Utah Valley Falls Short of First NCAA Tournament Bid

Wolverines lose heartbreaker to Cal Baptist in WAC championship game

Mar. 15, 2026 at 5:33pm

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Utah Valley University's hopes of securing its first-ever NCAA tournament bid came to a crushing end on Saturday with a 63-61 loss to Cal Baptist in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) championship game. Despite leading for most of the second half, the Wolverines were unable to hold off a late charge from the Lancers, led by WAC Player of the Year Dominique Daniels.

Why it matters

This loss is a major disappointment for the Utah Valley basketball program, which was seeking its first-ever NCAA tournament appearance. The Wolverines had a strong regular season, finishing 25-8 overall and 14-4 in WAC play, but were unable to capitalize on their regular season success in the conference tournament final.

The details

Utah Valley led by as many as 59-52 with just over two minutes remaining, but Daniels hit consecutive 3-pointers to tie the game at 60-60 before draining the game-winning shot from the top of the key with 14.6 seconds left. The Wolverines had a chance to tie it at the end, but Isaac Davis' dunk attempt rimmed out. Daniels finished with a game-high 23 points, while Jackson Holcombe led Utah Valley with 18 points.

  • The WAC championship game was played on Saturday, March 14, 2026.

The players

Dominique Daniels

The WAC Player of the Year for Cal Baptist, who hit the game-winning 3-pointer to lead the Lancers to victory.

Jackson Holcombe

The leading scorer for Utah Valley, who had 18 points in the loss.

Isaac Davis

The Utah Valley center who had 12 points and 6 rebounds, but missed a potential game-tying dunk attempt at the end.

Todd Phillips

The head coach of the Utah Valley Wolverines, who praised his team's effort despite the tough loss.

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What they’re saying

“I'm really proud of our guys. They battled all night and put themselves in a position to win the game. It's tough when it comes down to one play like that, but our guys showed a lot of heart and toughness.”

— Todd Phillips, Head Coach, Utah Valley Wolverines (heraldextra.com)

What’s next

The loss ends Utah Valley's season and their hopes of making the NCAA tournament for the first time in program history.

The takeaway

This heartbreaking loss is a tough end to what was otherwise a highly successful season for the Utah Valley Wolverines. While they fell just short of their ultimate goal, the team and its fans can take pride in the program's growth and competitiveness this year, setting the stage for potentially greater success in the future.