2025 WAC Basketball Tournament Central

LAS VEGAS – The top two seeds in the 2025 WAC Men’s Basketball Tournament held serve on the opening day of quarterfinal action on Wednesday at the Orleans Arena. Top-seeded Utah Valley downed No. 9 Utah Tech 74-57 while No. 2 seed and two-time defending champion Grand Canyon raced past No. 7 seed UT Arlington 98-75 in the nightcap.

Utah Valley advanced to the first semifinal on Friday and will take on the winner of No. 5 Seattle U-No. 4 Abilene Christian, who collide in the quarterfinal round on Thursday. GCU is on to the second semifinal against the winner of No. 6 Tarleton State-No. 3 California Baptist in Thursday’s second quarterfinal contest.

No. 1 Utah Valley 74, No. 9 Utah Tech 57 (Box Score)

After a pair of close games between the teams in the regular season, Utah Valley gained the upper hand on Utah Tech with an impressive first half defensive effort that limited the Trailblazers to 22 points on 28.1 percent shooting. Utah Valley also managed a sizeable 42-31 rebounding edge.

Tanner Toolson powered Utah Valley with 16 points and four rebounds in the victory, with Carter Welling adding 10 points, seven rebounds and two blocks.

Hakim Byrd tallied a game-high 17 points for Utah Tech in the setback. Beon Riley chipped in 13 points and eight boards.

No. 2 Grand Canyon 98, No. 7 UT Arlington 75 (Box Score)

In a rematch of last year’s WAC title game, defending champion Grand Canyon built a 46-32 halftime lead that increased with a 52-point explosion in the second half. The Lopes turned 16 Mavs turnovers directly into 19 points, controlling the scoring in the paint by a 50-28 margin.

JaKobe Coles led all scorers with 24 points and added seven rebounds and three assists for GCU, and Ray Harrison dropped 13 points and three assists. Makaih Williams added 14 points and five assists against his former team.

Raysean Seamster and Brandyn Talbot guided a balanced UTA offense with 15 points each.