2026 WAC tournament: bracket, schedule, teams, top players and history from Las Vegas

Conference tournament week has arrived in the Western Athletic Conference.

The 2026 Air Force Reserve WAC men’s basketball tournament will be played March 11 through March 14 at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. Seven teams will compete in a single elimination bracket for the conference championship and the WAC’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

Utah Valley enters the tournament as the No. 1 seed after finishing the regular season with a 24-7 record and a 14-4 mark in conference play. The Wolverines have been the most consistent team in the league this season and will try to finally capture their first WAC tournament title.

California Baptist earned the No. 2 seed after a strong finish to the regular season, while Utah Tech, UT Arlington and Southern Utah round out the middle of the bracket.

By Saturday night, one team will leave Las Vegas with the conference championship and a ticket to March Madness.

Complete 2026 WAC tournament schedule

All games will be played at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.

First round

Wednesday, March 11

Game 1
No. 6 Abilene Christian (13-18, 5-13 WAC)
vs
No. 7 Tarleton State (14-17, 5-13 WAC)
5:30 p.m. PT – ESPN+

The winner advances to the quarterfinal round.

Quarterfinals

Thursday, March 12

Game 2
No. 4 UT Arlington (17-13, 9-9 WAC)
vs
No. 5 Southern Utah (10-21, 6-12 WAC)
6:00 p.m. PT – ESPN+

Game 3
Winner of Abilene Christian vs Tarleton State
vs
No. 3 Utah Tech (18-14, 11-7 WAC)
8:30 p.m. PT – ESPN+

Semifinals

Friday, March 13

Game 4
Winner of UT Arlington vs Southern Utah
vs
No. 1 Utah Valley (24-7, 14-4 WAC)
6:00 p.m. PT – ESPN+

Game 5
Winner of Utah Tech quarterfinal
vs
No. 2 California Baptist (23-8, 13-5 WAC)
8:30 p.m. PT – ESPN+

Championship game

Saturday, March 14

Game 6
Semifinal winners
9:00 p.m. PT – ESPN2

The winner earns the WAC’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

Utah Valley trying to finish the job

Utah Valley has been one of the best teams in the conference for several seasons, and this year might be its best opportunity yet.

The Wolverines finished the regular season 24-7 overall and earned the top seed in the tournament. Despite that success, Utah Valley has never won the WAC tournament championship.

Senior guard Trevan Leonhardt has been one of the key leaders for the Wolverines this season, while Jackson Holcombe and Isaac Davis have provided strong production throughout the lineup.

With the No. 1 seed, Utah Valley will only need two wins to capture the conference title.

California Baptist enters with momentum

California Baptist comes into the tournament playing some of its best basketball of the season.

The Lancers finished 23-8 overall and closed the regular season by winning 13 of their final 15 games. That late season run helped them secure the No. 2 seed in the bracket.

Guard Dominique Daniels Jr. has been one of the top players in the conference this season, averaging 22.6 points per game. His scoring ability gives California Baptist one of the most dangerous offenses in the tournament.

Martel Williams has also been a key contributor for the Lancers and will play a major role if the team makes a deep run.

Other players to watch in Las Vegas

The WAC tournament will also feature several other standout players across the bracket.

Utah Tech forward Ethan Potter has been one of the most efficient big men in the conference, averaging 16.3 points and 8 rebounds per game while shooting nearly 59 percent from the field.

Abilene Christian forward Bradyn Hubbard has also had a strong season, averaging more than 16 points per game.

Southern Utah has two key scorers in Elijah Duval and Jaiden Feroah, both of whom have been consistent contributors throughout conference play.

UT Arlington guard Marcell McCreary has also been one of the Mavericks’ most reliable scoring options this season.

Those players could easily swing a game if they get hot during tournament week.

A quick look at WAC tournament history

The WAC men’s basketball tournament has been played every year since 1984.

The winner of the tournament is crowned the conference champion and receives the automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

New Mexico State has been the most successful program in tournament history with 10 championships. Programs like UTEP, Utah and Hawaii have also won multiple titles during the history of the conference.

More recently, Grand Canyon has controlled the tournament. The Antelopes won three straight WAC championships in 2023, 2024 and 2025.

Last season, Grand Canyon defeated Utah Valley in the championship game to secure its latest trip to the NCAA tournament.

The final WAC tournament before a new era

The 2026 tournament will also mark the final season under the Western Athletic Conference name.

After this season, the league will rebrand as the United Athletic Conference, signaling a new era for the conference.

Before that transition happens, one more WAC champion will be crowned in Las Vegas.

Over four days at Orleans Arena, seven teams will compete for the title and the opportunity to represent the WAC in the NCAA tournament.