The ASUN Conference men's basketball tournament (formerly known as the Trans America Athletic Conference men's basketball tournament between 1979 and 2001) is the conference championship tournament in basketball for the Atlantic Sun Conference, formerly known as the Trans America Athletic Conference (TAAC) and Atlantic Sun Conference. The tournament has been held every year since 1979, except for 1992–93.
It is a single-elimination tournament and seeding is based on regular season records. Since 1981 (after a two-year qualification period for the conference), the winner, declared conference champion, receives the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA men's basketball tournament, as long as it is eligible for NCAA-sponsored postseason play. The eligibility issue applied in both 2021 and 2022, with each final featuring a team representing a transitional member of Division I (North Alabama in 2021"Liberty claims first tournament berth of 2021 as opponent is ineligible" NBC Sports. Retrieved 2022-03-08. and Bellarmine in 2022). Under NCAA rules, a school transitioning from NCAA Division II is not eligible for NCAA-sponsored D-I postseason play (either the NCAA tournament or the NIT) during its four-year transitional period."Why Merrimack must sit out March Madness in its historic season and is in first place in its conference" CBS Sports. Retrieved 2022-03-08. North Alabama began its transition in July 2018 and was thus ineligible for the NCAA tournament or NIT through the 2021–22 season; Bellarmine began its transition in July 2020 and is thus ineligible for said events through 2023–24. Should a transitional school win the tournament, ASUN rules call for the regular-season champion to receive the automatic bid. North Alabama lost its final, making the issue moot for 2021, but Bellarmine won in 2022, giving Jacksonville State that season's automatic bid.
History
Trans America Athletic Conference Year Champion Score Runner-up Tournament MVP Location 1979 Northeast Louisiana 90–69 Mercer Calvin Natt, Northeast LouisianaFant–Ewing Coliseum • Monroe, Louisiana 1980 Centenary 79–77 Northeast Louisiana George Lett, Centenary 1981 Mercer 72–67 Houston Baptist Tony Gattis, Mercer Hirsch Coliseum • Shreveport, Louisiana 1982 Northeast Louisiana 98–85 Centenary Donald Wilson, Northeast Louisiana Fant–Ewing Coliseum • Monroe, Louisiana 1983 Georgia Southern 68–67 Arkansas–Little Rock Jim Lampley, UALR Barton Coliseum • Little Rock, Arkansas 1984 Houston Baptist 81–76 Samford Craig Beard, Samford Spring Branch Coliseum • Houston, Texas 1985 Mercer 105–96 Arkansas–Little Rock Sam Mitchell, Mercer Hanner Fieldhouse • Statesboro, Georgia 1986 Arkansas–Little Rock 85–63 Centenary Michael Clarke, UALRBarton Coliseum • Little Rock, Arkansas 1987 Georgia Southern 49–46 Stetson Jeff Sanders, Georgia Southern 1988 Texas–San Antonio 76–69 Georgia Southern Frank Hampton, UTSA Ocean Center • Daytona Beach, Florida 1989 Arkansas–Little Rock 100–72 Centenary Jeff Cummings, UALRBarton Coliseum • Little Rock, Arkansas 1990 Arkansas–Little Rock 105–95 Centenary Derrick Owens, UALR 1991 Georgia State 80–60 Arkansas–Little Rock Chris Collier, Georgia State Edmunds Center • DeLand, Florida 1992 Georgia Southern 95–82 Georgia State Charlton Young, Georgia Southern Hanner Fieldhouse • Statesboro, Georgia 1993 No tournament 1994 Central Florida 70–67 Stetson Victor Saxton, UCFUCF Arena • Orlando, Florida 1995 Florida International 68–57 Mercer James Mazyck, FIU 1996 Central Florida 86–77 Mercer Harry Kennedy, UCF Edmunds Center • DeLand, Florida 1997 College of Charleston 83–73 Florida International Anthony Johnson, C of CJohn Kresse Arena • Charleston, South Carolina 1998 College of Charleston 72–63 Florida International Sedric Webber, C of C 1999 Samford 89–61 Central Florida Marc Salyers, SamfordJacksonville Coliseum • Jacksonville, Florida 2000 Samford 81–68 Central Florida Marc Salyers, Samford 2001 Georgia State 79–55 Troy State Thomas Terrell, Georgia State GSU Sports Arena • Atlanta, Georgia
