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2023 ASUN Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament Basics

Dates

• Monday, February 27 (first round, hosted by the No. 1 and 2 seeds)
• Tuesday, February 28 (quarterfinals)
• Thursday, March 2 (semifinals)
• Sunday, March 5 (championship)

Format

Traditional bracket with reseeded semifinals

Site

Higher sites host from the quarterfinals on. However, the bottom four qualifiers will play their first round games on the home courts of the No. 1 (the 9th and 10th seeds) and No. 2 (the 7th and 8th seeds) seeds the day before.

Participants

There are currently 14 teams in the ASUN, with two teams ineligible for the NCAAs or NIT as they’re in the thick of the reclassification process—those are 2022 champ Bellarmine (year 3 of 4) and newcomer Queens (year 1 of 4). The top 10 teams in the standings regardless of postseason eligibility qualified, which eliminated Jacksonville (13-16, 6-12, t-11th), 2022 auto bid winner Jacksonville State (13-18, 6-12, t-11th), Central Arkansas (9-22, 4-14, 13th), and Austin Peay (9-22, 3-15, 14th). If either ineligible team wins (as the Knights did a year ago), the No. 1 seed—Kennesaw State—will earn the automatic bid.

Downloadable PDF Bracket

Schedule

All times are p.m. Eastern.

First Round (Mon., Feb. 27)

Game 1: (10) FGCU (17-15, 7-11) 55, (9) Queens 61
Game 2: (8) Bellarmine 76, (7) North Florida (14-17, 9-9) 74

Quarterfinals (Tues., Feb. 28)

Game 3: (9) Queens (18-15, 7-11) 66, (1) Kennesaw State 67
Game 4: (5) Lipscomb 83, (4) Stetson (17-13, 12-6) 70
Game 5: (8) Bellarmine (15-18, 9-9) 56, (2) Liberty 76
Game 6: (6) North Alabama (18-14, 10-8) 48, (3) Eastern Kentucky 73

Semifinals (Thurs., March 2)

Game 7: (5) Lipscomb (20-13, 11-7) 71, (1) Kennesaw State 80
Game 8: (3) Eastern Kentucky (20-13, 12-6) 73, (2) Liberty 79

Championship (Sun., March 5)

Game 9: (2) Liberty (26-8, 15-3) 66, (1) KENNESAW STATE (26-8, 15-3) 67

Mayhem Potential Since 2011

Data originally posted by Bob Vetrone Jr. on Twitter in 2020 with my own additions for the seasons beyond.

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 five in that span—though that includes Bellarmine last year who finished second in its division. 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 (5): 2013, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2022 (West Division)
• 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 (3): 2018, 2013, 2022
• 16 seed (3): 2016 (First Four), 2015 (First Four)

Liberty will again be the team with the best seeding prospect, though the Flames’ ceiling is more like a 13 than a 12. Every other possible winner is likely to be seeded 15th or lower.

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)
North Florida: 2015 (16 seed, First Four)
Eastern Kentucky: 2014 (14 seed, 1st Round, OVC member)

Central Arkansas, Kennesaw State and Stetson have never qualified for the NCAA Tournament. Neither has North Alabama, which is eligible for the first time this season. The Bears will need to wait for next year, as will fellow non-qualifiers Jacksonville State (2022, 15 seed, 1st Round, regular season champion), Austin Peay (2016, 16 seed, 1st Round, OVC member), and Jacksonville (1986, 8 seed, 1st Round, Sun Belt member).

Bellarmine must wait until 2025 even with last year’s championship, while Queens won’t get to dance until 2027.