SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The 2026 Conference Carolinas Men’s Basketball Championship quarterfinals saw both Chowan University and Emmanuel University advance. Chowan needed overtime to defeat King University and Emmanuel pulled away late from Ferrum College to advance.
No. 5 Chowan def. No. 9 King 79-76 (OT)
King gradually extended their early lead to 19-12 before a 10-1 Chowan run gave the Hawks a 22-20 lead. The Hawks held that advantage until a Jordan Akal triple gave King a 33-32 lead the break. The score was knotted at 37 before The Tornado scored 10 straight points to take a 47-37 lead. The Tornado lead grew to as many as 13 on numerous occasions before Chowan went on a run. Chowan scored 10 straight points to pull within three, but King quickly extended the lead back to seven.
However, Chowan responded with the next seven points to even the score at 67 with 1:27 remaining. The teams traded baskets in the final minute, sending the contest to overtime. Both teams held the lead in the extra session with the Tornado leading 76-74 on a Lenier Pocknett layup with 28 seconds remaining. Chowan’s Eric Gordon Jr. then connected from three with nine seconds remaining, giving
Chowan a 77-76 lead. The Hawks then converted a pair of free throws to take the contest 79-76.
Markell Hollis led Chowan with 20 points while Gordon Jr. Followed with 18. Akal led King with 18 points.
Chowan advances to face top seed UNC Pembroke on Saturday at 12:30 p.m.
No. 6 Emmanuel def. No. 3 Ferrum 73-67
Ferrum jumped out to a 12-6 lead in the opening five minutes, but Emmanuel came back with a 12-4 run to even the score at 16. The Lions held the lead the remainder of the half and took a 40-32 lead at halftime.
Emmanuel opened up a 47-36 lead in the opening four minutes of the second half before Ferrum started to chip away at the deficit. The Panthers pulled within 54-53 following an Eden Davis triple with seven minutes remaining, but that was as close as they could get as the Lions extended their lead down the stretch to take the contest.
Devin Story led Emmanuel with 22 points and six rebounds while Rodrigo Farias and Alfredo Abel-Rivera led Ferrum with 23 and 21 points, respectively.
Emmanuel advances to face second seed Young Harris College on Saturday at 2:45 p.m.
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2026 Conference Carolinas Women's Basketball Championship
First Round – Sunday, March 1 at No. 4-5-6 Seeds
No. 9 King def. No. 10 Mount Olive, 95-94
BOX SCORE
No. 8 Southern Wesleyan def. No. 11 Francis Marion, 96-93
BOX SCORE
No. 7 Barton def. No. 12 Shorter, 93-68
BOX SCORE
Second Round – Monday, March 2 at No. 4-5-6 Seeds
No. 9 King def. No. 4 North Greenville, 96-93
BOX SCORE
No. 5 Chowan def. No. 8 Southern Wesleyan, 104-95
BOX SCORE
No. 6 Emmanuel def. No. 7 Barton, 81-77 (OT)
BOX SCORE
Quarterfinals – Friday, March 7 (at Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium – Spartanburg, S.C.)
No. 5 Chowan def. No. 9 King, 79-76
BOX SCORE | CHOWAN PRESS CONFERENCE | KING PRESS CONFERENCE
No. 6 Emmanuel def. No. 3 Ferrum, 73-67
BOX SCORE | EMMANUEL PRESS CONFERENCE | FERRUM PRESS CONFERENCE
Semifinals – Saturday, March 7 (at Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium – Spartanburg, S.C.)
No. 5 Chowan vs. No. 1 UNC Pembroke, 12:30 p.m.
No. 6 Emmanuel vs. No. 2 Young Harris, 2:45 p.m.
Final – Sunday, March 8 (at Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium – Spartanburg, S.C.)
Winner of Semifinal 1 vs. Winner of Semifinal 2, 1:00 p.m.