Atlantic Sun/ASUN Conference Year Champion Score Runner-up Tournament MVP Location 2002 Florida Atlantic 76–75 Georgia State Thomas Terrell, Georgia State UCF Arena • Orlando, Florida 2003 Troy State 80–59 Central Florida Ben Fletcher, Troy GSU Sports Arena • Atlanta 2004 Central Florida 60–55 Troy State Dexter Lyons, UCFCurb Event Center • Nashville, Tennessee 2005 Central Florida 63–54 Gardner–Webb Gary Johnson, UCF 2006 Belmont 74–69OT Lipscomb Justin Hare, BelmontMemorial Center • Johnson City, Tennessee 2007 Belmont 94–67 East Tennessee State Justin Hare, Belmont 2008 Belmont 79–61 Jacksonville Shane Dansby, BelmontAllen Arena • Nashville, Tennessee 2009 East Tennessee State 85–68 Jacksonville Kevin Tiggs, ETSU 2010 East Tennessee State 72–66 Mercer Micah Williams, ETSU University Center • Macon, Georgia 2011 Belmont 87–46 North Florida Mick Hedgepeth, Belmont 2012 Belmont 83–69 Florida Gulf Coast Kerron Johnson, Belmont 2013 Florida Gulf Coast 88–75 Mercer Brett Comer, FGCU 2014 Mercer 68–60 Florida Gulf Coast Langston Hall, Mercer Alico Arena • Fort Myers, Florida 2015 North Florida 63–57 USC Upstate Demarcus Daniels, North Florida UNF Arena • Jacksonville, Florida 2016 Florida Gulf Coast 80–78OT Stetson Marc-Eddy Norelia, FGCUAlico Arena • Fort Myers, Florida 2017 Florida Gulf Coast 77–61 North Florida Brandon Goodwin, FGCU 2018 Lipscomb 108–96 Florida Gulf Coast Garrison Mathews, Lipscomb 2019 Liberty 74–68 LipscombScottie James, Liberty Allen Arena • Nashville, Tennessee 2020 Liberty73–57 LipscombCaleb Homesley, Liberty Vines Center • Lynchburg, Virginia 2021 Liberty79–75 North Alabama Darius McGhee, Liberty UNF Arena • Jacksonville, Florida 2022 Bellarmine77–72 Jacksonville Dylan Penn, Bellarmine Freedom Hall • Louisville, Kentucky 2023 Kennesaw State67–66 Liberty Terrell Burden, Kennesaw State KSU Convocation Center • Kennesaw, Georgia 2024 Stetson94–91 Austin Peay Jalen Blackmon, Stetson Edmunds Center • DeLand, Florida 2025 Lipscomb76–65 North AlabamaJoe Anderson, Lipscomb Allen Arena • Nashville, Tennessee 2026 Queens98–93OT Central Arkansas Nasir Mann, Queens VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena • Jacksonville, Florida
Broadcasters
Year Network Play-by-play Analyst2024ESPN2Mike Corey Richard Hendrix2023 Tim McCormick2022 Bob Valvano2021ESPN Anish Shroff Jon Sundvold2020 Mike Corey Jon Crispin 2019Anish ShroffCory Alexander 2018 2017ESPN2 Kevin Brown 2016Tom Hart 2015 2014 Jason Benetti 2013 Roy Philpott Dereck Whittenburg 2012 Adam AminBob Valvano 2011Dick's Sporting Goods Schedule Mark Jones 2010 Rob Stone Tim McCormick 2009ESPN Eric Collins Bob Valvano 2008 2007 ESPN2 Jon SciambiBucky Waters 2006ESPN Lou Canellis 1998 Dewayne Staats Len Elmore
Performance by school School Championships Championship Years Belmont 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012 UCF 1994, 1996, 2004, 2005 Liberty 2019, 2020, 2021 Florida Gulf Coast 2013, 2016, 2017 Mercer 1981, 1985, 2014 Georgia Southern 1983, 1987, 1992 Arkansas-Little Rock 1986, 1989, 1990 Lipscomb 2018, 2025 East Tennessee State 2009, 2010 Georgia State 1991, 2001 Samford 1999, 2000 College of Charleston 1997, 1998 Northeast Louisiana 1979, 1982 Queens 2026 Stetson 2024 Kennesaw State 2023 Bellarmine 2022 North Florida 2015 Troy 2003 Florida Atlantic 2002 Florida International 1995 UTSA 1988 Houston Baptist 1984 Centenary 1980 TOTAL Teams in bold are ASUN members as of the upcoming 2024–25 NCAA basketball season. Among other current ASUN members: Austin Peay, Jacksonville and North Alabama have advanced to the tournament final but have yet to win a championship. Eastern Kentucky and West Georgia have yet to advance to the tournament final.
