CBB Review prepares you for every conference tournament leading up to Selection Sunday on Mar. 15. Up next: The WAC Tournament.
It would be ill-advised to talk about the WAC Tournament without addressing the elephant in the room: the discourse surrounding Utah Valley’s postseason eligibility. In summary, UVU announced last offseason that they would be leaving the WAC for the Big West at the conclusion of the 2025-26 academic year. At multiple points throughout the season, including as recently as this past Tuesday, the WAC threatened to ban them from their postseason tournament, claiming that Utah Valley did not pay their $1 million exit fee. Yahoo’s Jason Owens went deeper on this whole fiasco.
At the last minute, Utah Valley ultimately abided by their contractual obligation and all seven teams will be eligible to secure the WAC’s automatic bid. The Wolverines join Cal Baptist as the two heavy favorites in the conference, but with such a small bracket, anything is possible. That’s enough administrative drama, let’s talk some basketball!
2026 WAC Awards
Player of the Year: Dominique Daniels, Cal Baptist
Freshman of the Year: Elijah Duval, Southern Utah
Transfer of the Year: Ethan Potter, Utah Tech
Coach of the Year: Todd Phillips, Utah Valley
First Team:
- G: Dominique Daniels, Cal Baptist (22.6 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 3.3 APG)
- G: Trevan Leonhardt, Utah Valley (12.3 PPG, 6.1 APG, 5.3 RPG, 2.1 SPG)
- G: Jackson Holcombe, Utah Valley (15.6 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 3.6 APG, 2.3 SPG, 1.3 BPG)
- F: Ethan Potter, Utah Tech (16.3 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 2.0 APG)
- F: Jaiden Feroah, Southern Utah (13.2 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.0 SPG, 1.6 BPG)
Second Team:
- G: Chance Trujillo, Utah Tech (12.3 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 2.6 APG)
- G: Martel Williams, Cal Baptist (13.1 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 1.5 APG)
- G: Tyler Hendricks, Utah Valley (11.8 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 1.9 APG, 1.2 SPG)
- G: Marcell McCreary, UT Arlington (12.6 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 1.7 APG, 1.6 SPG)
- F: Bradyn Hubbard, Abilene Christian (16.2 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 1.7 APG, 1.8 SPG)
2025 WAC Tournament Simulation
First Round – Wednesday, Mar. 11
6. Abilene Christian (13-18, 5-13) vs. 7. Tarleton State (14-17, 5-13) – 5:30 p.m. PT on ESPN+
With Dior Johnson on the court, Tarleton State has been a much more explosive offensive team. The journeyman guard leads the Texans in total points this year, despite having missed nine games due to injury. Johnson drops 25+ in a close first round win.
Dan’s pick: 7. Tarleton State
Quarterfinals – Thursday, Mar. 12
4. UT Arlington (17-13, 9-9) vs. 5. Southern Utah (10-21, 6-12) – 6 p.m. PT on ESPN+
A movable force collides with a stoppable object. UT Arlington has shot under 30% from deep as a team this year. Southern Utah ranks in the bottom five nationally in three-point defense, allowing opponents to shoot 38.6%. At least we can count on the Mavericks to play to their identity and muck up the game to their advantage. KT Turner’s squad takes a low-scoring snooze fest.
Dan’s pick: 4. UT Arlington
3. Utah Tech (17-13, 9-9) vs. 7. Tarleton State – 8:30 p.m. PT on ESPN+
Tarleton State may have the best player on the court, but Utah Tech has more reliable options. The Trailblazers have four players averaging 12+ points per game. In this case, the Texans have no answer for Ethan Potter on the inside.
Dan’s pick: 3. Utah Tech
Semifinals – Friday, Mar. 13
1. Utah Valley (24-7, 14-4) vs. 4. UT Arlington – 6 p.m. PT on ESPN+
Utah Valley will be a much more difficult team for UT Arlington to muck it up against. In both of the regular season meetings between the Wolverines and Mavericks, the conference’s top-seeded team scored 80+ points and won by double digits. Expect a similar trajectory in this game.
Dan’s pick: 1. Utah Valley
2. Cal Baptist (23-8, 13-5) vs. 3. Utah Tech – 8:30 p.m. PT on ESPN+
The story of Cal Baptist is Dominique Daniels. The senior guard converted on 178 two-pointers, 52 threes, and 165 foul shots in the regular season, all of which rank within the top two of the WAC. Utah Tech and their 243rd ranked KenPom defense has no answer, and chalk continues.
Dan’s pick: 2. Cal Baptist
Championship – Saturday, Mar. 14
1. Utah Valley vs. 2. Cal Baptist – 9 p.m. PT on ESPN2
Late on Selection Sunday eve, the WAC commissioner’s office gets its preferred result. Daniels and Jackson Holcombe go back and forth in a classic, but it’s the offensive rebounds that are the difference maker for the Lancers. Junior center Thomas Ndong gets some critical second-chance buckets down the stretch to secure Cal Baptist’s first NCAA Tournament bid since joining Division 1 in 2018-19!
Dan’s pick: 2. Cal Baptist