Royals Open AAC Tournament with 71–50 Victory Over Montreat

The Royals tipped off postseason play in strong fashion Wednesday evening, defeating Montreat 71–50 in the opening round of the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Tournament in Kingsport, Tennessee.

Johnson set the tone early, taking a 32–27 lead into halftime before pulling away in the second half. The Royals tightened up defensively and controlled the glass after the break, outscoring Montreat 39–23 over the final 20 minutes to secure the tournament-opening win.

Five Royals finished in double figures, led by Livingston Cross with a game-high 17 points while adding seven rebounds. Ja'Kobe Strozier contributed 14 points and four assists, while Mason Lockhart and Davon Cottle each added 13 points. Lockhart also recorded a team-best 11 rebounds to post a double-double performance. Jahmar Brown guided the offense with four assists and chipped in eight points.

Johnson shot an efficient 48.1 percent from the field and knocked down five three-pointers while outrebounding Montreat 37–31. The Royals' balanced scoring and defensive pressure limited Montreat to just 38 percent shooting and 12.5 percent from beyond the arc.

With the win, the Royals advance in AAC Tournament play as they face Tennessee Wesleyan on February 27 at 4:00pm in the Semifinal game.