2024-25 WAC Men's Basketball Release - Week 12

UTAH VALLEY WINS EIGHTH STRAIGHT TO EXTEND WAC LEAD
Utah Valley’s active winning streak continued to eight games with key conference wins last weekend. The Wolverines withstood a furious second half rally from host UT Arlington to force overtime before Jackson Holcombe finished a layup off a feed on the break from Kylin Green with under a second to play to power Utah Valley to an 85-83 win on Jan. 16. Returning home on Jan. 18, Utah Valley utilized a big second half that featured 56 points on 57.1 percent shooting from the floor in the second half to down in-state foe Utah Tech 96-80.

UVU DUO OF TOOLSON, NELSON SWEEP WAC WEEKLY AWARDS
Utah Valley guards Tanner Toolson and Dominick Nelson captured both WAC weekly awards on Jan. 21 following another sweep in conference play last weekend, extending the active winning streak over all games for the Wolverines to eight consecutive triumphs. Toolson earned WAC Player of the Week after averaging 20.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game while shooting 56.5 percent in his past two outings, including 22 points and four boards in an overtime win at UT Arlington on Jan. 16. Nelson secured WAC Newcomer of the Week after pouring in a game-high 25 points in the UTA victory, scoring 19 of his points in the second half and overtime.

SEATTLE U MOVES INTO SECOND IN THE WAC WITH THIRD STRAIGHT WIN
Seattle U extended its active winning streak in conference play to three games following a successful homestand, beating Abilene Christian 66-64 on Jan. 11 before besting Utah Tech 82-62 on Jan. 16 and Southern Utah 75-52 on Jan. 18. Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe turned in his conference-high ninth double-double of the season in the Utah Tech win, logging 22 points, 15 rebounds and a blocked shot on 10-of-13 shooting. John Christofilis took over the scoring lead for the Redhawks in the Southern Utah win, recording 18 points and five rebounds in the victory. 

GCU RIGHTS SHIP WITH HOME SWEEP AGAINST TEXAS FOES
Bouncing back from its first league defeat of the season against Utah Valley the previous week, Grand Canyon got back to its winning ways with a home sweep against opponents from the state of Texas. GCU knocked off Abilene Christian 88-58 on Jan. 16 and then took the win by an 88-64 final score against Tarleton State on Jan. 18. Five Lopes finished the ACU game in double figures led by the 16 points and 10 rebounds of Duke Brennan. Six GCU players scored 10 or more points in the Tarleton State tilt, with Tyon Grant-Foster leading the way with 17.

NATIONAL LEADERS IN THE NCAA
Grand Canyon ranked first in NCAA Division I in free throws made per game as of Jan. 21, connecting on 20.3 free throws per contest as a team. Utah Valley was fifth in blocks per game (6.1), Tarleton State was fifth in turnovers forced per game (17.1), GCU checked in sixth in steals per game (10.2) and Abilene Christian slotted eighth in steals per game (10.1).