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2022 ASUN Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament Basics

Dates

Tuesday, March 1 (first round); Thursday, March 3 (quarterfinals); Saturday, March 5 (semifinals); Tuesday, March 8 (championship)

Format

Traditional bracket, though teams were seeded based on their divisional finish. Teams will also be reseeded for the semifinals.

Site

Higher seeds host

TV/Streaming Info

ESPN airs the championship game, with ESPN+ streaming the first three rounds.

Participants

Thanks to expansion, the ASUN counts 12 members right now, though that number is in flux with Austin Peay joining after this year and both Jacksonville State and Liberty eventually leaving for the next iteration of Conference USA. The conference split into divisions this year, which defined the seeding of this year’s event. Note that both the North Alabama Lions, in their final year of the Division I reclassification process, and Bellarmine Knights, in their second of four years, will participate but not be eligible for either an NCAA or NIT bid.

Downloadable Bracket

Schedule

First Round (Tues., March 1)

Game 1: (E6) Stetson (11-19. 5-11) 73, (W3) Central Arkansas 74
Game 2: (W5) Eastern Kentucky (13-18, 5-11) 73, (E4) Kennesaw State 82
Game 3: (W6) North Alabama (9-21, 2-14) 72, (E3) FGCU 81
Game 4: (E5) North Florida (11-20, 7-9) 65, (W4) Lipscomb 74

Quarterfinals (Thurs., March 3)

Game 5: (W3) Central Arkansas (11-20, 7-9) 69, (E2) Jacksonville 79
Game 6: (E4) Kennesaw State (13-18, 7-9) 67, (W1) Jacksonville State 78
Game 7: (E3) FGCU (21-11, 10-6) 68, (W2) Bellarmine 81
Game 8: (W4) Lipscomb (14-19, 6-10) 47, (E1) Liberty 52

Semifinals (Sat., March 5)

Game 9: (E2) Jacksonville 54, (W1) Jacksonville State (21-10, 13-3) 51
Game 10: (W2) Bellarmine 53, (E1) Liberty (22-11, 12-4) 50

Championship (Tues., March 8)

Game 11: (E2) Jacksonville (21-10, 11-5) 72, (W2) BELLARMINE (20-13, 11-5) 77

Automatic Bid Winner: Jacksonville State as regular-season champion

Mayhem Potential

Data originally posted by Bob Vetrone Jr. on Twitter in 2020 with my own additions for 2021 and 2022.

The top two seeds have dominated this event, as you might expect for a conference that rewards its higher seeds with home court advantage. The No. 1 seed has won six titles since 2011 with the No. 2 claiming four in that span. No. 3 seeds have been shut out, while FGCU won as a 4 in 2016. The Eagles ended up in Dayton for their trouble, following 2015 champ UNF. The Ospreys were a rare double conference champion assigned to the First Four.

• 1 seed (6): 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2020, 2021
• 2 seed (4): 2013, 2014, 2018, 2019
• 4 seed (1): 2016

NCAA Seeding Record Since 2011

Years with an NCAA win are in bold.

• 12 seed (1): 2019
• 13 seed (2); 2011, 2021
• 14 seed (3): 2017, 2014, 2012
• 15 seed (2): 2018, 2013
• 16 seed (3): 2016 (First Four), 2015 (First Four)

Liberty has hopes of a 13 or 14 seed with an ASUN Tournament title, while Jacksonville State is looking more at a 14 or 15. If anyone else wins, a 16 is likely, with a trip to Dayton possible.

Last NCAA Tournament Appearances

Liberty: 2021 (13 seed, 1st Round)—2020 ASUN Tournament Champion
Lipscomb: 2018 (15 seed, 1st Round)
FGCU: 2017 (14 seed, 1st Round)
Jacksonville State: 2017 (15 seed, 1st Round, OVC member)
North Florida: 2015 (16 seed, First Four)
Eastern Kentucky: 2014 (14 seed, 1st Round, OVC member)
Jacksonville: 1986 (8 seed, 1st Round, Sun Belt member)

Central Arkansas, Kennesaw State and Stetson have never qualified for the NCAA Tournament. North Alabama will first be eligible in 2023, and Bellarmine must wait until 2025.