College Basketball
Atlantic Sun Preview: The High-Rising Conference
The Atlantic Sun may only have eight teams within the conference, but some of the schools can play basketball. Most notably is the Florida Gulf Coast (FGCU) Eagles, who are the main catalyst for this ‘high-rising’ conference. The term not only refers to the recent surge of success for FGCU and the conference as a whole, but it also refers to the athleticism displayed.
In 2013, FGCU men’s program made national headlines by reaching the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Men’s Tournament. They defeated an Otto Porter led Georgetown team in the first round by 20 points before beating San Diego State by double-digit points in the round of 32. Throughout the tournament, FGCU won the heart’s of college basketball fans everywhere due to their Cinderella story and high-flying attack. Their high-flying attack was led by Chase Fielder, as the Eagles earned a national nickname of ‘Dunk City’. The Eagles went on to win the 2013 ESPY for Best Upset that year.
It's Time @FGCU_MBB #DunkCityAfterDark #MidnightMadness #FGCU #WeAreFGCU #DunkCity pic.twitter.com/Hp2A6ZKUhV
— Dunk City FL (@DunkCityFL) October 19, 2013
Who Can Dethrone Florida Gulf Coast?
The Atlantic Sun runs through Fort Myers, Florida which does include the women’s program. FGCU’s women’s team has won won three conference championships since 2014, along with reaching the championship game every year since then. For the men, FGCU has won three of the last six conference championships including an appearance in six out of the last seven. The Lipscomb Bisons were able to dethrone the Eagles in last year’s Atlantic Sun title game, the first in school history.
Lipscomb had a 29 point lead against FGCU going into halftime of last year’s Atlantic Sun title game, before almost allowing one of the biggest comebacks in college basketball history. Lipscomb’s Garrison Mathews led the Bison to a victory, winning the tournament’s MVP award. Mathews will enter his senior year this season, looking to help Lipscomb defend their crown. Mathews has averaged over 20 points a game over the past two seasons, including shooting over 55% for 2-point shots.
The FGCU women seem poised for another repeat until proven otherwise, but the men’s division is a toss up between Lipscomb and FGCU. Lipscomb will need a big season from Mathews to contend, especially with the Eagles having revenge on their minds. In 2017, FGCU only lost to Florida State in the first round of the NCAA Men’s Tournament by six points. Last year, Lipscomb played very well against North Carolina only outscored by nine both halves.
Atlantic Sun’s Newest Member
The North Alabama Lions enter the Atlantic Sun this season, marking their first of a four year transition from division-II to division-I. Due to this, the Lions are ineligible for a NCAA Tournament appearance if they win the conference. They are, however, eligible to play in the CIT or CBI if invited. The North Alabama men’s program has a lot of history, including becoming the first Alabama school to win a basketball national championship in 1978-79.
They return two starters after going 15-13 last season. Kendall Stafford and Kendarius Smith both return, and both averaging 14 or more points last season. Stafford is more notable of the two, averaging 15 points per game along with eight rebounds. It’s unlikely North Alabama will make a ton of noise this season. They’re a brand new team which could be an advantage when conference games begin.
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Photo Credit to FGCU | University Marketing & Communications via Flickr
