LAS VEGAS, NV — It hasn’t exactly been your run-of-the-mill college basketball season for the remaining seven programs competing in the WAC. Having to play each team three times was unprecedented, but it worked well. Then the conference found itself in the national spotlight for expansion-related lawsuits and shenanigans. It’s been an entertaining last hurrah.
Now the Madness loads in Sin City. Awaiting teams will gear up for what is likely the last edition of WAC Vegas. Unless contractual obligations
remain, I just don’t see #UACVegas catching on as much in the coming years.
So for now, sit back, and enjoy it, WAC fans. With Utah Valley’s legal battle with the conference currently on hold, thanks to UVU being granted a motion for a preliminary injunction by Utah’s Fourth District Court. The Wolverines will be allowed to play in the WAC men’s and women’s basketball tournaments.
Because of that we get all seven teams competing at Orleans Arena in one last hoorah of sorts for us fans of the sixty-three year old conference. Let’s take a look at the field, the schedule and some key players to keep an eye on this week.
WAC Vegas Schedule
Wednesday, March 11: First Round
Game 1-No. 6 Abilene Christian vs. No. 7 Tarleton State – 5:30 p.m. PT on ESPN+
Thursday, March 12: Quarterfinals
Game 2: No. 4 UT Arlington vs. No. 5 Southern Utah – 6 p.m. on ESPN+
Game 3: Game 1 Winner vs. No. 3 Utah Tech – 8:30 p.m. PT on ESPN+
Friday, March 13: Semifinals
Game 4: Game 2 Winner vs. No. 1 Utah Valley – 6 p.m. PT on ESPN+
Game 5: Game 3 Winner vs. No. 2 California Baptist – 8:30 p.m. PT ESPN+
Saturday, March 14: Championship
Game 6: Game 4 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner – 9 p.m. PT on ESPN2
A Little About the Field
No. 1 Utah Valley 14-4, 24-7 Overall
Utah Valley has become a winning program to watch in Utah. The Wolverines are extremely efficient offensively and secured their second straight WAC regular season title on Saturday. This team has four double-digit scorers and the highest-ranked offense in the conference per KenPom. They don’t rely on volume to score, even though they average a league-best 59.2 field goal attempts a game. They shoot 50.5% as a team and are a top-40 team in efficient field goal percentage, per Bart Torvik.
No. 2 California Baptist 13-5, 23-8 Overall
The Lancers were predicted to win the conference back in preseason, but narrowly missed out on their first WAC regular-season title. Dominique Daniels Jr. opted to return to Riverside for his final season of eligibility and immediately made the Lancers a title contender. Though it didn’t exactly pan out that way, there’s still hope to raise some hardware before departing for the Big West this summer. Longtime California Baptist Coach Rick Croy brought the program into Division I. And he has the roster in place to cut down the nets on Saturday for the Lancer’s first ever trip to the big dance.
No. 3 Utah Tech 11-7, 18-14 Overall
There was no better surprise to the last WAC season than the Trailblazers’ ascension up the standings. Led by former Utah Valley Wolverine Ethan Potter and several other impact Transfer Portal additions. Another longtime head coach that brought his program from the Division-II rank Jon Judkins, also managed to make history this season. Logging Utah Tech’s first winning season overall and in conference play at the highest level of college basketball.
The Trailblazers can score with the best of them, but have a defense that can be a liability. This team leads the league in three point attempts (22.8) and makes (7.9), but get to the line the least. If they find the hot hand from behind the arc, defense be darned, watch out for Utah Tech.
No. 4 UT Arlington 9-9, 17-13 Overall
The Mavericks managed to finish at .500 in conference play to obtain a top 4 seed and save their legs from playing an extra day of hoops. UT Arlington boasts one of the top-ranked defenses in the country per KenPom (45th) and Bart Torvik (66th), but ranks in the bottom third offensively. Coach KT Turner managed to retain his star player in Raysean Seamster and hit the Portal for some complimentary additions.
But the offensive product just hasn’t developed as quickly as they have defensively. With their top two scorers averaging just above twelve points a game, and as a whole, the Mavericks average just 70.2 PPG (ranked 304th nationally). They make their money by hitting the glass and getting to the foul stripe. Beware of their physical play.
No. 5 Southern Utah 6-12, 10-21 Overall
Rob Jeter brought in a tremendous transfer class in the offseason. Including former Big 12 and American players, along with others who were starters for other mid-major programs. The incoming offseason haul appeared to be steering the program for more fruitful waters in 2025-2026. But the coaching staff just couldn’t put it all together. Yes, the Thunderbirds had a few injuries here and there, but the majority of their roster stayed healthy.
Southern Utah can score, but their defense was abysmal this season. Ranked 280th by KenPom and 297th by Bart Torvik nationally. The silver lining was the arrival of fantastic freshman Elijah Duval on campus in the fall. There hasn’t been much to celebrate this season in Cedar City, but the likely WAC Freshman of the Year is one to keep an eye on for opposing coaches.
