QQUARTERLYU A R T E R L Y Highlighting the Spirit of Building Winners for Life MEN’S BASKETBALL 2018 22018018 AASUNSUN BasketballBasketball CChampionshiphampionship EEditiondition WOMEN’S BASKETBALL 2018 FEBRUARY - MARCH 2018 GRAB, GRIP & LIGHT IT UP SUPERIOR GRIP from thousands of micro-pebble touchpoints ENHANCED CONTROL through moisture-wicking channels EXCEPTIONAL FEEL by a Cushioned Core THE OFFICIAL BASKETBALL OF @wilsonbasketball © 2016 Wilson Sporting Goods Co. LEARN MORE AT WILSON.COM 2 | STUDENTS FIRST | ASUN QUARTERLY WHO’SHOT? GARRISON MATHEWS BRITTNEY CHAMBERS A two-time First Team All-Conference nod, Mathews Stetson’s leading scorer & rebounder, Chambers has led the ASUN in scoring from the start of the ranks second in the ASUN in scoring, averaging season until the end as he opened with 39 points 16.8 PPG. Chambers has earned four ASUN Player in the Bisons’ opener, set a career-high with 43 of the Week awards this year, putting up double points at KSU and enters postseason play averaging figures in every game but one. The senior has 21.4 PPG. Mathews and the Bisons secured their played nearly every minute for Stetson, ranking second-straight 20-win season; the first occurence second in the league for minutes played and games for the program in its Division I history. started to help the Hatters to the No. 3 seed. LOREN CAGLE ZACH JOHNSON The ASUN’s leading scorer, Cagle has been an A First Team All-Conference selection, Johnson integral part of Lipscomb reaching its highest win has been a menace to opposing offenses all total since the 2007-08 season. Cagle is the only season. The junior guard has totaled a league-best player in the league to average at least 17 PPG, 5 65 steals; averaging 2.1 per game. On top of his RPG and 4 APG. She leads the ASUN this season defensive prowess, Johnson rakes in 14.9 PPG in 20-point games with 11 and she poured in a and 2.9 APG helping FGCU to its second-straight career-high 31 points in a win vs. North Florida; the ASUN Regular Season title. In league play, he has most in a game this season in the ASUN. increased his averages to 16.9 PPG & 3.1 APG. STUDENTS FIRST | ASUN QUARTERLY | 3 WHO TO WATCH TAYLOR GRADINJAN KEONNA FARMER A senior guard, Gradinjan Pouring in 15.9 PPG for has made 288 career UNF this season, Farmer three’s, which ranks third was tabbed the ASUN in ASUN history. This year, Newcomer of the Week six she has connected on a times. She adds 8.5 RPG league-best 77 three balls & 2.3 SPG in 32.4 minutes for the Eagles. of action. NOAH HORCHLER ANTHONY TARKE The ASUN leader in Capable of scoring in a rebounding (8.7) and multitude of ways, Tarke double-doubles (12), guided the Highlanders Horchler has made an to the No. 4 seed in the instant impact as the ASUN Championship after sophomore forward helped averaging a team-best 17.5 UNF to the No. 5 seed in PPG in league play with the ASUN Championship. 6.8 RPG & 2.2 APG. JAMES SCOTT DEVIN HARRIS With already three career Jacksonville’s workhorse, 30-point games under his Harris ranks among the top belt as a sophomore, Scott in ASUN action for assists is a constant offensive (6.1; 2nd), rebounding threat. He leads KSU in (8.2; 4th) and steals (1.6; scoring at 17.0 PPG and 5th), while adding 13.8 owns 10 20-point games PPG in 35.2 minutes this season. played for the Dolphins. KAYLA GORDON TAMERA THORPE Averaging nearly a double- Upstate’s leading scorer double at 12.0 PPG & at 12.3 PPG, Thorpe is 9.7 RPG, Gordon helped shooting 45.3 percent the Dolphins to the from the floor and 72 from second seed in the ASUN the charity stripe. She Championship. The senior owns five 20-point games forward owns 10 double- this year with a high of 28 doubles this year. on Dec. 30th. 2018 ASUN Men’s Basketball Championship Hosted By Campus Sites February 26 - March 4 Quarterfinals Semifinals Final Monday Thursday Sunday february 26 March 1 March 4 #1 FGCU 7 PM ET #8 USC Upstate TBD #4 NJIT 7:30 PM ET #5 North Florida 3 PM ET ASUN Champion #3 Jacksonville 7 PM ET #6 Kennesaw State TBD #2 Lipscomb 7 PM CT #7 Stetson 5 | 2017 @ASUNMBB CHAMPIONSHIP | ASUN QUARTERLY 2017 ASUN Championship Quarterfinals - February 27th #1 FGCU 87, #8 Stetson 57 #2 Lipscomb 97, #7 NJIT 66 Zach Johnson scored 19 & Marc Eddy Norelia had a double-double to lead FGCU Garrison Mathews scored 18 of his 30 pts. in first half as Bisons raced by NJIT #3 North Florida 77, #6 Jacksonville 74 #5 Kennesaw State 