Samford Bulldogs clinched the Southern Conference tournament championship, securing a berth in the NCAA tournament.

Standout performances by Achor Achor with 25 points and Jermaine Marshall with 23 points propelled the Bulldogs to victory.

First-time college coach Bucky McMillan guided the team to its first NCAA tournament since 2000.

The Bulldogs set a school record with a 29-5 season and triumphed over East Tennessee State with a 76-69 win in the final.

Despite ETSU's Ebby Asamoah setting a tournament record with 17 3-pointers, his team fell short in the championship game.

The win marks the Bulldogs' inaugural SoCon title game appearance since joining the conference in 2008.