The South Atlantic Women’s Basketball Championship in Rock Hill, S.C. brings together to top teams in #3 seed Coker Cobras (22-6, 17-5 SAC) and the #4 seed Carson-Newman Eagles (19-9, 15-7 SAC) after a great tournament so far. Coker led by Head Coach Melissa DeVore brings her team in looking to finish its mission and win the title, as with Carson-Newman Head Coach Mike Mincey whose team avoided the Cinderella curse of the AU Trojans who knocked off top seed Lenoir-Rhyne the day before.
ʙᴀᴄᴋ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴍᴘɪᴏɴꜱʜɪᴘ ɢᴀᴍᴇ
For the second straight year, Coker is in the women's basketball championship game! The Cobras took down LMU 52-44 in the second semifinal of the day. pic.twitter.com/AdLUwkQYVf
— South Atlantic Conference (@SAC_Athletics) March 6, 2026
The game starts off with the Coker jumps out to a 5-point lead as the Eagles battle back to keep the game close hear in the first half of play. The game at the 8-minute mark has Coker out in the lead 17-13. We get to a media timeout, and the Cobras are up 26-17 over the Eagles with 4:30 left in the first half. Emily Gonzalez leads the Eagles with 8 points and for the Cobras Shawn Tillman leads with 8 points.
@CokerWBB 32@CN_Eagles 21
Halftime
SAC Women's Basketball 🏀 Championship @Its_Coach_Steve @SOTGsmoke @Carlito25Way @flosports @Abbey_M_Moore @jdilla7791 @ESPNCBBall pic.twitter.com/7RNQlWHlIp— Greenville Sports Media (@GreenvilleSM) March 7, 2026
CN Team Highs
PTS 22 GONZALEZ, EMIL 9
REB 13 WEDDINGTON, DE 4
AST 10 NUCKOLLS, MATT 1
COK Team Highs
PTS 0 TILLMAN, SHAWN 10
REB 20 THOMPSON, KAMA 11
AST 3 TAYLOR, COURTN 1
We are on the way for the second half of the Women’s Championship for the SAC title as Carson-Newman is going to have to get some better shots up and make a move quick on a tough Coker team who leads by 11 points to settle the best in the league in this tournament. The 3rd period ends with Coker with a 10-point lead 48-38 led by Shawn Tillman with 17 points, and Carson Newman still has Emily Gonzalez with 9 points. Both teams will be going all out with under 10 minutes left in the game.
@CokerWBB 45@CN_Eagles 30
2:30 In the game@Carlito25Way @Its_Coach_Steve@SOTGsmoke @jdilla7791 @GSM_TGFFGameday @MarkLiving40700 pic.twitter.com/gReTEAgCaq— Greenville Sports Media (@GreenvilleSM) March 7, 2026
Coker turns out to be just too much for the Carson-Newman team and wins the game 60-46 and wins its first ever SAC Women’s Basketball championship!
COK Team Highs
PTS 0 TILLMAN, SHAWN 23
REB 20 THOMPSON, KAMA 18
AST 3 TAYLOR, COURTN 1
CN Team Highs
PTS 22 GONZALEZ, EMIL 11
REB 13 WEDDINGTON, DE 6
AST 10 NUCKOLLS, MATT 1
@CokerWBB 60@CN_Eagles 46
Final
1st Ever SAC Women's Basketball Championship for Coker Cobras!
Congratulations 🎊 https://t.co/a3ehw9c3K6 @SOTGsmoke @Carlito25Way @Carolina_Clash @SoConJohn22 @Its_Coach_Steve @GSM_TGFFGameday pic.twitter.com/mF5A64Gu8O— Greenville Sports Media (@GreenvilleSM) March 7, 2026

