(MIESENHEIMER, N.C.) - The 2026 USA South Men's Basketball Tournament championship took place on the campus of Pfeiffer University on Saturday, February 28 as visiting second-seeded N.C. Wesleyan earned the League tournament title by defeating the host, top-seeded Falcons, 84-79.

Pfeiffer began by opening up an 11-2 lead three minutes into the game but N.C. Wesleyan came right back to tie the game at 14-14 with just under 12 minutes remaining in the opening stanza. The Battling Bishops took their first lead of the contest with just over two minutes left in the half before the Falcons went on a 5-0 run to head to the break up by three points. After battling back to tie the game twice in the first part of the second half, N.C. Wesleyan went on a 13-5 run to take a lead it would not relinquish. Pfeiffer would get to within one point with just over eight minutes to go but that would be as close as they would get as the Battling Bishops held on for the championship.

N.C. Wesleyan was led by Rashod Smith who scored a team-high 24 points with a game-high six assists. Justin Burden also contributed 17 points, five rebounds, and one steal in the win while also being named the tournament's Most Valuable Player due to his performance throughout the event. Pfeiffer was led by Doug Smith who notched a double-double with game highs of 27 points and 13 rebounds.

2026 All-Tournament Team
Jude Ballstaedt, Southern Virginia
Justin Burden, N.C. Wesleyan (MVP)
Justin Gaten, Pfeiffer
James Jones, N.C. Wesleyan
Doug Smith, Pfeiffer
Rashod Smith, N.C. Wesleyan

2026 USA South Men's Basketball Tournament Results
(All contests played at the higher-seeded team in the matchup)

First Round - Tuesday, February 24
Game 1: #5 Methodist - 82   #4 Greensboro - 70
Game 2: #6 Mary Baldwin - 73   #3 Southern Virginia - 89

Semifinals - Thursday, February 26
#5 Methodist - 72   #1 Pfeiffer - 93
#3 Southern Virginia - 81   #2 N.C. Wesleyan - 84

Final - Saturday, February 28
#2 N.C. Wesleyan - 84   #1 Pfeiffer - 79