2023-24 WAC Men's Basketball Release - Week 6

GCU, TARLETON ST., UTAH TECH OPEN WAC PLAY 2-0
With the first official week of conference play in the books in the 2023-24 season, Grand Canyon, Tarleton State and Utah Tech posted matching 2-0 records in WAC matchups to lead the league standings prior to the resumption of conference action in January.

GCU EXTENDS WAC RESUME SEEDING SYSTEM LEAD
In the latest WAC Résumé Seeding System rankings that were compiled on Dec. 12, Grand Canyon extended its advantage with 3.56 points. Tarleton State was in second with 1.18 points, while Utah Valley (0.20 points) and California Baptist (0.04 points) each added positive point values in the most recent posting of rankings.

GCU KEEP STREAK ROLLING WITH QUAD 1 WINS
Now with wins in five straight games, Grand Canyon took its hot start to the next level with a pair of victories against teams in Quadrant 1 of the latest NCAA NET rankings. GCU defeated No. 25 San Diego State (NET No. 29) 79-73 in front of a packed house at Global Credit Union Arena at GCU in Phoenix on Dec. 5. The Lopes then went on the road to Liberty (NET No. 57) and overcame a 17-point deficit (23-6) in the first half on the way to a 69-64 triumph in Virginia on Dec. 9. GCU was slotted 38th in the NCAA NET on Dec. 11 on the strength of a 3-1 record against Quad 1, with a 76-72 win against No. 48 San Francisco on Nov. 17 in Glendale, Arizona along with last week’s key wins for the Lopes.

TARLETON STATE KEEPS PACE WITH GCU BY WINNING FIFTH STRAIGHT GAME OVERALL
Tied at the top of the WAC standings at 2-0 with Grand Canyon and Utah Tech, Tarleton State matched the active winning streak of the Lopes by picking up a fifth straight win of its own, rushing past Hardin-Simmons 92-56 on Dec. 5 in Stephenville. A total of 12 different players scored for Tarleton State in the Hardin-Simmons contest. The Texans (3-0), Grand Canyon (5-0) and Utah Valley (4-0) are the only WAC men’s basketball teams that still own undefeated records in true home games.

BACK-TO-BACK 20-POINT GAMES FOR SOUTHERN UTAH’S FALLAH
Southern Utah forward Parsa Fallah posted consecutive 20-point performances for the Thunderbirds as part of a 1-1 nonconference slate last week. Fallah contributed 20 points on 9-of-15 shooting in a narrow 88-86 defeat on the road at Utah on Dec. 5. Fallah erupted for 13 made field goals on his way to 29 points and seven rebounds for Southern Utah in an 82-74 home triumph against Idaho State on Dec. 9.

UTA’S CASH POSTS A CONFERENCE BEST 17 REBOUNDS TO LEAD MAVS IN WIN VERSUS UNT-DALLAS
UT Arlington forward Aaron Cash made the most of his first start of the season during a nonconference clash with UNT-Dallas on Dec. 6, filling up the stat sheet with 17 points and 17 rebounds for the Mavs in a 74-37 victory. Cash’s 12 offensive rebounds alone were more than UNT-Dallas registered as a team (9) during the contest. Cash’s 17 total rebounds were the most by an individual player in the WAC thus far this season, all while logging the eighth overall double-double by a UTA player in 2023-24.

CHANCES TO MAKE A NONCONFERENCE IMPACT IN THE WEEK AHEAD
WAC teams resume nonconference play over the course of the next week with a number of tests awaiting league members on the composite schedule. California Baptist opens a two-game road trip at Oregon on Dec. 12, with Utah Valley making the voyage to Utah on Dec. 16. Seattle U will return home on Dec. 17 for a key in-state matchup with Washington at Climate Pledge Arena.