Florida Gulf Coast vs. Mercer: Expert Predictions

(Courtesy of Linwood Ferguson)

After FGCU's run last year in the NCAA Tournament, the Atlantic Sun has received extra attention this season. With the Eagles facing off against Mercer in a much anticipated Championship contest, the FGCU Eagles Nest set out to get predictions from the best minds around college basketball that have taken notice of the A-Sun.

Rob Dauster (College Basketball Talk)
Prediction: Mercer
Explanation: I know the game is at FGCU, but I'm picking Mercer. Maybe I'm crazy for picking a team on the road in a tournament final, but I just think the Bears are the better team this season. Langston Hall is the truth. I will say this, however: watching Hall go up against Brett Comer will be a lot of fun.


Nicole Auerbach (USA TODAY Sports)
Prediction: Florida Gulf Coast
Explanation: I'm expecting a great game, particularly because these two teams met in this championship game last year, split their games during the regular season and meet again. Grudge matches are always fun. (Plus both teams had minor scares last round.) I'll take FGCU at home, sending the Eagles to the NCAA tournament for a second straight year. And you can just predict how many people will pick this team -- led by some familiar names in Chase Fieler, Brett Comer and Bernard Thompson -- to pull off an early-round upset once again.