2026 AMC Men’s Basketball Tournament Finals Preview

2026 AMC Men’s Basketball Tournament Finals Preview
March 2, 2026

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The Columbia College Cougars will face the Williams Baptist University Eagles in the championship game of the 2026 American Midwest Conference Men's Basketball Tournament Finals at 7 p.m. at W.E. Dowell Fieldhouse on the campus of Mission University.

Click HERE to access the tournament page.

Click HERE to purchase tickets.

Click HERE to watch the livestream.

Click HERE for live stats.

Championship Notes:

  • Columbia is seeking its first title since 2023 and its 12th overall.
  • Williams Baptist is aiming to earn its first-ever postseason trophy.
  • The Cougars enter the championship game on an eight-game winning streak.
  • The regular-season series was split 1-1, with Columbia earning a 59-52 home win on December 3 and Williams Baptist securing a 90-75 home victory on January 31.
  • As a team, the Eagles averaged 91.2 points per game during the regular season, ranking first in the AMC.
  • Caleb Jones is averaging 14.7 points per game for the Cougars this season.
  • Deion Wesson (WBU) is averaging 24.4 points per game while shooting 42.7 percent from the field, 35.7 percent from three-point range, and 80.1 percent from the free-throw line.
  • Jemeal Goines (14.0 ppg) and Johnny Anderson (12.0 ppg) are also scoring in double figures for Columbia.
  • Jesse Washington (22.1 ppg) and Benjamin Noonan (12.5 ppg) are also averaging double figures for the Eagles.
  • Jones ranks first in the AMC in total steals (66) and second in field-goal percentage (55.5). Goines leads the conference in field-goal percentage (59.6) and rebounds per game (9.4), while Anderson ranks third in rebounds per game (7.9).
  • Wesson sits atop the AMC leaderboard in points per game, ranks second in total assists (57), and third in free-throw percentage (80.1). Washington ranks second in both points per game and rebounds per game (8.0), and third in three-point percentage (39.6). Noonan ranks third in total steals (55).
  • During the AMC Men's Basketball Tournament, the Cougars are averaging 88.0 points per game while holding opponents to 61.0 points per contest. They are shooting 54.9 percent from the field (62-of-113), 46.3 percent from three-point range (25-of-54), and 81.8 percent from the free-throw line (27-of-33). Columbia is averaging 41.0 rebounds, 16.5 assists, 5.5 steals, and 3.0 blocks per game in tournament play.
  • In two postseason games, the Eagles are averaging 78.5 points per game. They are shooting 43.1 percent from the field (56-of-130), 30.0 percent from three-point range (12-of-40), and 66.0 percent from the free-throw line (33-of-50). Williams Baptist is averaging 41.0 rebounds, 12.5 assists, 5.0 steals, and 2.5 blocks per game during the tournament.
  • Columbia advanced to the championship game with a 98-55 quarterfinal win over Health Sciences & Pharmacy and a 78-67 semifinal victory against Central Baptist.
  • Williams Baptist defeated Mission 80-72 in the quarterfinals and upset Hannibal-LaGrange 77-72 in the semifinals to reach the title game.
  • The last No. 3 seed to win the AMC Men's Basketball Tournament was Harris-Stowe in 2020.
  • After a six-year stretch (2016-2021) in which the No. 1 seed reached the championship game only once and did not win the title, the top seed has claimed four consecutive championships (2022-2025).
  • The championship winner will earn an automatic bid to the NAIA Men's Basketball National Championship Opening Round.