CIU to Defend Tournament Title Against Union

KINGSPORT, Tenn. - The winners of the last nine tournaments will meet in the 2024 Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Men's Basketball Tournament final as top-seeded Union and No. 3 seed Columbia International won their semifinal games on Friday.

Union had won eight tournament titles in a row from 2014-22 before Columbia International won it last season as the No. 7 seed.

To get to the championship game, Union dispatched fourth-seeded Johnson 85-73 with four players scoring in double figures. Markelo Sullivan led with 20 points to go with eight rebounds, while Will Bailey came off the bench to knock in 19 points.

Tied at 27-all at the half, Union cracked up the intensity in the second half as it shot 64.3 percent (18-of-28) from the field and went 16-of-18 from the line. The Bulldogs led by as much as 16 points on their way to the win.

Dallas Carbaugh paced Johnson with 18 points and seven rebounds.

Columbia International played from behind for much of the second half but was always within striking distance. Both teams had a shot to win it in the waning seconds. Jalen Brinson was fouled with 6.6 seconds as he hit a running layup to knot the game up at 73-all. He missed the free throw, and Pikeville took the ball down for a final shot. Kyonte Thomas went up for a layup, but Brinson blocked it with 0.2 seconds. Pikeville in-bounded the ball but had no time to get a shot off.

Pikeville took the early advantage in overtime, but a Darrian Oates layup and a Bryce Causey 3-pointer put the Rams up 78-75. The Rams never trailed again as they led by as much as seven on the way to the 91-86 outcome.

Oates, who went 13-for-13 at the foul line, led Columbia International with 27 points. Dianthony Heathcock added 15 points and nine rebounds.

Issac Stanback led Pikeville with 22 points and 12 rebounds.

Union and Columbia International tip off for the title on Saturday at 1 p.m.

Tournament Schedule
Wednesday, Feb. 28
Game 1 - No. 8 Tennessee Wesleyan (12-14) def. No. 9 Montreat (14-15), 87-77 (box)
Game 2 - No. 10 Truett McConnell (12-17) def. No. 7 Reinhardt (12-16), 95-72 (box)

Thursday, Feb. 29
Game 3 - No. 5 Johnson (16-12) def. No. 4 Milligan (14-13), 73-70 (box)
Game 4 - No. 1 Union (23-6) def. No. 8 Tennessee Wesleyan (12-15), 76-75 (OT) (box)
Game 5 - No. 2 Pikeville (23-6) def. No. 10 Truett McConnell (12-18), 80-73 (box)
Game 6 - No. 3 Columbia International (19-10) vs. No. 6 Bryan (15-13), 72-68 (box)

Friday, March 1
Game 7 - No. 1 Union (24-6) def. No. 5 Johnson (16-13), 85-73 (box)
Game 8 - No. 3 Columbia International (20-10) def. No. 2 Pikeville (23-7), 91-86 (OT) (box)

Saturday, March 2
Game 9 - Championship Game - No. 1 Union (24-6) vs. No. 3 Columbia International (20-10), 1 p.m.