2024 Atlantic Sun Tournament Awards & Takeaways

CBB Review hands out awards for each conference tournament in 2024. Up next: The A-Sun Tournament.

Can every basketball tournament end up like the A-Sun? Seriously, the Atlantic Sun Tournament simply always delivers. It is the United States Postal Service, except the A-Sun even managed to deliver on a Sunday.

The CBBReview A-Sun preview had Eastern Kentucky defeating Lipscomb, but the Colonels were met by Robert McCray V, and the Bisons fell at the buzzer at home thanks to a former Bison making his way to Florence, Alabama. Jacksonville was seconds away from a second huge upset, and North Alabama took Austin Peay down to the wire, but it was the Hatters and the Governors that ended up vying for the crown. When the dust settled Sunday, Stetson walked away with their first tournament appearance ever after a 94-91 win. It’s these kinds of stories that make people fall in love with March. 

CBB Review A-Sun Tournament Most Outstanding Player

Jalen Blackmon, Stetson

Blackmon didn’t have a particularly efficient first two games in the tournament, starting 1-13 from behind the arc. But when the Hatters needed him most, he delivered, pacing both teams with 43 points in the championship game, 30 more than any other Hatter. Stetson’s leading scorer this season was the x-factor in the A-Sun title matchup against the Governors, and the Indiana native finished with a (43-5-3) stat-line. Look out for Blackmon in the dance, as he’ll be a headache for any 2 or 3-seed unlucky enough to draw the Hatters. 43 points. That’s just insane, y’all.

CBB Review All-A-Sun Tournament First Team

• G: Dezi Jones, Austin Peay – 3 games played (24.7 PPG, 5.7 APG, 5.0 RPG)
• G: Robert McCray V, Jacksonville – 3 games played (30.3 PPG, 3.0 APG, 3.0 RPG, 63.2 3P%)
• G: Stephan Swenson, Stetson – 3 games played (20.3 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 4.7 APG, 1.0 BPG)
• G: Jalen Blackmon, Stetson – 3 games played (25.3 PPG, 3.3 APG, 2.7 RPG)
• F: Aubin Gateretse, Stetson – 3 games played (18.7 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 0.3 APG, 2.3 BPG)

Stetson’s NCAA Tournament Prediction

Round of 64

Stetson absolutely has a tournament-quality offense. The issue is on the defensive side, where they entered Sunday afternoon ranked () of 362 D-1 teams in the latest KenPom ratings. As we learned in the non-conference portion of their schedule that saw the Hatters take down FIU and UCF on the road, that offense can carry them past quality opponents over the course of 40 minutes. Entering the tournament at 22-12 from the A-Sun isn’t going to give them a great matchup, but they have the resume to land in the 14-15 seed range rather than a 16-seed or appearance in the First Four. From there, they absolutely have the mettle to beat a team like Duke or Creighton. Is it probable? No. But do tune in to this team’s first-round matchup, though, because there is a chance they pull off a stunner and a certainty that their offense is going to put on a show.