We have reached the midpoint of the ASUN conference season, and the race for first place is extremely tight in the top half of the standings following this weekend’s action. Liberty, North Alabama, and Bellarmine are all tied for first place at 6-2 in league play, with Lipscomb and North Florida right behind at 5-3. It should make for an exciting finish over the next month.

Here’s an updated look at the ASUN men’s basketball standings this week:

With the conference deciding to move the entire tournament to Jacksonville as opposed to being played on campus sites with the higher seed hosting, the regular season title may not seem as important as in year’s past, but there are still several reasons why team’s will be doing everything they can to earn that 1-seed going into the ASUN Tourney.

First, these teams are playing for a championship. No other incentives needed. Win the regular season title, get bragging rights, rings, and everything else that comes with being a champion. Secondly, it helps with seeding in the conference tournament. With 9 teams all eligible to play in the tournament, the 1-seed will have the advantage of being able to play the winner of the 8-9 play-in game on full rest.

Additionally, if the NIT is played, which all indications at this time point to that being the case, the regular season champion will get an automatic bid to the NIT if knocked off in the conference tournament. Not the ideal goal of these teams, but not a bad consolation prize either.

In a strange season, there’s always the possibility the conference tournament gets scrapped at the last minute due to COVID-19 concerns, and the ASUN could award its automatic bid to the Big Dance to the regular season champ. While the conference will do everything in its power to ensure the conference tourney is played, stranger things have happened over the past year.

With that being said, here’s a look at the teams competing for the regular season title as we make the turn at the midway point. All scenarios assume all nine ASUN teams play a full 16-game conference slate. All dates for games to be played are tentative and likely to change. All regular season title odds are according to TeamRankings.

  • We will start by saying Kennesaw State, to everyone’s shock, is not going to win the regular season title. With an 0-10 mark thus far, they are eliminated.
  • Jacksonville, at 3-5 in the ASUN and 5 straight losses, still has to play two games against Bellarmine and Lipscomb. The Dolphins will have a difficult time finishing .500 in conference play, let alone competing for a regular season title.
  • With a current 3-5 conference record, Stetson is all but eliminated. They do have the fortune of playing KSU and Jacksonville four times, and could conceivably win all four of those games to make a late season push. Still, three games behind the three teams tied for first is a ton of ground to make up. The Hatters also have to face Lipscomb and North Florida. There’s virtually a 0% chance they win out, and even at 11-5 Stetson would likely still be trailing someone. For purposes of this discussion, the Hatters are eliminated for the regular season championship.

FLORIDA GULF COAST (2-4)

FGCU is the only team in the ASUN to have only played six conference games so far this season after they missed the first two weekends of league play as they paused all team related activities due to COVID concerns. The Eagles got behind the 8-ball once they resumed play by dropping two at home to Bellarmine. They have since split weekend series against Lipscomb and Stetson.

With a 2-4 conference record at this point, it could be easy to write FGCU off, but, outside of Liberty, the Eagles are the only team this season with a high major win as they knocked off Miami earlier this year. A 12-4 FGCU team would be in play for a regular season title, especially considering they face three of the teams currently ahead of them in the standings.

Here’s a look at who the Eagles have left:

  • @ Kennesaw State – Feb. 12, 13
  • vs Jacksonville – Feb. 19, 20
  • @ North Florida – Feb. 27, 28
  • vs North Alabama – TBD
  • vs Liberty – TBD

FGCU could go 4-0 against KSU and Jacksonville. That would get the Eagles to 6 conference wins. In the remaining six games, they would need to go at least 5-1, if not 6-0, to compete for the regular season title.

REGULAR SEASON TITLE ODDS: 0.2%

NORTH FLORIDA (5-3)

After beginning the season 0-7 and 1-8 with a loss to Flagler, the fact that the Ospreys even have a shot at the regular season title at this point is a credit to coach Matt Driscoll and his team. Out of the five teams at the top of the ASUN standings all within a game of each other, UNF has the most difficult path to a regular season title.