80, #4 USC Upstate 78 Dallas Moore tallied 37 points to break the ASUN single-season points record Kendrick Ray scored 24 points to lead Owls to upset victory in Spartanburg Semifinals - March 2nd #1 FGCU 74, #5 Kennesaw State 62 #3 North Florida 91, #2 Lipscomb 85 Brandon Goodwin scored 28 to lead FGCU back to the #ASUNMadness Final North Florida used 16 made trifectas to defeat Bisons and advance to Final Final - March 5th #1 FGCU 77, #3 North Florida 61 FGCU earned back-to-back titles as the Eagles returned to March Madness for the third time in program history. Brandon Goodwin was Tournament MVP 6 | CONNECT | ASUN QUARTERLY ASUN’S HOMETOWN HEROES CONNECT WITH THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITIES A home is built of four walls, a roof, a sense of peace with families filling those homes with love and joy. Those homes make a community, filled with a feeling of pride in the people that make each and every community unique. As we establish that impression of home from a young age on, we also establish our own versions of heroes. For some people that hero is Superman, for some it’s Batman protecting the citizens of Gotham City, but heroes aren’t just reserved for comic book lore. Athletes, in particular student-athletes at some of our ASUN Conference schools, are shining examples of being heroes in their own way, in their own hometown. Nick Masterson grew up in Woodstock, Ga. and played at River Ridge High School, just a few miles away from Kennesaw State University. “I actually heard about Kennesaw State when I was in middle school” Masterson said. “Our coach took the whole team to a game. After that experience, I attended some more games and during my senior year when I was considering KSU I went to a lot of home contests.” North Florida’s senior Osborn Blount had a similar experience to Masterson when he was first introduced to the Birds of Trey. “My AAU coach took us all to a North Florida basketball game, I was in 9th or 10th grade.” Blount remembers. “Coach Riley Cortez played for North Florida during his college years, so he invited us all to go watch his former team.” For USC Upstate’s Deion Holmes, who grew up in nearby Chesnee, S.C., playing for the Spartans was a family tradition he wanted to continue. “Both of my parents played for USC when it was still called USC Spartanburg.” Holmes said, “So when I was growing up, I would always hear stories about their experiences in college and as athletes. Since they met at USC Upstate, I heard about the school quite a bit while growing up.” Holmes has upheld that tradition as the junior is now an integral part of the Spartans’ Men’s Basketball program and continues the legacy his parents left before him. NJIT’s Abdul Lewis took a slightly different route in his collegiate journey, but now is enjoying his time back home. Lewis, who went to high school just a couple miles away from NJIT’s campus in Newark, N.J. moved away from home his freshman year. He attended and played at South Alabama for one season, but quickly realized something wasn’t right. “Being away from my family, friends, my support system was the biggest ASUN QUARTERLY | CONNECT | 7 6 factorf t ini my deciding d idi tot come backbkh home.” ”Li Lewis didiscussed d that h t specialil connectiontidhh and how he can further explained, “There is no better feeling than vividly relate to those kids. “It’s always fun when playing in front of your support system. While I was we visit kids at local schools. It really humbles you away, I always felt something was missing and the when they ask questions and let it know that they are game just wasn’t as fun for me.” watching your games and looking up to you.” Holmes continued. “For me, since I’m from Spartanburg, it’s For these four student-athletes, there was never a incredibly special to give back to local schools and go question that staying at home, or coming back home, back to gyms that I myself played and competed in was the right move. It brought them closer together when I was in grade school.” with their communities and has allowed them to flourish in familiar surroundings. They have never Growing up in Newark wasn’t easy for Lewis, who taken those communities for granted and have all appreciates all the opportunities he has been given worked very hard to give back, either by themselves since earning a scholarship to play Division I basketball. or with the help of their teammates.