The 2024–25 WAC men's basketball season began with practices in October followed by the start of the 2024–25 NCAA Division I men's basketball season in early November 2024. The conference began play in January 2025. This is the WAC's 63rd season of basketball. The WAC competed with nine teams due to two teams having left the conference since the prior season. UTRGV and Stephen F. Austin both joined the Southland Conference since the prior year. The WAC tournament will be held in March 2025 with all nine teams competing for the automatic bid to the 2025 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. The opening round will be held at Burns Arena in St. George, Utah with the remaining rounds at the Orleans Arena in the Las Vegas-area community of Paradise, Nevada.
This was intended to be last WAC season for both Grand Canyon and Seattle, which announced that they would join the West Coast Conference (WCC) the following year. While Seattle will go through with its conference change, Grand Canyon reneged on its WCC move in favor of joining the Mountain West Conference no later than 2026.
Pre-season
WAC Media days The WAC's 2024 men's basketball media day was held on October 15.
+Men's Basketball Coaches Preseason Poll Place Team Points First place votes 1. Grand Canyon 648 2. UT Arlington 49 -- 3 Seattle U 46 1 4. California Baptist 45-- 5. Utah Valley 38-- 6. Tarleton 30 -- 7. Abilene Christian 29-- 8. Utah Tech 12 -- 9. Southern Utah 11 --
WAC Preseason All-Conference First Team
NameSchool Yr. Pos. Tyon Grant-Foster† Grand Canyon SeniorG Dominique Daniels Jr. California Baptist SeniorG Ray Harrison Grand Canyon SeniorG John Christofilis Seattle U JuniorG Freddy Hicks Tarleton State SeniorG/F † Denotes Preseason Player of the Year
Regular season Early season tournaments Team Tournament FinishAbilene ChristianMontana State MTE2ndCalifornia BaptistAcrisure Holiday Invitational3rdGrand CanyonAcrisure Holiday Invitational1stSeattle UVegas Showdown4thSouthern UtahSan Diego MTE1stTarletonBaha Mar Hoops Nassau Championship4thUT ArlingtonJacksonville Classic4thUtah TechMontana MTE3rdUtah ValleySamford MTE3rd
Conference USA-Western Athletic Conference Challenge DateConference USA teamWAC teamScoreLocationLeaderNovember 9New Mexico StateUtah Tech75–63Burns Arena • St. George, UTCUSA (1–0)UTEPUtah Valley89–60UCCU Center • Orem, UTTied (1–1)Sam HoustonTarleton91–62Wisdom Gym • Stephenville, TXCUSA (2–1)Western KentuckyGrand Canyon74–72Global Credit Union Arena • Phoenix, AZTied (2–2)Louisiana TechUT Arlington92–77College Park Center • Arlington, TXCUSA (3–2)LibertySeattle66–64Redhawk Center • Seattle, WACUSA (4–2)Middle TennesseeAbilene Christian79–56Moody Coliseum • Abilene, TXCUSA (5–2)Kennesaw StateCalifornia Baptist88–84Fowler Events Center • Riverside, CACUSA (5–3)Florida InternationalSouthern Utah80–75America First Event Center • Cedar City, UTCUSA (5–4)November 20Kennesaw StateAbilene Christian84–78Convocation Center • Kennesaw, GACUSA (6–4)December 14Jacksonville StateUtah Valley 70–66Pete Mathews Coliseum • Jacksonville, FLCUSA (7–4)December 16UTEPTarleton 67–62Don Haskins Center • El Paso, TXCUSA (8–4)Louisiana TechGrand Canyon 74–66Thomas Assembly Center • Ruston, LA(CUSA 9–4)Middle TennesseeCalifornia Baptist 75–64Murphy Center • Murfreesboro, TNCUSA (10–4)New Mexico StateSouthern Utah 72–66Pan American Center • Las Cruces, NMCUSA (11–4)December 17Western KentuckySeattle86–73E. A. Diddle Arena • Bowling Green, KYCUSA (12–4)December 21LibertyUT Arlington79–56Liberty Arena • Lynchburg, VACUSA (13–4)December 30Florida InternationalUtah Tech80–66Ocean Bank Convocation Center • Miami, FLCUSA (14–4)WINNERS ARE IN BOLD. HOME TEAM IN ITALICS. Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game. Did not participate: none
Records against other conferences 2024–25 records against non-conference foes:
