2026 Big South Tourney Picks

Here's my bracket. My picks are made, for the upcoming Big South conference tournament that begins on Wednesday PM.

I'll be making the trip again this year to Johnson City, the epicenter of anything train museum or Al Capone. And for one solid weekend, the league makes a trip outside it's footprint for something it was coining as "Mountain South Madness".

Here's how I see it's Madness playing out:

Rd 1

• 8 v. 9 on Wednesday will be an unsurprising, but welcomed, end to a 3-win Gardner Webb season

• HPU better roll in the 1 v. 8 since it's already beaten Upstate by a combined 55 points in the previous 2 meetings

• The 2 v. 7 game is one that is likely an upset favorite or will be the gambling addicts nightmare. I think it will be a close win for Throp, despite more than likely being without Big South referee's favorite - Logan Duncomb. CSU has been dangerous the back-half of league play, but I don't like living and dying by the 3. The resilience of a Prosser-led team and a cast of other gritty contributors will let the Eagles advance....for now.

• While Ferrell is one of the better brains in the league and Presby will probably throw looks towards Radford that they didn't see the previous 2 meetings, the Tri-color roster that Chu has will help the Highlanders be the better quilt and go 3-0 on the Hose this year.

• In the 4 v. 5: Simply put -- I like Soloman, Taylor, and Wright, with Morrell's offense, to send the bowtie home in the first round.

Rd 2

• As an owned High Point homer, I'd take a lot of joy in sending the Lancers packing. The Bulldogs are the more dangerous team.

  In two games, the pre-season BSPOY was held by HPU to a combined 17 points. That just leaves Taylor to keep pace with an array of Panthers contributors -- 1 beats 4.

• I firmly believe that WITH a healthy Duncomb, we would get a finals rematch of HPU and Throp. But he was just in a boot and on a stroller cart 2 days ago, on Senior day.

  Radford's roster has the weaponry to keep up with Rozier, Clouet, & Kamarad. With the "upset", and my bracket predicated on the fact that Logan wouldn't play unless they reach the finals, Radford advances.

Final

If you asked Radford, under first-year head coach Zach Chu, if they'd take the finals in year 1... They'd happily accept. And the trio of Dennis Parker Jr, Del Jones, and Jaylon Johnson had a lot of prognosticators drooling enough pre-season, to fill up the New River Valley.

With those 3 in-mind, an HPU/Radford final would be closer than I'd like.

The Highlanders just don't have size, nor depth.

High Point IS undoubtedly the best team in the Big South. The depth on this roster is a big reason for that.

Can crazy things happen? Yes.

They often do in tournaments.

There's a staff (Clayman, Edwards, & Young), and 2 guys named Terry and Chase. Knowing the stories of what they've endured this season, but also a year ago in JC, I think has them primed to get back to the NCAAT.