Sixth-Ranked UPike, Johnson to Tangle for AAC Men's Title

Regular season champion UPike and No. 3 Johnson to meet in AAC Tournament championship game

Published on Feb. 28, 2026

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The sixth-ranked University of Pikeville Bears and the No. 3 Johnson Royals will face off in the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Men's Basketball Tournament championship game on Saturday. UPike, the regular season champion, defeated Union Commonwealth 73-61 in the semifinals, while Johnson outlasted Tennessee Wesleyan 73-71 in overtime to advance to the title game. This will be the first-ever AAC Tournament championship for both teams.

Why it matters

The winner of the AAC Tournament championship game will earn an automatic bid to the NAIA National Tournament. For UPike, a win would clinch a berth for regular season runner-up Columbia International, while a Johnson victory would send the Royals to the national tournament.

The details

In the semifinal win, UPike senior point guard Keian Worrix had a standout performance, scoring 20 points and adding four rebounds, five assists and six steals. Johnson reached the championship game by edging Tennessee Wesleyan 73-71 in overtime, with Ja'Kobe Strozier scoring the go-ahead basket in the final seconds. Mason Lockhart led the Royals with 29 points and 17 rebounds.

  • The AAC Tournament championship game will tip off on Saturday, February 28 at 1:00 p.m.

The players

Keian Worrix

A senior point guard for the University of Pikeville Bears, Worrix had 20 points, four rebounds, five assists and six steals in UPike's semifinal win.

Bradley Bunch

The two-time AAC Player of the Year for Union Commonwealth, Bunch scored a team-high 21 points in the semifinal loss to UPike.

Ja'Kobe Strozier

The Johnson Royals guard scored the go-ahead basket in the final seconds of overtime to lift his team to a 73-71 win over Tennessee Wesleyan in the semifinals.

Mason Lockhart

The Johnson Royals forward posted 29 points and 17 rebounds in the overtime victory against Tennessee Wesleyan.

Livingston Cross

The Johnson Royals player stole the ball at midcourt in the final seconds to seal the overtime win against Tennessee Wesleyan.

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What they’re saying

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

What’s next

The winner of the AAC Tournament championship game will earn an automatic bid to the NAIA National Tournament.

The takeaway

This AAC Tournament final features two teams seeking their first-ever conference tournament title, with the winner clinching a spot in the NAIA National Tournament. The matchup showcases the conference's top talent, including standout performances from UPike's Keian Worrix and Johnson's Mason Lockhart and Ja'Kobe Strozier.