2025-26 WAC Men's Basketball Release - Week 16

UTAH TECH JOINS CBU IN TIE ATOP THE WAC STANDINGS
Utah Tech continued its red hot month with a sixth consecutive win, defeating California Baptist in head-to-head competition last week to match the Lancers at the top of the conference standings with identical 9-4 (.692) records. Utah Valley was solo third at 8-4 (.667) and UT Arlington was fourth with a 6-7 record (.462) in league play ahead of games on Feb. 19.

BLAZERS KEEP ON ROLLING IN CRUNCH TIME
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the recent Utah Tech six-game winning streak, aside from five straight victories by six points or less, has been that the Trailblazers have knocked off a pair of first place teams during their own run to the top of the WAC standings. Utah Tech bested Utah Valley 81-77 on Feb. 12 and California Baptist 70-65 on Feb. 14 in St. George to improve to 9-4 in conference matchups. In search of their first NCAA Tournament berth at the Division I level, the Trailblazers enter play on Feb. 19 tied with CBU at the top of the conference standings. Ethan Potter has led a balanced Utah Tech scoring attack during the winning streak, averaging 15.2 points per game while shooting 56.5 percent from the field while connecting on 80.8 percent of his free throws. Noah Bolanga (15.0 PPG), Chance Trujillo (12.8 PPG) and Jusaun Holt (12.2 PPG) have also averaged double figures in scoring during the past six outings.

CBU STILL RIDING MOMENTUM DESPITE SETBACK
Even with its defeat at the hands of Utah Tech last week to derail its lengthy conference winning streak, California Baptist enters a marquee showdown at Utah Valley on Feb. 19 winners of nine of the past 10 WAC games and with the current head-to-head tiebreaker for the top seed into the 2026 WAC Tournament. Dominique Daniels Jr. has shined in his past 10 starts for CBU, averaging 24.4 points and 3.1 assists per game while scoring 20 or more points in eight of those 10 games. The Lancers have won five games during its surge either by three points or less or in overtime.

ACU AND TARLETON STATE CLASH TWICE WITHIN THREE DAYS
Due to unseasonable weather in North Texas that saw freezing temperatures and impassable roads, the Jan. 16 WAC matchup between Abilene Christian and Tarleton State in Stephenville was postponed until Feb. 16, two days after the final originally scheduled matchup of the teams in Abilene. After host ACU erased a 12-point halftime deficit in a 73-59 win on Feb. 14, Tarleton State bounced back with a late rally of its own in a 65-62 overtime victory at home in the rescheduled showdown.

ESPNU NATIONALLY TELEVISED GAME GOES ACU’S WAY
Prior to its home-and-home weekend series with Tarleton State, Abilene Christian kicked off last week with a home showdown playing host to UT Arlington on Feb. 12 live on ESPNU. The home team Wildcats defeated the Mavericks 67-63 behind 21 points from Bradyn Hubbard. The next scheduled nationally televised game for WAC basketball fans to enjoy will be the championship game of the 2026 WAC Basketball Tournament on March 14 at 9 p.m. PT on ESPN2.

THE WAC IN THE NCAA STATISTICAL RANKINGS
As of the latest NCAA Division I statistical rankings that were released on Feb. 17, Tarleton State remained first in turnovers forced per game with an 18.77 clip. The Texans were also second nationally in steals per contest with 11.1 thefts per game as a team. UT Arlington climbed back to fourth place in 3-point percentage defense against at 27.7 percent, while Utah Tech moved into the top 10 in the category ranked ninth at 29.0 percent. Utah Valley moved up to sixth in the NCAA with 19.3 assists per game. Individually, California Baptist’s Dominique Daniels Jr. checked in sixth in total points with 560 and seventh in points per game nationally with an average of 22.4 points per contest.