The WAC was quietly one of the more competitive mid-major conferences during the 2025-26 men’s college basketball season, so it should come as no surprise that it had one of the best conference tournament championship games. Utah Valley won the league’s regular season crown, and was looking for its first ever March Madness berth. Cal Baptist was a D2 school less than a decade ago, and finished second in the conference while enjoying its best season since climbing to the DI level.
Utah Valley blew its first NCAA tournament berth in most heartbreaking fashion possible
This is the heartbreak and jubilation of March in one play.
Ricky O'Donnell has covered basketball at all levels for more than a decade at SB Nation. He’s currently the Associate Director of Programming.
There was going to be jubilation on one side and heartbreak on the other with two schools looking for their first ever men’s NCAA tournament appearance, and it played out in dramatic fashion. Trailing by two in the final seconds, Utah Valley threw an alley-oop to try to send the game to overtime. The pass was on point, but the finish was not. The Utah Valley player got rejected by the rim on the dunk, and Cal Baptist ran out the clock to win the league and clinch the auto-bid to the NCAA tournament.
Watch the final play here. This is the double-edged sword of March in one sequence.
Utah Valley and Cal Baptist will have to continue their rivalry in a new conference next year. Both are leaving the WAC to join the Big West. Austin Peay, Eastern Kentucky, North Alabama, West Georgia and Central Arkansas will join the new-look WAC in 2026-27 alongside returning members Abilene Christian, Tarleton State, and UT Arlington.
It’s hard to keep up with conference realignment, but the drama keeps us coming back. Congrats to Cal Baptist. Better luck next year, Utah Valley. Get your printable blank bracket here.
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