2024-25 WAC Men's Basketball Release - Week 5

GRAND CANYON HANDS STANFORD FIRST LOSS OF THE SEASON TO PICK UP SIGNATURE WIN
Grand Canyon stamped a signature victory onto its 2024-25 resume on Nov. 26 during the showcase game of the Acrisure Holiday Invitational in Palm Desert, California. The Lopes outscored Stanford 46-38 in the second half to give the Cardinal its first loss of the season in a 78-71 decision. Five different GCU players scored in double digits in the Stanford win, led by 15 points from Collin Moore and 14 points each from Duke Brennan and Makaih Williams.

SOUTHERN UTAH CONTINUES EARLY SEASON SURGE
Bouncing back from a defeat at UCLA, Southern Utah responded upon its return home with a 74-64 win over CSU Bakersfield on Nov. 30 to improve to 7-2 in the nonconference season. The Thunderbirds scored 47 points on 64.7 percent shooting from the field in the second half, hitting 23-of-26 attempts from the free-throw line (88.5 percent) over the final 20 minutes. Jamir Simpson finished the CSUB game a perfect 10-of-10 at the line on his way to a team-high 21 points, his WAC leading fifth 20-point game of the season. Dominique Ford added 20 points and three steals in the victory for Southern Utah.

DANIELS CONTINUES TO SCORE THE BALL FOR CBU
California Baptist guard Dominique Daniels Jr. earned WAC Player of the Week honors for the first time this season after averaging 26.0 points across three starts for the Lancers last week, including the conference single-game high of 33 points thus far in 2024-25 at Central Florida on Dec. 1. With the UCF effort and a 29-point showing in a double overtime win against Fresno State on Nov. 27, Daniels Jr. remained tied with Southern Utah’s Jamir Simpson for the league lead with five 20-point efforts as of Dec. 3. Daniels Jr. was also the WAC’s overall leading scorer with a 21.7 points per game average over his first nine starts for CBU this season.

WELLING CONTINUES STELLAR DEBUT SEASON FOR UTAH VALLEY
Utah Valley transfer forward Carter Welling picked up his first career WAC Newcomer of the Week selection after a strong week during the Wolverines’ trip to the Samford Thanksgiving Invitational in Alabama. Welling averaged 16.7 points and 8.7 rebounds per game over three starts, highlighted by a 21-point, 11-rebound performance in a win over West Georgia on Nov. 26.

TWO IN THE TOP 10 FOR DOUBLE-DOUBLES
Two players representing the WAC checked in as part of the national top 10 in double-doubles in the most recent NCAA Division I statistics report on Dec. 2. Both Beon Riley from Utah Tech and Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe have logged four double-doubles thus far this season to tie for seventh-most in NCAA DI.