Austin Peay and Jacksonville meet March 9, 2026 in ASUN women’s tournament championship in Jacksonville

Championship stakes set for Monday night at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena

Austin Peay and Jacksonville are scheduled to play Monday, March 9, 2026, in the Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN) Women’s Basketball Championship at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m. Eastern, with the game carried on national television.

The matchup pairs Jacksonville, seeded No. 2 in the tournament bracket, against No. 8 seed Austin Peay. The title game caps the ASUN tournament’s return to Jacksonville for the event’s final rounds, with the championship serving as the league’s automatic bid pathway to the NCAA Division I women’s tournament.

How both teams reached the title game

Austin Peay advanced by defeating Stetson 68–52 in a semifinal played March 7 at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. The Governors led after the first quarter (18–17) and carried a 38–35 halftime edge before widening separation late; they outscored Stetson 22–10 in the fourth quarter to secure the 16-point win.

Jacksonville earned its championship berth with a defensive performance against Central Arkansas in the other semifinal. Jacksonville forced 18 turnovers and held Central Arkansas to 18-of-63 shooting (29%) overall, including 5-of-29 (17.2%) from three-point range. Jacksonville also finished with advantages in points in the paint (30–26), fast-break points (12–9) and second-chance points (15–9).

Context: a home-city final and recent program history

For Jacksonville, the championship appearance marks the program’s first ASUN women’s title-game appearance since the 2017–18 season, placing added attention on the Dolphins’ ability to convert home-floor familiarity into a conference trophy. The final is set in the same arena that has hosted the tournament’s later rounds, maintaining continuity of site through the decisive stages of the bracket.

Key statistical reference points entering Monday

• Season scoring leader listed for Jacksonville: Priscilla Williams (15.6 points per game).
• Season scoring leader listed for Austin Peay: Aaliyah Sheals (14.3 points per game).
• Rebounding leaders listed: Williams for Jacksonville (8.5 rebounds per game) and Laila Thomas for Austin Peay (6.8 rebounds per game).

What to watch when the ball goes up

The semifinal results point to two immediate indicators for the championship: whether Jacksonville can reproduce the disruption it generated against Central Arkansas—turnovers and low opponent shooting efficiency—and whether Austin Peay can sustain the late-game control it displayed against Stetson, particularly the fourth-quarter margin that decided its semifinal.

Tipoff: 5 p.m. ET, Monday, March 9, 2026; Venue: VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, Jacksonville.