(01-11-2020 10:02 AM)GE and MTS Wrote:  

(01-10-2020 10:29 AM)lion1983 Wrote:  

(01-10-2020 07:40 AM)army56mike Wrote:  Nah, there’s no chance of the teams I listed moving to the ASUN. They are all CAA teams and have a MUCH better gig there. The CAA would have to fall apart and the ASUN would have to be an attractive option. Neither of those are reality. That’s just a wish list. Drexel would help out with bridging NJIT and give us Philadelphia. Wilmington adds a great sized coastal NC city. Likewise for CoC in SC. The reality is, for now, the ASUN will most likely be relegated to lower division teams that want to move up. I’m not even convinced we could get Big South or MEAC schools to join. I tried thinking of a MD school I’d want, but none really floated my boat... maybe Howard or American in D.C. or Johns Hopkins in Baltimore.

The Biggest issue with the ASUN in the recent past was mainly stability in my opinion. It's hard to be attractive to other schools when schools are coming and going.

This isnt saying other conferences would or would not take them, but all the Florida schools seem to be stable, UNA, Lipscomb and KSU are likely to stay. The only concerns, in my opinion is NJIT (and I wouldn't blame them), Liberty, and Bellarmine.

I think, the way they act anyway, NJIT isnt actually looking.

That being said, I think the longer the current ASUN lineup stays together, and progressively get better, the more attractive the conference becomes. I do see several PROs about the ASUN over other conferences as far as the set up and membership. Like I said before, it's a healthy balance of public and private schools. That should help attract some if the need to grow ever happens.

Right now, I think 10 is fine, let the schools build, especially UNA and Bellarmine, and then, see what's out there that may help boost the conference.

With the markets we are currently in, I would like to see more of a push in marketing and TV. Any push should help.

I think this is the correct approach. The schools that we could get, we wouldn't want and the schools we want, we couldn't get. The ASUN has a lot of potential that many other conferences don't have but potential is worthless unless fulfilled. We could be a multi-bid league as we are currently constructed if we can get a second good program to go with whoever is the best in a year. Last season, Lipscomb was close and lost two games to Belmont who (I think) earned one of the last at-larges to the tournament. Winning those may have pushed Lipscomb in.

Yeah, Lipscomb and FGCU had that going on for a min. It's strange to me that FGCU fell so far... I dont expect Lipscomb to be dominant every year, but they should consistently be toward the top. Liberty should have propelled the ASUN in basketball last year, but the losses that you pointed out with Lipscomb, and the fact that FGCU ain't FGCU at the moment kinda put the fire down to a smolder.

But long term, this is how I imagine things (can) work.

Liberty, FGCU and North Florida should consistently be fighting for the top spot.

Bellarmine(after transition) , Lipscomb and North Alabama (after the transition) should consistently be in the mix and get conference tournament bids consistently with NITs and occasional NCAA bids normal.

You can throw JU in the dark horse position that I think they can build a great program, especially after they build their new facility, and hopefully be able to use the arena in Jacksonville I think they used to use. They could go in either of those two groups.

NJIT in my opinion, can have a consistent CBI program. Occasionally getting seeded spots in the NIT and every now and then contend for auto bid in the NCAA but very seldom. I really think their location hurts them with all the other BBall schools in their region.

Stetson, and KSU have some work to do, I would love to see them in the middle of the pack, but I just dont. And that's sad, KSU was a great D2 bball school. But I think they are putting all their resources in football currently. I love football, but I think they are trying to be the new Georgia Southern way too fast and it is having detrimental impact on other sports.


Anyway I think results should frequently look like this

1-Liberty
2-FGCU
3-UNF
4-Ballarmine
5-North Alabama
6-Lipscomb
7-JU
8-NJIT
9-Stetson
10-KSU

The top 6 will continually rotate year to year, Liberty, on a down year may be a low seed in the conference tournament. Hopefully FGCU figures it out .

JU and NJIT will get higher spots occasionally, and contend for the conference occasionally.

1-3 will consistently win good non conference games and earn the conference multiple bids consistently.


The ASUN as a whole will become top 3 mid major conference overall. Over the OVC, SoCon, Big South, CAA.

We will be competitive with the Big West and A-10