Footnotes
NCAA Tournament appearances Year TAAC/ASUN Team Opponent Result 1981 (12) Mercer (5) Arkansas L 67–73 1982 (11) Northeast Louisiana (6) Iowa L 63–70 1983 (12) Georgia Southern (12) Robert Morris L 54–64 1984 (12) Houston Baptist (12) Alcorn State L 60–79 1985 (15) Mercer (2) Georgia Tech L 58–65 1986 (14) Arkansas–Little Rock (3) Notre Dame(6) NC State W 90–83L 66–802OT 1987 (15) Georgia Southern (2) Syracuse L 73–79 1988 (14) UTSA (3) Illinois L 72–81 1989 (13) Arkansas–Little Rock (4) Louisville L 71–76 1990 (16) Little Rock (1) UNLV L 72–102 1991 (16) Georgia State (1) Arkansas L 76–117 1992 (15) Georgia Southern (2) Oklahoma State L 73–100 1993 No conference tournament 1994 (12) College of Charleston (5) Wake Forest L 58–68(16) UCF(1) PurdueL 67–98 1995 (16) FIU (1) UCLA L 56–92 1996 (16) UCF (1) UMass L 70–92 1997 (12) College of Charleston (5) Maryland(4) Arizona W 75–66L 69–73 1998 (14) College of Charleston (3) Stanford L 57–67 1999 (14) Samford (3) St. John's L 43–69 2000 (13) Samford (4) Syracuse L 65–79 2001 (11) Georgia State (6) Wisconsin(3) Maryland W 50–49L 60–79 2002 (15) Florida Atlantic (2) Alabama L 78–86 2003 (14) Troy State (3) Xavier L 59–71 2004 (14) UCF (3) Pittsburgh L 44–53 2005 (15) UCF (2) Connecticut L 71–77 2006 (15) Belmont (2) UCLA L 44–78 2007 (15) Belmont (2) Georgetown L 55–80 2008 (15) Belmont (2) Duke L 70–71 2009 (16) East Tennessee State (1) Pittsburgh L 62–72 2010 (16) East Tennessee State (1) Kentucky L 71–100 2011 (13) Belmont (4) Wisconsin L 58–72 2012 (14) Belmont (3) Georgetown L 59–74 2013 (15) Florida Gulf Coast (2) Georgetown(7) San Diego State(3) Florida W 78–68W 81–71L 50–62 2014 (14) Mercer (3) Duke(11) Tennessee W 78–71L 63–83 2015 (16) North Florida (16) Robert Morris L 77–81 2016 (16) Florida Gulf Coast (16) Fairleigh Dickinson(1) North Carolina W 96–65L 67–83 2017 (14) Florida Gulf Coast (3) Florida State L 80–86 2018 (15) Lipscomb (2) North Carolina L 66–84 2019 (12) Liberty (5) Mississippi State(4) Virginia Tech W 80–76L 58–67 2021 (13) Liberty (4) Oklahoma State L 60–69 2022 (15) Jacksonville State (2) Auburn L 61–80 2023 (14) Kennesaw State (3) Xavier L 67–72 2024 (16) Stetson (1) UConn L 52–91 2025 (14) Lipscomb (3) Iowa State L 55–822026(15) Queens(2) PurdueL 71–104 2020 NCAA tournament was canceled due to COVID-19.
See also ASUN women's basketball tournament
References