How We Got Here:
Quarterfinals
Friday, March 8
No. 1 FGCU d. No. 8 NJIT 58-45
No. 5 North Florida d. No. 4 North Florida 55-53
No. 3 Liberty d. No. 6 Jacksonville 65-53
No. 7 Kennesaw State d. No. 2 Stetson 67-59
Semifinals
Wednesday, March 13
No. 1 FGCU d. No. 7 Kennesaw State 77-48
No. 3 Liberty d. No. 5 North Florida 65-51
Final
Sunday, March 17
FGCU vs Liberty, 3 p.m.
What's On The Line:
The winner of Sunday's championship game will earn the A-SUN's automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament. FGCU will be looking for the program's sixth NCAA Tournament berth over the past eight seasons, while Liberty will be looking for back-to-back trips after winning the Big South title in 2017-18.
Should Raining 3s lose in the finals, they would automatically be entered in the WNIT since they won the A-SUN Regular Season Championship.
Scouting Liberty:
In head coach Carey Green's 20-plus tenure, Liberty has won 14 Big South Tournament championships. This will be his first attempt in the A-SUN. Interestingly, the Flames lost six games in conference play this year, which is more than any season Green coached in the Big South except for 2016-17 when they went 12-6.
Liberty has appeared in the NCAA Tournament in 17 of the past 22 seasons. A win on Sunday would secure their second straight appearance for the first time since 2012 and 2013. They are 17-2 all-time in conference tournament finals.
Emily Lytle scored a game-high 20 points during Liberty's 65-64 home setback to FGCU on Feb. 9. She has hit 62 three-pointers during her first season with the Flames and needs two more to break the program record which has stood since 1989-90.
Kierra Johnson-Graham scored in double figures during both regular-season meetings with FGCU and has posted back-to-back double-digit efforts to begin the A-SUN Championship. The Flames are 12-3 since she joined the starting lineup on Jan. 15.
Series History:
This is only the third all-time matchup against Liberty as the Flames just joined the A-SUN this year. The Eagles won 68-50 at home in the conference opener, but narrowly slid by on the road, 65-64, on Feb. 9.
How to Keep Up:
Livestats will be available for the game and will air on ESPN+. Commentary will be done by play-by-play commentator Tom James and color commentator J. Webb Horton.
Fans can also keep updated on the teams' Twitter accounts:
FGCU: @FGCU_WBB
Liberty: @LibertyWBB
Promotions:
Since the game is on St. Patrick's Day, the championship game will be dubbed as a greenout, so marketing is encouraging fans to wear green to the game to support the Eagles
ESPN+:
The A-SUN will air on the new, subscription-based digital platform ESPN+, which will be the new home for select FGCU and A-SUN games and event broadcasts. Subscribers can try the new app for free for 30 days, which follows to $4.99 a month fee afterwards or can pay $39.99 per-year based on the viewers subscription choice.
ESPN+ Link: http://www.espn.com/watch/_/id/e9237989-d0d8-4159-8247-02e0e0b59704/asun-womens-basketball-tournament
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