Wolverines hold NCAA Tournament hopes in their hands
The Wolverines are getting hot as the WAC Tournament inches closer, looking to make their first run to the NCAA Tournament in program history.
The Utah Valley University men’s basketball team (21-6, 12-2 Western Athletic Conference) has been generating a lot of momentum over the last few weeks as it looks to hold on to the no. 1 seed heading into the Hercules WAC Tournament.
Ranked 78th in the Net Rankings, at the time of reporting, the Wolverines are on a five-game win streak and are 18-2 in their last 20 games. UVU, during that span, has averaged a victory margin of 13.1 points.
With four games remaining in conference play, UVU is ranked no. 1 in the WAC standings with a 12-2 conference record. The two teams tied for second behind the Wolverines are Sam Houston State University and Southern Utah University who both sit at 10-4 in conference play.
The equation for the Wolverines to make the NCAA Tournament is simple: win the WAC Tournament and they punch their ticket to the dance.
While the predictability of a conference tournament is nearly impossible, UVU would give itself a huge boost if it maintained the No. 1 seed throughout the rest of the season.
With the WAC Tournament running from March 7-11, the Wolverines would have a first-round bye on that Tuesday. They then have a multiple-day rest advantage in the Quarterfinals on Thursday against their opponent, who would be the winner of the matchup between the No. 8 and No. 9 seeds.
If UVU were to win the quarterfinals, the Wolverines would play on Friday in the semifinals and then, if they won again, the WAC Championship on Saturday evening.
If they won the WAC Tournament Championship game, it would be their first WAC Tournament crown and their first bid to the NCAA Tournament in program history.
However, the job is not done yet for the Wolverines as, at the time of reporting, they gear up to face the Tarleton State University Texans (14-14, 8-8 WAC) and the Abilene Christian University Wildcats (13-13, 7-8) for their final two road games. UVU then returns home, where they’re 11-1, to take on the University of Texas – Arlington Mavericks (10-17, 5-9 WAC) and the Stephen F. Austin University Lumberjacks (17-10, 9-5 WAC) to close out their regular season.
All games can be streamed on ESPN+.
Writer
Sophomore at UVU. Writer for the UVU review, statistician for UVU ESPN+, and play-by-play commentator for UVU Men’s Lacrosse.