LAS VEGAS – Utah Valley enters the 2025 WAC Tournament as the No. 1 seed after clinching the outright regular-season championship with a 15-1 WAC record. The Wolverines will face No. 9 seed Utah Tech in the quarterfinals on Wednesday night at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. PT, and the game will be broadcast live on ESPN+ and carried on the Wolverine Sports Network and ESPN The Fan (960 AM/92.1 FM in Utah County and 98.3 FM/101.5 HD2 in Salt Lake County).

Wolverines Enter Tournament on Fire

Utah Valley (23-7, 15-1 WAC) enters the WAC Tournament on an eight-game winning streak, having won 18 of its last 19 games. The Wolverines closed the regular season with a thrilling 71-66 comeback win at Tarleton State. Dominick Nelson matched a career-high with 25 points, while Carter Welling added 18 points and eight rebounds to help secure the outright championship.

UVU is one of just six teams in the country that finished undefeated at home this season (12-0) and boasts the third-ranked shot-blocking team in the nation (6.0 blocks per game). The Wolverines are seeking their first-ever WAC Tournament title and NCAA Tournament berth.

Series History vs. Utah Tech

• Utah Valley leads the all-time Division I series 7-3.
• The Wolverines swept this season's series, winning 96-80 in Orem (Jan. 18) and 79-77 in overtime in St. George (Feb. 20).
• This marks the first-ever meeting between Utah Valley and Utah Tech in the WAC Tournament and the first time the teams have faced off on a neutral court.

Scouting Utah Tech

No. 9 seed Utah Tech (7-25, 2-14 WAC) advanced to the quarterfinals with a 72-65 victory over No. 8 Southern Utah in the opening round on Tuesday. The Trailblazers built a 38-27 halftime lead and held off a late SUU push to earn their second WAC Tournament quarterfinal appearance in three years.

Key Players:

• Hakim Byrd – 19 points, 3 steals in WAC First Round win; 9.4 PPG, 2.65 APG on the season
• Noa Gonsalves – 14 points, 4 rebounds vs. SUU; team leader in made threes (72) at 36.0%
• Beon Riley – 13.0 PPG, 7.6 RPG; Utah Tech's primary rebounding presence
• Samuel Ariyibi – 11 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists in the WAC opener

Despite its struggles this season, Utah Tech ranks second in the WAC in three-pointers made per game (7.4) and third in three-point percentage (33.0%). The Trailblazers average 70.3 PPG but have struggled defensively, allowing 76.1 PPG (9th in the WAC).

Utah Valley's WAC Tournament History

• Utah Valley is 6-10 all-time in the WAC Tournament since joining the league in 2013-14.
• The Wolverines have reached the semifinals in five of the last seven tournaments but have never advanced to the WAC Championship Game.
• UVU is the No. 1 seed for just the second time in program history.

Utah Valley's All-Time WAC Tournament Results

• 2023: Reached semifinals, lost to Southern Utah (89-88)
• 2022: Lost in quarterfinals to Abilene Christian (82-74)
• 2019, 2018, 2017, 2014: Reached semifinals

UVU Stat Leaders & National Rankings

• Blocks per game (6.0) – 3rd nationally
• Assist-to-turnover ratio (3.65) – 3rd nationally (Trevan Leonhardt)
• Assists per game (5.2) – 43rd nationally (Leonhardt)
• Total assists (157) – 47th nationally (Leonhardt)
• Free throw attempts (216) – 18th nationally (Dominick Nelson)
• Free throws made (151) – 32nd nationally (Nelson)

Broadcast Information

• TV: ESPN+ (Ben Wilson, Dave Miller, Kendra Sheehan on sideline)
• Radio: Wolverine Sports Network (Jim McCulloch, Josh Kallunki)
• Stations: ESPN 960 AM / 92.1 FM (Utah County), 98.3 FM / 101.5 HD2 (Salt Lake City)