Utah Valley secured a 67-65 victory over UT Arlington in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Tournament semifinals on Mar. 13, advancing to the championship game with a chance to earn its first NCAA Tournament berth.
The win puts Utah Valley at 25-7 overall and sets up a matchup against the winner of California Baptist and Utah Tech in the tournament final. The result is significant for the Wolverines, who are seeking their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
Jackson Holcombe led Utah Valley with 14 points, including crucial free throws with 19 seconds left that gave his team the lead. Head coach Todd Phillips said, “I’m really proud of our guys. We got up there and the pressure ratcheted up a little bit, and we turned it over too much, but our guys stayed the course. That’s typical of this team. We never do anything easy, it always seems to come down to the end.”
Utah Valley built a lead as large as 16 points in the second half before UT Arlington rallied with a 19-4 run to cut the deficit to one point late in the game. Holcombe responded with key baskets and free throws down the stretch. Isaac Hawkins made a critical block on UT Arlington’s final possession, helping secure the win for Utah Valley.
“Big play by Hawk at the end,” Phillips said. “Our guys made a big defensive play when we needed it most. At this time of year, the statistics really don’t matter. It’s just win and advance.” The Wolverines shot nearly 48 percent from the field and outrebounded their opponent while holding off several comeback attempts.
The championship game will take place Saturday night at Orleans Arena and will be broadcast nationally on ESPN2 as well as on ESPN The Fan radio network. Phillips concluded, “We’ll take the win and move on. We’re excited for the opportunity tomorrow night.”
