SoCon Tournament Saturday Preview: Samford vs. Furman + WCU vs. Mercer

SoCon Fast Break

Richmond and Darren Angell look at the high-stakes Saturday evening sessions of the 2026 Ingles SoCon Basketball Championships in Asheville. As the tournament heat intensifies, it's a clash between the league's most efficient offenses and the hottest teams entering the weekend.

In this episode:

  1. Samford vs. Furman (6 p.m.): We discuss why Samford is considered the "scariest" team in the league despite Furman’s regular-season sweep.
  2. The Norris Brothers & Jaden Booth: We analyze the impact of the newly named SoCon Player of the Year and why the Norris brothers are the ultimate X-factor for the Bulldogs.
  3. Perimeter Battle: A look at Samford’s league-leading three-point shooting against Furman’s elite perimeter defense.
  4. The Health Factor: We explore how the return of Eisa Thomas and Cooper Bowser changes the dynamic for the Paladins.
  5. Western Carolina vs. Mercer (Nightcap): A breakdown of the 4 vs. 5 seed matchup featuring Defensive Player of the Year Armani Mighty and the "machine" Talon Pettway.
  6. Living at the Stripe: Why Baraka Okojie’s ability to draw fouls makes Mercer’s offense so dangerous, with 23% of their points coming from the free-throw line.

Which team survives?

Presented by Ingles Markets

More description

Richmond and Darren Angell look at the high-stakes Saturday evening sessions of the 2026 Ingles SoCon Basketball Championships in Asheville. As the tournament heat intensifies, it's a clash between the league's most efficient offenses and the hottest teams entering the weekend.

In this episode:

  1. Samford vs. Furman (6 p.m.): We discuss why Samford is considered the "scariest" team in the league despite Furman’s regular-season sweep.
  2. The Norris Brothers & Jaden Booth: We analyze the impact of the newly named SoCon Player of the Year and why the Norris brothers are the ultimate X-factor for the Bulldogs.
  3. Perimeter Battle: A look at Samford’s league-leading three-point shooting against Furman’s elite perimeter defense.
  4. The Health Factor: We explore how the return of Eisa Thomas and Cooper Bowser changes the dynamic for the Paladins.
  5. Western Carolina vs. Mercer (Nightcap): A breakdown of the 4 vs. 5 seed matchup featuring Defensive Player of the Year Armani Mighty and the "machine" Talon Pettway.
  6. Living at the Stripe: Why Baraka Okojie’s ability to draw fouls makes Mercer’s offense so dangerous, with 23% of their points coming from the free-throw line.

Which team survives?

Presented by Ingles Markets

2026-03-06 17 min
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