No. 6 Abilene Christian 5-13, 13-18 Overall
If there is a team in the WAC from Texas struggling to score the rock as much as the Mavericks this season, it’s Abilene Christian. The Wildcats underperformed this season and find themselves ranked at the bottom of the league in almost every offensive category. With the worst-ranked offense per KenPom (319) and Bart Torvik (333). It’s clear that anyone not named Bradyn Hubbard or Chilaydrien Newton struggled offensively this season. But their defense isn’t horrible. And a Brette Tanner-coached Wildcats team will always be pesky and make bringing the ball up court a problem. As they currently average 9.8 SPG, good enough for 4th in the nation.
No. 7 Tarleton State 5-13, 14-17 Overall
Despite boasting one of the conference’s most dynamic scorers in Dior Johnson, the Texans struggled through plenty of adversity this season, including nearly starting the season without their head coach due to being placed on administrative leave pending a review of an anonymous complaint filed with the University. Then, the school subsequently lost that same head coach for the season back in mid-January, as Billy Gillispie stepped away due to health reasons. These things certainly don’t spell stability, and the product on the floor has shown just that. Still, with Johnson back in the lineup, the Texans can spoil plenty of teams’ March plans.
Players to Watch
Jackson Holcombe, 6-7 RS-Sophomore Guard
If by chance Holcombe misses out on conference Player of the Year honors, he’d most certainly have the Most Improved award in the bag if that did exist. The 6-7 guard does everything on the court but shoot the three ball. But his stat line of 15.6 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 3.6 APG, 2.3 SPG and 1.3 BPG certainly give him rights to that ever so coveted Swiss Army Knife moniker.
Dominique Daniels Jr., 5-10 Grad. Guard
The Compton, CA native is your traditional undersized scoring guard. Whose dynamic in the lane and has the athleticism to finish among the trees. Currently leading the league in scoring with 22.6 PPG to go along with 3.8 RPG & 3.3 APG. Daniels Jr. can score from all three levels but makes his money attacking the rim and getting to the line, where he’s knocked down a league best 165 of them at a rate of 81.3%.
Ethan Potter, 6-8 Senior Forward
Potter transferred to Utah Tech after spending three seasons up the I-15 at Utah Valley. As a Wolverine role player, it was unclear what his impact would be in the same conference down the road in St. George. Then he hit the court in in that Trailblazer red, white and blue. Leading Utah Tech’s offense with a team high 16.3 PPG, while grabbing 8.0 boards a game and dishing out 2.0 assists in the process. He also leads the league in field goal percentage at 58.9% and effective field goal percentage at 59.3%. He almost exclusively scores inside the arc, but when he gets the ball he almost lights out, or he gets sent to the line. Where he shoots an impressive 79% for a big.
Bradyn Hubbard, 6-5 235, Grad. Forward
Hubbard led a Wildcat team who was never really able to put it together this season. But don’t take the former Juco All-American lightly, as the combo forward can really score the ball. Averaging 16.2 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 1.8 SPG and 1.7 SPG in just 28.0 minutes on the floor. A capable three-level scorer, Hubbard scored 20+ points ten times this season. While also boasting the athleticism to take that 6-5, 235 frame flying, like he did against BYU back in December.
Dior Johnson, 6-3 185, Junior Guard
Johnson has garnered plenty of national media attention during his Division-I bounce back season at Tarleton State. The scoring guard missed significant time (12 games) this season with an unidentified injury. But when he was on the court, at times he appeared un-guardable. Scoring 20+ points in thirteen games, which included five performances scoring in the thirties and not one but two games where he logged 40+ points. Each time breaking that seal in only about 30.5 MPG too.
Elijah Duval, 6-3 Freshman Guard
Duval has made a name for himself in his freshman season at Southern Utah. The brother of former Duke Blue Devil Trevon Duval, Elijah’s route to college basketball diverted him to Orangeville Prep in Ontario, CAN before making his way to the Beehive State. The 6-3 guard has high major physical tools to score in ways well above his age. He also has the highest usage% in the conference at 32.5, guiding an otherwise veteran Thunderbirds starting lineup in his first season of college basketball.
Marcell McCreary, 6-4 225, Grad. Guard
McCreary has been an excellent compliment to Seamster inside the arc. Transferring in from a very successful Northern Colorado squad, the Fort Worth, TX native’s homecoming was one of the nicer additions of the offseason. McCreary is a big body two guard who hits the glass and can knock down the triple. Although his hot hand from deep may have been left in Colorado, with his three point shooting percentages down to 32.9% versus 41.5% last season. He’s also started taking more of them as a focal part of the Mavericks’ offense.
Trevan Leonhardt, 6-5 RS-Junior Guard
Leonhardt is the second Wolverine on this list but with due cause. The 6-5 floor general hits the stat sheet in almost every category every night. Second on the team in scoring at 12.3 PPG, first in assists with 6.1 APG and anchoring Utah Valley’s stellar defense on the perimeter with 2.1 SPG. Coach Madsen’s high powered offense runs through him, so opposing coaches likely already have his name highlighted on their scouting reports heading to Vegas. Especially after facing the Wolverines three times this season.
Larry Muniz is a Mountain West Basketball beat writer for Couch Potato Sports, along with West Coast mid-major coverage at Mid-Major Madness.
