Women's Basketball

SAA Women's Basketball Tournament Set for to Begin Thursday

ROME, Ga. - The 2026 Southern Athletic Association Women's Basketball Tournament is set to begin action on Thursday, February 26.

Trinity clinched the No. 1 seed and the outright Regular Season title with an impressive 11-3 conference record. Centre takes the No. 2 seed at 9-5 after beating out Millsaps, Oglethorpe, and Berry on tiebreakers.

The Tigers and Colonels have a bye in the first round. The tournament will run February 26-28, featuring five total games. Quarterfinals will be played Thursday at 12 and 2 p.m. ET, followed by semifinals on Friday at the same times. Advancing teams will play in the championship on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET in Rome, Georgia.
 
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Glimpse at the Matchups:

Game One | No. 4 Oglethorpe vs. No. 5 Berry
The Petrels and Vikings split their regular-season matchups, setting the stage for an exciting postseason battle. Oglethorpe Stormy Petrels is led by SAA Athlete of the Year Keimarya Rivera, who has powered the Petrels all season, leading the team in both scoring and double-doubles. On the other side, the Berry Vikings feature last season’s SAA Rookie of the Year Briaiah Lewis, along with Elly Callihan. The duo anchors the Vikings’ offense, each averaging double figures in scoring.

Game Two | No. 3 Millsaps vs. No. 6 Southwestern
Millsaps Majors earned a 2–0 season sweep over the Pirates, including a tightly contested seven-point victory in early February that underscored just how competitive the matchup can be. The Majors are anchored by SAA Defensive Athlete of the Year Elyse Warren, a relentless presence on the glass and consistent double-double producer. Millsaps also features First Team All-Conference standout Garin Freeman, adding firepower on the offensive end. Southwestern Pirates counters with SAA Rookie of the Year Neela Castillo.

Game Three | No. 1 Trinity vs. Winner of Game One
Trinity Tigers closed out the regular season at 11–3, punctuating the year with a road win at Southwestern to secure the outright SAA Regular Season Championship. Kylie Minter leads the Tigers offensively, averaging 16.1 points per game, while Livy Sauvageau adds 14.2 points per contest to provide a steady secondary scoring option. With multiple scoring threats and strong depth across the lineup, Trinity enters the tournament with a balanced and confident front poised for a championship run.

Game Four | No. 2 Centre vs. Winner of Game Two
Last year’s champion, the Centre Colonels, secured the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye in this year’s tournament. The Colonels will face either the Millsaps Majors or the Southwestern Pirates in the semifinal round. During the regular season, Centre split its series with Millsaps while sweeping Southwestern, setting up intriguing potential rematches. Lilly Reid has paced the Colonels offensively, averaging 15.3 points per game while shooting nearly 40 percent from the field. As the team’s lone double-figure scorer, she will be a key factor as Centre looks to defend its tournament title.
 
For more information on the 2026 Women's Basketball Tournament please visit our championship webpage (gear, photos, results) linked at the top of this page.
 
For more information on all things SAA, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the SAA's home on the internet at www.saa-sports.com. Be sure to stay up to date on all ofyour Southern Athletic Association news by following @SAA_Sports on Twitter (X) and @SAA_Sports on Instagram.