2025-26 WAC Men's Basketball Release - Postseason Week 1

CBU CAPTURES FIRST WAC TOURNAMENT TITLE
Facing a 59-52 deficit with just under three minutes to play, No. 2 seed California Baptist embarked on a program-defining 11-2 run to stun top-seeded Utah Valley 63-61 to win the 2026 Air Force Reserve WAC Basketball Tournament on March 14 in a raucous Orleans Arena. With the victory, the Lancers earned their first WAC Tournament title in men’s basketball and first NCAA tournament bid at the Division I level. Only one top-seeded team managed to capture the WAC men’s basketball title in the final four years that the tournament was held. CBU became the 16th different program to win the WAC tournament since the event was first contested in 1984, and will enter the NCAA tournament as a second straight 13-seed in following the 2024-25 Grand Canyon squad that was the conference’s automatic qualifier.

CBU’S DANIELS LEADS STACKED ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
California Baptist guard Dominique Daniels Jr., fresh off a 41-point semifinal performance against Utah Tech, erupted with three made 3-pointers in the final 1:57 to finish with a game-high 23 points in the 2026 Air Force Reserve WAC Basketball Tournament title game to earn Most Outstanding Player honors. Daniels added three assists, a blocked shot and two steals in the CBU championship win. Over two games the graduate guard averaged 32.0 points and 11 made field goals per contest in the tournament. Jayden Jackson joined Daniels on the conference’s all-tournament team after averaging 12.0 points and 4.0 rebounds for CBU. Trevan Leonhardt (8.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists per game) and Jackson Holcombe (16.0 points, 3.5 rebounds per game) represented Utah Valley on the all-tournament team. Utah Tech’s Ethan Potter (25.0 points per game, 70.0 field goal percentage) was also recognized as an all-tournament performer.

WAC TEAMS IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
Historically, teams from the WAC have combined to win 68 NCAA tournament games all time, with schools representing the WAC appearing in 23 Sweet 16s, eight Elite 8s, two Final Fours and the 1998 NCAA title game. WAC teams have advanced at least one round in NCAA men’s basketball tournament competition on 35 different occasions.

UVU TO HOST NIT OPENING ROUND
Utah Valley is set to make its fourth appearance in the National Invitation Tournament as a member of the WAC this week, entering the tournament as a four-seed and hosting George Washington in Orem. The Wolverines have posted a combined record of 3-3 in their previous three trips to the NIT, finishing third in the 2023 tournament after reaching the semifinal round at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.

DANIELS NAMED WAC PLAYER OF THE YEAR IN ADVANCE OF CONFERENCE TOURNEY
California Baptist’s Dominique Daniels Jr. earned 2025-26 WAC Men’s Basketball Player of the Year accolades on March 10, voted on by the conference’s seven head coaches as part of end of season awards presented by University Credit Union. Daniels highlighted five major award winners representing five different institutions from across the WAC. Other top award winners included Abilene Christian’s Rich Smith (WAC Defensive Player of the Year), Southern Utah’s Elijah Duval (Freshman of the Year), Tarleton State’s Dior Johnson (Sixth Player of the Year) and Utah Tech head coach Jon Judkins (Coach of the Year). Daniels ended the regular season as one of the top 10 scorers in NCAA Division I basketball, averaging 22.6 points per game over his first 30 starts while shooting a career best 43.5 percent from the field, pulling down 3.8 rebounds per game and dishing out 3.3 assists per contest. First-team selections included CBU’s Daniels, Abilene Christian’s Bradyn Hubbard, Utah Tech’s Ethan Potter and Utah Valley’s Jackson Holcombe and Trevan Leonhardt. The second team featured Southern Utah’s Duval, Tarleton State’s Johnson, CBU’s Martel Williams, UT Arlington’s Marcell McCreary and Utah Tech’s Noah Bolanga.

THE WAC IN THE NCAA STATISTICAL RANKINGS
As of the latest NCAA Division I statistical rankings that were released on March 17, Tarleton State remained first in turnovers forced per game with a 17.53 clip, with Abilene Christian (fourth, 16.39) and Utah Valley (eighth, 15.18) also in the top 10. The Texans were also third nationally in steals per contest with 10.3 thefts per game as a team, followed by Abilene Christian (fifth, 9.7)  and Utah Valley (sixth, 9.4) in the top 10. UT Arlington remained in first place in 3-point percentage defense against at 26.7 percent, while California Baptist moved up to eighth in the category at 29.7 percent. Utah Valley checked in eighth in the NCAA with 18.4 assists per game and ninth with 5.5 blocks per game. Individually, California Baptist’s Dominique Daniels Jr. moved up to fifth in total points with 741 and points per game nationally with an average of 23.2 points per contest.