Regular season Power Conferences & GonzagaRecordACC 1–5Big East 0–0Big Ten 1–3Big 12 0–8Pac-12 0–0SEC 0–2Gonzaga 0–0Power Conference Total 2–18Other NCAA Division I ConferencesRecordAmerica East 1–0American 0–0A-10 1–2ASUN 2–0Big Sky 5–7Big South 0–0Big West 4–5CAA 1–0C-USA 5–15Horizon 0–0Ivy League 0–0MAAC 0–1MAC 0–0MEAC 1–0MVC 2–4Mountain West 2–4NEC 2–0OVC 0–0Patriot League 0–0SoCon 0–2Southland 1–4SWAC 3–0Summit 5–2Sun Belt 5–2WCC (except Gonzaga) 2–1Other Division I Total 42–49 Non-Division I Total 18–0NCAA Division I Total 44–67
Record against ranked non-conference opponents This is a list of games against ranked opponents only (rankings from the AP poll/Coaches poll):
Date Visitor Home Score November 17 Tarleton #14/12 BaylorL, 41–104 November 29 Seattle #10/11 DukeL, 48–70 December 9 Abilene Christian #RV/25 BaylorL, 57–88December 11California Baptist#23/24 San Diego StateL, 75–81December 28Abilene Christian#13 Texas A&ML, 54–92
Team rankings are reflective of AP poll/Coaches poll when the game was played, not current or final ranking.
Rankings
Improvement in ranking Drop in rankingRVReceived votes but were not ranked in Top 25NVNo votes received Pre Wk2 Wk3 Wk4 Wk5 Wk6 Wk7 Wk8 Wk9 Wk10 Wk11 Wk12 Wk13 Wk14 Wk15 Wk16 Wk17 Wk18 Wk19Wk20 FinalAbilene Christian APNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVCNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVCalifornia Baptist APNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVCNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVGrand Canyon APRVRVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVCRVRVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVSeattle U APNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVCNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVSouthern Utah APNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVCNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVTarleton APNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVCNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVUT Arlington APNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVCNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVUtah Tech APNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVCNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVUtah Valley APNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVCNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNV
Head coaches
Coaching changes No coaching changes were made during the offseason.
Coaches Note: Stats shown are before the beginning of the season. Overall and WAC records are from time at current school. Team Head coach Previous job Seasons at school Overall record WAC record WAC titles NCAA tournaments NCAA Final Fours NCAA ChampionshipsAbilene Christian Brette Tanner (Associate HC) 4th 54–46 () 28–28() 0 0 0 0California Baptist Rick Croy St. Mary's (assistant) 12th 101-84 () 47-55 () 0 0 0 0Grand Canyon Bryce Drew Vanderbilt 5th 94-32 () 50-18 () 2 3 0 0Seattle U Chris Victor (Assistant/interim HC) 4th 66-35 () 36-20 () 1 0 0 0Southern UtahRob JeterWestern Illinois2nd10-21 ()5-15 ()0000Tarleton Billy Gillispie Ranger College 5th 59-51 () 34-28 () 0 0 0 0UT ArlingtonK. T. TurnerKentucky (assistant)2nd20-14 ()13-7 ()0000Utah Tech Jon Judkins Snow College 20th 319-168 () 22-48 () 0 0 0 0Utah Valley Todd Phillips (Associate HC) 2nd 16-16 () 11-9 () 0 0 0 0 Notes: Overall and WAC records, conference titles, etc. are from time at current school and are through the end of the 2023–24 season. Records and season totals only include time spent at Division I as head coach. NCAA tournament appearances are from time at current school only. NCAA Final Fours and Championship include time at other schools.
Postseason
WAC tournament
The WAC tournament was held in March 2025 with all nine teams competing for the automatic bid to the 2025 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. The opening round was held at Burns Arena in St. George, Utah with the remaining rounds at the Orleans Arena in the Las Vegas-area community of Paradise, Nevada.
