Lawrenceville, GA. - Looking to replicate last season's postseason surge, the Carolina University Men's Basketball team entered the Continental Athletic Conference (CAC) Tournament as the No. 7 seed after making a memorable run as the No. 8 seed a year ago. The Bruins opened tournament play on February 26 against No. 2 seed Arkansas Baptist at the Convocation Center, battling down to the final seconds before falling in a 69–68 heartbreaker.

Carolina came out resilient against the higher seed, trading momentum throughout the contest. Arkansas Baptist held a slim advantage at halftime, leading 40–32, but the Bruins responded with a strong second-half effort, outscoring the Buffaloes 36–29 to put themselves in position late.

The Bruins were powered offensively by a standout performance from Shawn Woodson, who poured in a game-high 25 points on an efficient shooting night while adding eight rebounds. Tristan Kuska added 12 points and a team-best nine rebounds, providing a strong presence on the glass, while DJ Evans and Conrad Linhart chipped in 10 points each to round out Carolina's balanced scoring attack.

Carolina shot an impressive 52.8 percent from the field and dominated the paint with 44 points inside, keeping constant pressure on the Arkansas Baptist defense. Bench production also proved key, with the Bruins' reserves contributing 34 points in the effort.

Despite the late surge, Arkansas Baptist capitalized on second-chance opportunities and points off turnovers to maintain a narrow edge. The Bruins had multiple looks in the closing seconds but were unable to convert, as the Buffaloes escaped with the one-point victory.

Head Coach Jake Heck Quote:
"I'm proud of the fight our guys showed tonight. We came into the tournament believing we could make another run, and we competed for 40 minutes against one of the top teams in our conference. It's tough to see the season end this way, but the heart, growth, and resilience this group displayed all year — and especially tonight — says a lot about the direction of our program."

Final Record Notes:

• Carolina University concludes the 2025–26 season with a 6–21 overall record following the CAC Tournament quarterfinal loss to Arkansas Baptist.
   

• The Bruins entered the Continental Athletic Conference Tournament as the No. 7 seed after making a historic run and winning the conference tournament as the No. 8 seed during the 2024–25 season.

• Carolina showed late-season growth, highlighted by competitive conference play and a first-round tournament performance that came down to the final possession.

• The program will look to return contributors and look to build momentum heading into the 2026–27 campaign under Head Coach Jake Heck.