FGCU (8-19, 5-7) is fresh off a strong victory over KSU and looking to stay hot as the season winds down. Next they will square off against Lipscomb (11-14, 6-6) who maintains a 1 game lead over the Eagles in the conference standings. Earlier this season, FGCU beat the Bisons 68-61 at home. This time around, there is a massive, 5-team battle for 4th place. Therefore, this game, and every game after, has increased significance regarding conference seeding. Below we will take a look at the impact players for the Bisons, potential matchups, and give our predictions for the game.

The Players

KJ Johnson (#0)

Johnson has had a very good freshman year but has cooled off for most of ASUN play. He has played in 25 games, making 16 starts. He averages 12 points, 2 assists, and 3 rebounds in 27 minutes per contest. Johnson is on the smaller side at 6’1″ / 154 lbs but can really do it all. He is a lethal shooter (45% from the floor and 39% from 3) with excellent handles and the ability to consistently create his own shot whether driving to the basket or spotting up. Last time these teams squared off, Johnson had a lot of difficulty, only mustering 5 points.

Ahsan Asadullah (#23)

Asadullah is an absolute force to deal with down low. He is a 6’8″ / 265 lb sophomore. As a freshman, he impressed with averages of 7 points and 5 rebounds while playing in every game. This year, Asadullah has played in 24 games, making 23 starts, and is getting 29 minutes a night. He holds averages of 17 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists per game. Last time against the Eagles, Asadullah dominated with 25 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists.

Andrew Flemming (#2)

Flemming is one of two seniors on this roster. He has played in 25 games this year, making 24 starts. At 6’5″ / 205 lbs, he has good size for a guard. Currently he is averaging 9 points, 2 assists, and 4 rebounds while shooting 43% in about 26 minutes per game. Last time against the Eagles, he scored 18 points and grabbed 7 boards.

Michael Buckland (#3)

Buckland is the other senior on this team and has established himself as a deadly shooter over the course of his career. He has made 22 starts this year, playing about 34 minutes per game. Buckland is 6’5″ and about 200 lbs. This season he is averaging 11 points, 3 assists, and 5 rebounds while shooting 47% from the floor and 42% from 3. Buckland finished with 8 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals last time against the Eagles.

Greg Jones (#1)

Jones is a 6’3″ / 195 lb sophomore guard. He has played in all 22 games, making 18 starts. In 24 minutes per game, Jones is posting averages of 8 points and 3 rebounds. He is currently shooting 40% from the floor and 33% from beyond the arc. Jones managed only 1 point last time these teams met.

The Matchups

Guards

Lipscomb is another team that plays small, with a lot of guards, and has a number of different players who can go off on a given night. Seniors Buckland and Flemming pose as problem when they get going from beyond the arc. Johnson and Jones were held in check last time these teams met but have the abilities to make a sizable impact. FGCU boasts a talented backcourt featuring Caleb Catto, Zach Scott, and Jalen Warren. As long as the Eagles keep the perimeter fairly well-guarded, they have the advantage here.

Forwards

Lipscomb lacks a lot of depth among their bigs. Unfortunately for a lot of their opponents, this hasn’t slowed them down. Asadullah is a monster down low and has been a problem for nearly every team. A combination of Justus Rainwater and Brian Thomas will be tasked with trying to neutralize his production. Despite the lack of depth behind him, Asadullah dominated in their first meeting and could do the same in this one.

Projected Starters

FGCU	Lipscomb
Jalen Warren (#5)	Miles Miller (#25)
Zach Scott (#1)	Gred Jones (#1)
Caleb Catto (#2)	Andrew Flemming (#2)
Tracy Hector Jr (#13)	Michael Bukland (#3)
Justus Rainwater (#32)	Ahsan Asadullah (#23)

The Outlook

FGCU lost 3 straight to the top teams in the conference before beating Kennesaw. Now the Eagles are in a position where they need to win out to guarantee at least 4th place finish. While it is likely that a worse conference record can secure 4th place, each game has increasingly high stakes attached to it. Lipscomb has gotten hot and is on a 3-game winning streak. FGCU will need to come out strong, contain Lipscomb’s perimeter threats, and minimize Asadullah’s impact in order to come out of this one with a win.

The Predictions

Elliott Kresse (21-6)

“FGCU couldn’t stop Asadullah last time and they wont be able to this time either.” – Elliott

64-58 – Lipscomb

Russell Kelly (17-10)

“Every game is of utmost utmost importance for FGCU. I think they start a bit of a streak here with a win against Lipscomb.” – Russell

66-62 – FGCU

Dawson Jordan (16-11)

“Lipscomb doesn’t have the guard play to keep up with FGCU’s stable of players led by Zach Scott and Caleb Catto.” – Dawson

70-62 – FGCU

Bryan Genter (16-11)

“Lipscomb has always been a tough place to play for FGCU. I think it’s a tight game but the Eagles come up short in the end.” – Bryan

67-64 – Lipscomb