Preview: Western Carolina vs. East Tennessee State in SoCon Championship

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (Interstat) — The Southern Conference men’s basketball tournament title and an automatic NCAA bid will be on the line Sunday when the surging Western Carolina Catamounts face the top-seeded East Tennessee State Buccaneers.

The championship game, set for March 8, 2026, at Harrah’s Cherokee Center, is a rubber match between the league rivals. Western Carolina (15-15) swept the regular-season series, winning 72-68 at home on Jan. 14 and 90-88 on the road on Jan. 29.

The Catamounts, the tournament’s surprise finalist, have won seven straight games, the longest active streak in the conference. They advanced with a 77-73 semifinal win at Mercer on Saturday behind 21 points from Tidjiane Dioumassi and 18 from guard Tahlan Pettway.

Pettway has been instrumental in the run, averaging 18.4 points over his last five games. He scored 24 points in a win over UNC Greensboro and 23 against Furman during the streak.

East Tennessee State (22-10), which earned a double-bye into the semifinals, held off The Citadel 83-76 on Saturday. Blake Barkley led the Buccaneers with 24 points in that victory. The guard has averaged 16.8 points over his last five contests.

The Buccaneers have been inconsistent lately, alternating wins and losses over their past six games. They will rely on their superior record and seeding, but must solve a Western Carolina team they have not beaten this season.

The Catamounts, seeking their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1996, are playing their best basketball of the season at the perfect time. East Tennessee State, last in the tournament in 2017, aims to use its experience and depth to claim the championship.

Sunday’s winner will secure the SoCon’s automatic bid to the 2026 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament.