Pensacola’s Bay Center hosted drama on all four sides of the bracket Friday as upsets, buzzer-beating heroics, and a historic three-point barrage made for one of the most memorable days of tournament basketball in recent memory.
South Alabama Women Ride Hot Streak Past Marshall
The story of the day belongs to the South Alabama Jaguars women’s team, who continued their Cinderella run by knocking off No. 5 seed Marshall 73-58 in the fourth round of the 2026 Visit Pensacola Sun Belt Women’s Basketball Championship Presented by Air Force Reserve.
The No. 12 seed Jaguars have now won four games in four days, and they are showing no signs of slowing down. South Alabama shot a blistering 50 percent from the field and 40 percent from three-point range, while their bench contributed 26 points — a depth chart that is punching well above its seed.
Chrysta Narcisse led the charge with 18 points, seven rebounds, and five assists, proving she is a complete player at both ends of the floor. Ronaltha Marc added 17 and Daniel Gonzalez chipped in 12 as the Jaguars built a 12-point halftime lead and never looked back.
Marshall’s Timaya Lewis-Eutsey opened the game with a steal and fast break layup to give the Herd an early edge, but Diawna Carter-Hartley answered with a three-pointer that ignited a South Alabama lead the Jaguars would never surrender. Marshall shot just 22.2 percent from the field in the first quarter — a hole too deep to climb out of.
South Alabama now faces No. 4 seed James Madison in Saturday’s quarterfinals at noon CT. Win number eight in a row would be nothing short of extraordinary.
ULM Women Pull Off a Thriller Over ODU
In the other women’s fourth-round game, ULM pulled off an equally dramatic 68-67 victory over No. 6 seed Old Dominion. Marcavia Shavers posted a career-high 26 points and Nakiyah Mays-Prince added a career-best 21, including the go-ahead baseline fadeaway with under 30 seconds left. Old Dominion had a chance to answer but missed the final jumper and mishandled the rebound, ending their tournament run. ULM faces No. 3 Arkansas State on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT.
Men’s Action: Golden Eagles Make History with Three-Point Barrage
On the men’s side, No. 10 Georgia Southern made Sun Belt tournament history Friday night, connecting on 23 three-pointers — tying a tournament single-game record — in a stunning 94-85 upset of No. 6 South Alabama. Alden Applewhite was almost unguardable, going 8-for-9 from beyond the arc on his way to 34 points. Tyren Moore added 23 points and nine assists. Georgia Southern now has 47 three-pointers across three tournament games, shattering ULM’s previous record of 37. The Eagles advance to face No. 3 Coastal Carolina Saturday at 8 p.m. CT.
Southern Miss Men Hold Off Texas State
In the evening’s opener, No. 8 Southern Miss topped No. 5 Texas State 81-77 behind junior forward Tylik Weeks, who scorched the nets for 32 points — including 23 in the second half — while going a perfect 14-for-14 from the free throw line. It marks the second straight 30-point game for Weeks. Southern Miss advances to face No. 4 App State Saturday at 5:30 p.m. CT.
Saturday’s quarterfinal action tips off at noon CT at the Pensacola Bay Center. It’s been a tournament full of upsets and big performances — and there’s plenty more basketball left to play.
