2023-24 WAC Men's Basketball Release - Week 18
TEXANS KEEP ROLLING AS WINNING STREAK REACHES 10
Tarleton State remained one of the hottest teams in the country by running its active winning streak to 10 games last week. The Texans defeated Utah Tech 85-74 and outlasted Southern Utah 88-83 during a two-game road swing. Tarleton State’s 10-game winning streak was the second longest active streak in NCAA Division I as of March 6 (tied with James Madison), trailing the 15 consecutive victories of South Florida.
GCU OFFICIALLY ZEROING IN ON TOP TOURNEY SEED ACCORDING TO WAC RESUME SEEDING SYSTEM
In the latest WAC Résumé Seeding System rankings that were compiled on March 3, Grand Canyon saw its advantage remain steady at 7.99 points over Tarleton State (4.55 points) in the race for the top tournament seed. Seattle U (0.69 points) and UT Arlington (0.39 points) were the only other teams this week with a positive point value in the most recent seeding system rankings. Stephen F. Austin (-1.82) rounded out the metric’s top five teams.
THE RACE FOR THE FINAL WACVEGAS TICKETS HEATS UP
Six teams have already officially punched their tickets to the Hercules Tires WAC Basketball Tournament, and three teams will compete for the final two slots over the last week of the regular season. Stephen F. Austin and California Baptist (both 8-10 in WAC games) and Utah Tech (6-12 WAC) each remain in the running for the coveted two tournament berths. Utah Tech must win its final two starts at UTRGV on March 7 and at SFA on March 9 to reach the WAC Tournament. SFA opens the week with Southern Utah on March 7 and can lock up its spot with a win and a Utah Tech loss at UTRGV. CBU closes its season at home with challenging matchups against UT Arlington on March 7 and conference leader Grand Canyon on March 9, but one CBU win and any Utah Tech loss would clinch for the Lancers. If the teams were to finish in a three-way tie at 8-12, Utah Tech would automatically receive a tournament bid with a cumulative 4-0 record against CBU and SFA. The WAC Résumé Seeding System would be utilized to break the head-to-head tie between an 8-12 CBU and SFA for the final tournament spot after the teams split their season series 1-1.
GRANT-FOSTER ADDS TWO MORE WEEKLY HONORS TO HIS CAMPAIGN
Grand Canyon guard
Tyon Grant-Foster earned conference player of the week for the third time and newcomer of the week for the sixth time this season following a standout performance for GCU in a pair of home victories. Grant-Foster averaged 25.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game, shooting 56.0 percent from the floor for the weekend. Grant-Foster led off the week with 21 points, six rebounds, four assists and three blocks in a 72-43 win over UTRGV on Feb. 29. On national TV against Stephen F. Austin on March 2, Grant-Foster logged a game-high 29 points, including a perfect 14-of-14 from the free-throw line, while pulling down six boards and blocking two shots in an 80-58 triumph.
WACVEGAS WILL BE ON YOUR TV
A total of three games at the 2024 Hercules Tires WAC Basketball Tournament at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas will air on linear ESPN networks. The final game of the WAC women’s basketball championship will be shown live on ESPNU at 10:30 a.m. PT on March 16. The 2024 women’s championship contest will mark the first WAC women’s title game to be carried live on linear TV since 2016. The second WAC men’s semifinal on March 15 pitting the winner of Game Four against the tournament’s number two seed will air live on either ESPNU or ESPN2 at 8:30 p.m. PT. The WAC has not had a men’s semifinal tournament game available on linear TV since 2011. The 2024 WAC men’s basketball championship game is slotted for March 16 at 8:30 p.m. PT on ESPN2. All additional tournament games at the 2024 Hercules Tires WAC Basketball Tournament will be available on ESPN+.
A REGULAR-SEASON CHAMPION (OR CHAMPIONS) WILL BE CROWNED
Tarleton State remains in the mix to earn either a share or outright WAC regular-season title with games against Utah Valley (March 7) and Seattle U (March 9) at home this week to close the conference schedule. Two Tarleton State wins would give the Texans at least a share of the crown with Grand Canyon, who closes the regular season at California Baptist on March 9. The Lopes can claim at least a share of the hardware with any Tarleton State loss and would secure the outright conference championship with a win at CBU and any Tarleton State loss, or a pair of Tarleton State defeats, over the course of the final week.