Both the Southern and South Western United States are often referred to as the Sun Belt. This is mainly due to the weather. Recent years have seen large migrations of Americans from more frigid states to warmer states like Florida or Texas for example. Another reason would be taxes. Americans do not like paying taxes. That's a fact. That's one reason why President Trump's tax proposal has been getting criticism. Florida, Nevada, and Texas are all famous for not having state income tax.
There is a conference that has 7 of it's 8 members based in the land of Chick Fil A, warm weather, and sunshine. There really isn't anything southern about New Jersey. The garden state is known for the turnpike, pork egg and cheese sandwiches, and type A personalities. It was a pairing of convenience in a way. NJIT recently completed a transition to division one college basketball. They were in need of a conference. Local ones like the MAAC or NEC did not take them. Thus, they had to take a more creative approach and joined the Atlantic Sun.
The Atlantic Sun's members include Florida Gulf Coast University, Jacksonville University, Kennesaw State University,
Liberty University, Lipscomb University, New Jersey Institute of Technology, University of North Alabama, University of North Florida and Stetson University
This conference holds it's postseason conference championship at campus sites. This gives incentive and advantage to those who finish high enough to host. This year has turned out as a two team race between the Lipscomb Bisons and the Flames from religious conservative hot bed Liberty University. ESPN's Joe Lunardi currently has Lipscomb as his projected conference champion and in the 2019 NCAA tournament as a 13 seed.
One of the great things about the month of March is that it always seems like there's a basketball game on. The tournament will be held March 4th, 7th and 10th. Place a bet on the team you think will win their games!
