MORROW, GA | Morehouse and Miles will meet for the third time this season with a trip to the SIAC Championship game on the line. Morehouse enters Friday's semifinal looking to keep its postseason push rolling after a quarterfinal win, while Miles arrives battle-tested after surviving a one-possession thriller on Thursday. The Maroon Tigers and Golden Bears split the regular-season series, and while Morehouse has dropped seven of the last 10 in the overall series, the Maroon Tigers have won two of the last three matchups over the past two seasons. Friday's matchup sets up the rubber match for this season with a title game berth at stake.

Game: Morehouse vs. Miles (SIAC Semifinals)
Date/Time: Friday, March 6, 2026 | 8:00 p.m. ET
Site: Clayton County Convocation Center (Forbes Arena South) | Morrow, Ga.
Watch: ESPN+
Follow: Live Stats
Tickets: Online
Tournament Website: The SIAC
On the line: Winner advances to the SIAC Championship Game (Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET).

Last Time Out

Morehouse punched its ticket to the semifinals with a 72-62 win over Edward Waters in Wednesday's quarterfinal. Brandon Peters led the way with 20 points while Josiah Lawson added 17 off the bench.

Miles: The Golden Bears survived a defensive grinder on Thursday, edging Savannah State 48-47. Miles won despite shooting 26.3% from the field, leaning on 14-of-16 free throws and a timely shot-making stretch from Tyon Thompson (14 points, 4-of-5 from three).

Series History

Friday's meeting is the rubber match of the season series. Morehouse split the two regular-season meetings with Miles, and while the Maroon Tigers have dropped seven of the last 10 in the overall series, they've won two of the last three over the past two seasons.

2025-26 meetings

• Dec. 4 (at Morehouse): Miles 78, Morehouse 69
• Jan. 29 (at Miles): Morehouse 70, Miles 66

Previous Matchup

The teams traded road wins, and each game had a very different feel:

• Morehouse 70, Miles 66 (Jan. 29): The Maroon Tigers flipped the script after trailing 39-29 at halftime, leaning on a big second half and 32 bench points. Josiah Lawson scored 18, JerMontae Hill added 16, and Jared White chipped in 15.
• Miles 78, Morehouse 69 (Dec. 4): Miles shot nearly 60% from the field and opened the night with a blistering first half. Najashi Tolefree led Miles with 17 points, while Jaden Emory scored 15; Brandon Peters had 15 to pace Morehouse.

Players to Watch

Morehouse

• Josiah Lawson – The Maroon Tigers' top conference scorer at 14.5 ppg in SIAC games.
• Sincere Moore – Two-way engine at 13.3 ppg in conference play; Morehouse's pressure starts with him.
• Brandon Peters – Perimeter threat (conference: 11.2 ppg) who helps stretch defenses with shooting.
• JerMontae Hill – Big-game piece on both ends (conference: 11.0 ppg, 6.6 rpg) and a key rebounder/finisher when possessions get tight.

Miles

• Najashi Tolefree – SIAC scoring leader for Miles at 16.3 ppg in conference play and the Golden Bears' primary creator.
• David Williams – Steady guard at 12.2 ppg in conference games; also a late-game free-throw option (7-of-8 FT vs. Savannah State).
• Cameron Jernigan – Glass-and-rim anchor (conference: 11.1 ppg, 9.1 rpg) who can tilt the possession battle.
• Tyon Thompson – X-factor shooter and spacer; he hit 4-of-5 from three and scored 14 in Thursday's quarterfinal win.

Coaches Corner

• Morehouse – Larry Dixon (Head Coach): Dixon was named the program's 14th head coach on May 14, 2025, bringing more than two decades of collegiate experience. Dixon is the third consecutive Maroon Tiger coach to win 20 or more games in his first season with Morehouse, joining Grady Brewer and Douglas Whittler.
• Miles – Fred Watson (Head Coach): Watson serves as Miles' Director of Athletics and is in his seventh season leading the Golden Bears, posting a 157-42 (.789) record, building the top stretch in program history. In Watson's six previous seasons, the Golden Bears have won the SIAC tournament three times and finished runner-up once. For his career, Watson is 477-192 (.713).

Tournament Notes

By the Numbers 

• Morehouse identity: Pressure & Pace. The Maroon Tigers average 74.3 ppg, make 8.3 threes per game, and own a +3.4 turnover margin while producing 9.7 steals per game. Morehouse will try to speed the game up.

• Miles identity: Rebounding & Rim presence. The Golden Bears average 72.1 ppg, shoot .444 from the field, and grab 37.9 rebounds per game with a +4.7 rebound margin, plus 4.3 blocks per game. The Golden Bears rebounding can lead to extra-shot opportunities in tight games.

Records entering the semifinal: 

• Morehouse is 20-9 overall (19-5 SIAC)
• Miles is 20-7 overall (17-7 SIAC)

What it could come down to Friday

• Morehouse forcing turnovers vs. Miles controlling the glass. Morehouse turns opponents over at a high rate (opponents 16.3 TO/game) and thrives in transition.
• Shot quality late. Miles just proved it can win an ugly one, grinding out a 48-47 game where free throws and a few timely threes made the difference.
• Two of the SIAC's most consistent teams: Morehouse and Miles rank near the top of the league in scoring margin (Morehouse +6.2; Miles +5.1).
• Momentum: The Maroon Tigers closed the regular season at 19-5 in conference play and carried form into the postseason. Miles dropped two of their final five regular-season contests.

What's at stake

With the season series even and a championship berth on the line, Friday's semifinal sets up as a contrast of styles and priorities—Morehouse looking to turn defense into pace, points, and perimeter rhythm, while Miles aims to slow the tempo, win the glass, and make every possession count. The Maroon Tigers know the Golden Bears are comfortable in tight, physical games after Thursday's one-point escape, and the rubber match will likely be decided by the details: rebounding margin, turnovers, and which team delivers the biggest plays when the pressure peaks late. With the top four seeds facing off in the semifinals and all four teams with 20 or more wins, the action Friday has the potential to be one of the SIAC's best tournament action in recent memory. Tuskegee (#1 West) will face Clark-Atlanta (#2 East) in the other semifinal at 5PM. A berth in Saturday's championship game awaits the two winners. Tickets for Friday's tournament games are listed at $20 per day for adults and $5 per day for students. The tournament is broadcast on ESPN+. For up-to-date athletic information on the Maroon Tigers, follow them on social media or online at www.morehouseathletics.com or Maroon Tiger basketball on Instagram @morehousebasketball.