Who Won The Men’s SoCon Basketball Tournament?
The Southern Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament is an annual college basketball tournament held by the Southern Conference (SoCon). Since 1985, the tournament has been held at the end of the regular season to determine the SoCon’s automatic bid to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. This year, the tournament was held from March 5th to March 9th in Asheville, North Carolina and the champion was the Furman Paladins.
Overview of the Southern Conference Basketball Tournament
The Southern Conference is a collegiate athletic conference whose member institutions are located in the southeastern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA’s Division I-A, and in football, it is a member of the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). The conference was formed in 1921, and since then, it has grown to include ten members: The Citadel, East Tennessee State, Furman, Mercer, Samford, UNC Greensboro, VMI, Western Carolina, Wofford, and Chattanooga.
The SoCon Men’s Basketball Tournament is held each year, typically in late February and early March. The tournament is a single-elimination tournament and the winner is awarded the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. The tournament has been held in Asheville, North Carolina since 1985, and this year was no different.
The Furman Paladins
The Furman Paladins, the winning team of this year’s tournament, is the men’s basketball team of Furman University. The team is a member of the Southern Conference and is currently coached by Niko Medved. The team has won two SoCon Tournament titles, one in 1988 and one in 2019, and they have made two NCAA Tournament appearances, in 1988 and 2019.
The 2019 SoCon Tournament
The 2019 SoCon Men’s Basketball Tournament began on March 5th and ended on March 9th in Asheville, North Carolina. The tournament featured all ten members of the conference and was seeded based on the regular season standings. The top seed was the East Tennessee State Buccaneers, followed by the Wofford Terriers, the Furman Paladins, and the UNC Greensboro Spartans.
The Tournament Bracket
The tournament was held over four days, with the quarterfinals being held on the first day, the semifinals on the second day, the finals on the third day, and the championship game on the fourth day. The tournament bracket was as follows:
- Quarterfinals
- Game 1: East Tennessee State vs. UNC Greensboro
- Game 2: Furman vs. The Citadel
- Game 3: Samford vs. Wofford
- Game 4: Mercer vs. Western Carolina
- Semifinals
- Game 5: East Tennessee State vs. Furman
- Game 6: Wofford vs. Mercer
- Finals
- Game 7: East Tennessee State vs. Wofford
- Championship: Furman vs. Wofford
The Championship Game
The championship game between the Furman Paladins and the Wofford Terriers was a close one. The Paladins held a slim lead for most of the game, but the Terriers kept it close and the game went down to the wire. In the end, the Paladins pulled out a narrow victory, winning 62-56 and claiming the SoCon championship.
The Impact of the Tournament
The Furman Paladins’ victory in the 2019 SoCon Basketball Tournament not only marked the first time since 1988 that the Paladins had won the tournament, but it also earned them an automatic bid to the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. This marked the first time since 1988 that the Paladins had made an NCAA Tournament appearance, and it also marked the first time in SoCon history that three teams from the same conference had earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament in the same year (the other two teams being East Tennessee State and Wofford).
The Reactions to the Tournament
The reactions to the tournament were mostly positive, with fans, players, and coaches all praising the Paladins’ victory. Fans of the Paladins were especially excited, as it had been 31 years since their last tournament victory. Players and coaches were also pleased with the result, as the Paladins had put together an impressive season and had earned their spot in the NCAA Tournament.
The NCAA Tournament
The Paladins’ victory in the SoCon Tournament earned them an automatic bid to the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. They were seeded 16th and matched up with the Villanova Wildcats in the first round. The Paladins put up a good fight, but ultimately fell to the Wildcats by a score of 76-68.
The Season Overall
The Furman Paladins had an impressive season overall, going 21-12 and winning the SoCon Tournament. They earned their first NCAA Tournament bid in 31 years, and while they didn’t have much success in the tournament, they showed that they could compete with some of the best teams in the country. It was a season to remember for the Paladins, and one that will be remembered for a long time.
Conclusion
The 2019 SoCon Men’s Basketball Tournament was a great success. The Furman Paladins won the tournament, earning their first NCAA Tournament bid in 31 years, and three teams from the SoCon earned automatic bids to the NCAA Tournament, the first time in conference history. The Paladins had an impressive season overall, and while they didn’t have much success in the NCAA Tournament, they proved that they can compete with some of the best teams in the country.