Utah Valley Misses Wide-Open Dunk to Lose WAC Championship

California Baptist Lancers earn first-ever NCAA Tournament berth with comeback victory

Mar. 15, 2026 at 2:25pm

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In a thrilling WAC championship game, the second-seeded California Baptist Lancers rallied to beat top-seeded Utah Valley 63-61, earning the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament berth. Dominique Daniels Jr. hit two clutch 3-pointers in the final minute to give the Lancers the lead, and Utah Valley missed a wide-open dunk in the closing seconds to seal the victory for California Baptist.

Why it matters

This win marks a historic moment for the California Baptist Lancers, who have only been eligible for the Division I postseason since the 2022-23 season after transitioning from Division II. The loss is a tough one for Utah Valley, which had won back-to-back WAC regular-season titles but was unable to secure its first-ever NCAA Tournament berth.

The details

California Baptist trailed by as many as 10 points in the second half, but Dominique Daniels Jr. hit two deep 3-pointers in the final minute to complete the comeback. His 26-foot pull-up with 14.6 seconds remaining gave the Lancers the lead. Utah Valley had one last chance to tie the game, but Isaac Davis missed an alley-oop dunk with three seconds left, sealing the victory for California Baptist.

  • The WAC championship game was played on Saturday, March 15, 2026, in Las Vegas.
  • California Baptist hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 14.6 seconds remaining in the game.

The players

Dominique Daniels Jr.

The star player for California Baptist, who scored 23 points and hit two clutch 3-pointers in the final minute to lead the Lancers to victory.

Isaac Davis

The Utah Valley player who missed the wide-open dunk in the closing seconds that would have tied the game.

Rick Croy

The head coach of the California Baptist Lancers, who led his team to its first-ever NCAA Tournament berth.

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What they’re saying

“This group's belief in each other means everything. They represent CBU the right way.”

— Rick Croy, Head Coach, California Baptist Lancers

What’s next

California Baptist will make its first-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament, while Utah Valley's season has come to an end.

The takeaway

This thrilling WAC championship game showcases the growth and success of the California Baptist Lancers program, which has quickly risen to become a postseason contender after transitioning to Division I. The heartbreaking loss for Utah Valley highlights the competitive nature of the WAC and the high stakes of conference tournament play.