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2024 WAC men's basketball tournament

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2024 WAC men's basketball tournament
ClassificationDivision I
Season2023–24
Teams8
SiteOrleans Arena
Paradise, Nevada
ChampionsGrand Canyon (3rd title)
Winning coachBryce Drew (3rd title)
TelevisionESPN+, ESPN2
← 2023
2025 →
2023–24 WAC men's basketball standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
Grand Canyon 17 3   .850 30 5   .857
Tarleton* 16 4   .800 25 10   .714
UT Arlington 13 7   .650 20 14   .588
Seattle 11 9   .550 23 14   .622
Utah Valley 11 9   .550 16 16   .500
Stephen F. Austin 10 10   .500 18 15   .545
Abilene Christian 10 10   .500 16 18   .471
California Baptist 8 12   .400 16 17   .485
Utah Tech* 7 13   .350 11 20   .355
Southern Utah 5 15   .250 10 21   .323
UT Rio Grande Valley 2 18   .100 6 25   .194
* Ineligible for the NCAA tournament due to transition from Division II
2024 WAC tournament winner

The 2024 WAC men's basketball tournament was the postseason men's basketball tournament of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) for the 2023–24 season. The tournament was played from March 13–16, 2024 at the Orleans Arena in Paradise, Nevada near Las Vegas.[1] The winner, Grand Canyon, received the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.[2]

Seeds

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Eight of the eleven members are invited to the tournament.[3] The field for the WAC tournament has varied from six to last year's twelve qualifiers.[4] While Tarleton and Utah Tech are ineligible for the NCAA tournament, they are eligible for the WAC tournament.[5] If a team that is not eligible for the NCAA Tournament wins the WAC Tournament, the conference's automatic bid will go to the highest seeded tournament-eligible team.[6] As was the case for the 2023 tournament, teams will be seeded based on the WAC Resume Seeding System.[7] While seeding is determined by the WAC Resume Seeding System, the eight teams invited to the tournament will be determined by composite WAC standings.[8]

Seed School Conference record WAC Resume seeding points (final)
1 Grand Canyon 17–3 8.420
2 Tarleton 16–4 4.262
3 UT Arlington 13–7 0.709
4 Seattle 11–9 –0.314
5 Utah Valley 11–9 –1.044
6 Stephen F. Austin 10–10 –1.543
7 Abilene Christian 10–10 –2.692
8 California Baptist 8–12 –4.440
DNQ Utah Tech 7–13 –6.386
DNQ Southern Utah 5–15 –7.801
DNQ UT Rio Grande Valley 2–18 –11.762

WAC Resume seedings throughout season

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Seed Dec. 4 Dec. 12 Dec. 19 Dec. 27 Jan. 3 Jan. 9 Jan. 16 Jan. 23 Jan. 31 Feb. 6 Feb. 14 Feb. 20 Feb. 26 Mar. 5 Mar. 10 (final)
1 GCU GCU GCU GCU GCU GCU GCU GCU GCU GCU GCU GCU GCU GCU GCU
2 TAR TAR TAR TAR TAR TAR TAR TAR TAR TAR TAR TAR TAR TAR TAR
3 CBU UVU UTA SU SU SU SFA SFA SU SU SU SU SU SU UTA
4 SFA CBU CBU UTA SFA UVU SU SU SFA SFA SFA UTA UTA UTA SU
5 UT SU UVU UVU UTA SFA UTA UTA CBU UTA UTA SFA UVU SFA UVU
6 UVU UTA SFA CBU UVU UTA UVU UVU UTA CBU CBU UVU SFA UVU SFA
7 SU SFA SU SFA CBU UT UT CBU UVU UVU UVU CBU CBU ACU ACU
8 UTA UT UT UT UT CBU CBU UT SUU SUU UT ACU ACU CBU CBU
9 ACU ACU ACU ACU ACU ACU ACU ACU ACU (T) ACU SUU UT UT UT UT
10 SUU SUU SUU SUU SUU SUU SUU SUU UT (T) UT ACU SUU SUU SUU SUU
11 UTRGV UTRGV UTRGV UTRGV UTRGV UTRGV UTRGV UTRGV UTRGV UTRGV UTRGV UTRGV UTRGV UTRGV UTRGV

Schedule

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Session Game Time* Matchup# Score Television
First round – Wednesday, March 13, 2024 – Orleans Arena
1 1 6:00pm No. 5 Utah Valley vs. No. 8 California Baptist 63–74OT ESPN+
2 8:30pm No. 6 Stephen F. Austin vs. No. 7 Abilene Christian 60–57
Quarterfinals – Thursday, March 14, 2024 – Orleans Arena
2 3 6:00pm No. 8 California Baptist vs. No. 4 Seattle 57–81 ESPN+
4 8:30pm No. 6 Stephen F. Austin vs. No. 3 UT Arlington 78–109
Semifinals – Friday, March 15, 2024 – Orleans Arena
3 5 6:00pm No. 4 Seattle vs. No. 1 Grand Canyon 72–80 ESPN+
6 8:30pm No. 3 UT Arlington vs. No. 2 Tarleton 87–84 ESPNU
Championship – Saturday, March 16, 2024 – Orleans Arena
4 7 8:30pm No. 1 Grand Canyon vs. No. 3 UT Arlington 89–74 ESPN2
*Game times in PT. #-Rankings denote tournament seeding.

Bracket

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First round
Wednesday, March 13
Quarterfinals
Thursday, March 14
Semifinals
Friday, March 15
Championship
Saturday, March 16
1Grand Canyon80
4Seattle814Seattle72
5Utah Valley638California Baptist571Grand Canyon89
8California Baptist74*3UT Arlington74
2Tarleton84
3UT Arlington1093UT Arlington87Third place
6Stephen F. Austin606Stephen F. Austin78
7Abilene Christian57

* denotes overtime period

Awards

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Award Player Team
Most Outstanding Player Tyon Grant-Foster Grand Canyon
All-Tournament Team Tyon Grant-Foster Grand Canyon
Ray Harrison Grand Canyon
Lök Wur Grand Canyon
Phillip Russell UT Arlington
Shemar Wilson UT Arlington

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "WAC Bracket 2023 & WAC Tournament Predictions". www.teamrankings.com. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
  2. ^ Evans, Jace. "2023 men's NCAA Tournament automatic bids: Who has secured spots in March Madness?". USA TODAY. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  3. ^ "Championship Format And Dates For 2024 Hercules Tires WAC Basketball Tournament Set". wacsports.com. November 4, 2023. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  4. ^ "WAC Tournament format, dates set". Grand Canyon University Athletics. November 9, 2023. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  5. ^ "WAC approves Conference Championship eligibility for Tarleton in recent board meeting". Tarleton State University Athletics. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
  6. ^ "2023 WAC Tournament". Hoops HD. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
  7. ^ "Western Athletic Conference, Hercules Tires Renew Title Sponsorship Of The WAC Basketball Tournament". wacsports.com. November 4, 2023. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  8. ^ "2023 24 WAC MBB Release 2 14 (PDF) - Western Athletic Conference" (PDF). wacsports.com. Retrieved February 17, 2024.