For every celebration in March, there’s heartbreak on the other side.
Top-seeded Utah Valley blew its first NCAA Tournament bid in devastating fashion during Sunday’s WAC championship game against No. 2 California Baptist, as Wolverines sophomore Isaac Davis missed a potential game-tying alley-oop in the final seconds.
The Lancers (25-8) held on for a 63–61 victory at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, punching their first ticket to March Madness in program history, following a transition from Division II that began in 2018.
Meanwhile, the Wolverines (25–8), who had won back-to-back conference regular-season titles and four of their last six, will remain on the outside looking in — left to grapple with the harrowing question: “What if?”
“I’m really proud of our guys,” Utah Valley coach Todd Phillips emphasized after the game. “They battled all night and put themselves in a position to win the game. It’s tough when it comes down to one play like that, but our guys showed a lot of heart and toughness.”
The Wolverines entered Sunday’s finale on a seven-game winning streak, a torrid stretch that included a 19-point win over Cal Baptist on Feb. 19 — giving them a 2–1 lead in the regular-season series.
They held a late lead in the conference championship until Lancers guard Dominique Daniels Jr. drilled back-to-back 3-pointers to knot the game at 60 apiece with just over a minute to play.
Utah Valley reclaimed the lead with 39 seconds left on a free throw from star guard Jackson Holcombe — but Daniels came right back with another triple, putting Cal Baptist up by two with 14.6 seconds to play before Davis’ game-tying attempt was stuffed by the rim.
“Anything can happen in March,” said Daniels, who finished with 23 points on 7-for-25 from the field and 5-of-13 from downtown. “That’s what I kept telling myself during those last three possessions.”
Davis finished with 12 points, six rebounds, and a pair of steals, while Holcombe led the Wolverines with 18 points.
Even in defeat, Phillips explained that the program earned the right to hold its head high, emphasizing that one missed shot doesn’t define Utah Valley’s season.
“We had a chance there late and just couldn’t get it to fall,” Phillips said. “Our guys fought back from an early deficit and competed the whole night. It’s a tough one, but this group has done a lot to be proud of this season.”
The game marked the end of an era for both programs, which will join the Big West next season when the WAC rebrands as the United Athletic Conference.
Cal Baptist will wait to hear its name called on Selection Sunday.