NCAA tournament
Teams from the conference that were selected to participate: 1 SeedRegionSchoolFirst FourFirst roundSecond roundSweet SixteenElite EightFinal FourChampionshipBidsW-L (%):TOTAL:
National Invitation Tournament Number from the conference that were selected to participate: 1
SeedSchoolFirst roundSecond roundQuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinalsN/AUtah Valleylost to San Francisco 70–79W-L (%):TOTAL:
College Basketball Invitational Number from the conference that were selected to participate: 0
SeedSchoolFirst roundQuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinalsW-L (%):TOTAL:
College Basketball Crown Postseason Tournament Number from the conference that were selected to participate: 0
SeedSchoolFirst roundQuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinalsN/AW-L (%):TOTAL: Index to colors and formattingWAC member wonWAC member lost *Denotes overtime period
Awards and honors
Players of the week Throughout the conference regular season, the WAC offices name a player of the week and a newcomer of the week each Monday.
WeekPlayer of the WeekSchool Newcomer of the WeekSchool November 11JaKobe ColesGrand CanyonJaKobe ColesGrand CanyonNovember 18Jaden WellsUT ArlingtonJaden WellsUT ArlingtonNovember 25Jamir SimpsonSouthern UtahJamir SimpsonSouthern UtahDecember 2Dominique Daniels Jr.Cal BaptistCarter WellingUtah ValleyDecember 9Hunter Jack MaddenAbilene ChristianMatthew-Alexander MoncrieffeSeattle UDecember 16Dominique Daniels Jr. (2)Cal BaptistLance WareUT ArlingtonDecember 23Carter WellingUtah ValleyCarter Welling (2)Utah ValleyDecember 31Lance WareUT ArlingtonLance Ware (2)UT ArlingtonJanuary 6Tyon Grant-FosterGrand CanyonAJ BraunCalifornia BaptistJanuary 13Matthew-Alexander MoncrieffeSeattle UMatthew-Alexander Moncrieffe (2)Seattle UJanuary 20Tanner ToolsonUtah ValleyDominick NelsonUtah ValleyJanuary 27Dominick NelsonUtah ValleyDominick Nelson (2)Utah ValleyFebruary 3Tyon Grant-Foster (2)Grand CanyonLance Ware (3)UT ArlingtonFebruary 10Brayden MaldonadoSeattle UBrayden MaldonadoSeattle UFebruary 17Dominique Daniels Jr. (3)Cal BaptistCarter Welling (3)Utah ValleyFebruary 24Kendal ColemanCal BaptistJaKobe Coles (2)Grand CanyonMarch 3Dominick Nelson (2)Utah ValleyDominick Nelson (3)Utah ValleyMarch 9Dominick Nelson (3)Utah ValleyDominick Nelson (4)Utah Valley
Totals per school - Players of the week School Player of the weekNewcomer of the weekTotalAbilene Christian University11California Baptist University415Grand Canyon University325Seattle University235Southern Utah University112Tarleton State UniversityUniversity of Texas at Arlington246Utah Tech UniversityUtah Valley University5710Total181836
All-WAC
First team
NameSchoolDominick Nelson‡Utah ValleyJakobe ColesGrand CanyonTyon Grant-FosterGrand CanyonMatthew-Alexander MoncrieffeSeattleDominique Daniels, Jr.California Baptist
‡ WAC Player of the Year
Second team
NameSchoolDuke BrennanGrand CanyonJamir SimpsonSouthern UtahLance WareUT ArlingtonTanner ToolsonUtah ValleyCarter WellingUtah Valley
All-Freshman team NameSchoolDontrez WilliamsAbilene ChristianBradey HenigeCalifornia BaptistKeitenn Bristow†TarletonMadiba OwonaUtah TechJackson HolcombeUtah Valley † Freshman of the Year
All-Defensive team NameSchoolCollin MooreGrand CanyonDuke BrennanGrand CanyonCarter Welling‡Utah ValleyMaleek AringtonSeattleLance WareUT Arlington
‡WAC Defensive Player of the Year
Other awards Sixth Man of the Year: Lok Wur, Grand Canyon
Coach of the Year: Todd Phillips, Utah Valley
Home game attendance