Here’s a look at the Ospreys’ remaining schedule:

  • @ Liberty – Feb. 5, 6
  • vs Bellarmine – Feb. 12, 13
  • vs FGCU – Feb. 26, 27
  • @ Stetson – TBD

UNF’s next four scheduled games are against two of the teams tied for first place currently. Liberty hasn’t ever lost in Liberty Arena and hasn’t lost in Lynchburg in over two years. Meanwhile, Bellarmine has won six straight games and is playing as good as anyone in the conference. For the Ospreys to go 1-3 in those four games would probably be a best case scenario, but to compete for the regular season title, they need at least a split in both series.

If North Florida was able to get a split in those two series, the Ospreys would then need to win the other four games (a tall task in its own right) to finish at 11-5. Even with 5 ASUN losses, UNF would have a small change to win the regular season title.

REGULAR SEASON TITLE ODDS: 0.7%

LIPSCOMB (5-3)

The Bisons were the preseason pick to win the ASUN this season, but they have had to settle for series’ splits the past two weekends at home against North Florida and FGCU. Lipscomb has played six of their first eight conference games on their home floor, and will be tasked with now playing six of their final eight league games on the road. Perhaps the biggest ASUN series’ surprise thus far, looking back on it, is Lipscomb’s sweep at Bellarmine early in conference play.

Here’s a look at the Bisons’ remaining schedule:

  • vs Kennesaw State – Feb. 5, 6
  • @ Jacksonville – Feb. 12, 13
  • @ North Alabama – Feb. 26, 27
  • @ Stetson – TBD

For a regular season title, Lipscomb absolutely must win the two games against the Owls, and a series sweep at Jacksonville is likely a necessity as well. The Bisons will also need at least a split at North Alabama and could need both wins against the Hatters. If they get to 12-4, they have a decent shot at the regular season title.

REGULAR SEASON TITLE ODDS: 7.0%

NORTH ALABAMA (6-2)

UNA rushed out to the early lead in the conference late after winning 6 straight. The Lions’ early season schedule was favorable, as they have played Stetson, Kennesaw State, Jacksonville, and North Florida. North Alabama got sweeps in the series against KSU and Jacksonville, as most teams competing for the regular season title have done or will do.

Here’s a look at the Lions’ remaining schedule:

  • vs Liberty – Feb. 12, 13
  • @ Bellarmine – Feb. 19, 20
  • vs Lipscomb – Feb. 26, 27
  • @ FGCU – TBD

The second half of UNA’s schedule is very challenging, and they have a daunting task to remain in first place in the coming weeks. Every single team left on their schedule still has a puncher’s chance at the regular season title and will be clawing for each and every win.

REGULAR SEASON TITLE ODDS: 5.0%

BELLARMINE (6-2)

The newest member of the ASUN and Division I, Bellarmine has immediately staked their claim to be taken seriously in the conference title race. After dropping their first ever ASUN games at home to Lipscomb in a series sweep, the Knights have strung together six straight wins, including four on the road, as they have swept FGCU, Stetson, and Kennesaw State. Doing so, Bellarmine has a legitimate shot at a Division I regular season title in their first season competing at the highest level.

Here’s a look at the Knights’ remaining schedule:

  • vs Jacksonville – Feb. 5, 6
  • @ North Florida – Feb. 12, 13
  • vs North Alabama – Feb. 19, 20
  • @ Liberty – Feb. 26, 27

Could the final regular season series between the Flames and the Knights be for all the marbles?

REGULAR SEASON TITLE ODDS: 14.9%

LIBERTY (6-2)

The Flames have played 6 of their first 8 conference games away from home, and will play 6 of their final 8 games from the friendly confines of Liberty Arena where the Flames are unbeaten. Liberty has the second longest home winning streak in Division I basketball.

Here’s a look at the Flames’ remaining schedule:

  • vs North Florida – Feb. 5, 6
  • @ North Alabama – Feb. 12, 13
  • vs Bellarmine – Feb. 26, 27
  • vs FGCU – TBD

It’s pretty simple for the Flames’ regular season title odds – if Liberty can maintain its home winning streak and get no worse than a split at North Alabama, LU will clinch at least a share of the regular season title. Of course, that’s easier said than done. It should be a fun final few weeks of the regular season as Liberty goes for a three-peat.

REGULAR SEASON TITLE ODDS: 72.2%