, and Tennessee Tech.
After dropping back-to-back games, West Georgia looks to regain momentum before opening conference play at home against Bellarmine on January 1.
7. Jacksonville Dolphins (5-6)
Jacksonville’s record reflects inconsistency, but the Dolphins have shown they can win Division I games. Road wins at VMI and home victories over Bethune-Cookman and Florida A&M headline their résumé.
A difficult loss at Texas A&M exposed defensive concerns, and another matchup with Florida A&M precedes a road trip to Florida State. Jacksonville opens league play on the road at Lipscomb.
8. Bellarmine Knights (4-6)
After a slow 1-4 start, Bellarmine responded with three straight wins to climb back to .500. Since then, the Knights have dropped games at Murray State and at home against Northern Kentucky.
Bellarmine hosts Chattanooga before traveling to Kentucky just before Christmas. The Knights open Atlantic Sun play on the road at West Georgia on New Year’s Day.
9. Central Arkansas Bears (4-7)
Central Arkansas is still searching for consistency but has shown flashes of offensive ability. The Bears own wins over Eastern Washington, Eastern Illinois, and Little Rock, along with one non-Division I victory.
Cameron Hunter leads the team at 16.1 points per game. Central Arkansas opens conference play at home against Florida Gulf Coast on January 1.
10. Eastern Kentucky Colonels (3-8)
Eastern Kentucky has begun to show signs of life after a slow start. Two of the Colonels’ three wins have come in their last three games, including a Division I victory over Eastern Illinois.
EKU is averaging 82.6 points per game but allowing 80.5, making them one of the more volatile teams in the league. The Colonels open conference play on the road at Queens.
11. North Florida Ospreys (2-8)
North Florida has struggled mightily out of the gate, with both wins coming against non-Division I opponents. The Ospreys have dropped three straight games, including losses to SIUE, Gonzaga, and Dayton.
A trio of non-conference games closes out the calendar year before North Florida opens ASUN play at Austin Peay on January 1.
12. Stetson Hatters (4-8)
Stetson rounds out the power rankings despite four wins on the season. Victories over Howard and VMI highlight their Division I success, with two additional wins coming against non-Division I opponents.
Jamie Phillips Jr. leads the Hatters at 14.8 points per game while shooting nearly 42 percent from the field. Stetson enters conference play ranked last among ASUN teams in the NET at 337 and opens league action on the road at North Alabama.
The Atlantic Sun once again sets up as a league where nearly every team has a path to the top. With no dominant favorite and a history of postseason surprises, expect plenty of movement in the standings and, as always, chaos when the conference tournament arrives later this winter.