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2023 Western Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament Basics

Dates

• Tuesday, March 7 (first round at Michelob Ultra Arena at the Mandalay Bay)
• Thursday, March 9 (quarterfinals at Orleans Arena)
• Friday, March 10 (semifinals)
• Saturday, March 11 (championship)

Format

While the WAC returned to an expanded, traditional bracket for 2023, the field was seeded in a unique way—the WAC Resume Seeding System—which saw teams sorted based on the quality of their victories. That’s why Sam Houston State ended up seeded higher than Utah Valley despite the Bearkats finishing a game back in the raw standings.

Site

Most of the tournament will take place at the Orleans Arena between Thursday and Saturday; however, Tuesday’s opening round, is again set for the Mandalay Bay Arena, as the Orleans will be busy with the WCC finals.

Participants

12 of the conference’s 13 teams will play in this season’s event. Originally, the team finishing 13th was to be excluded, but then New Mexico State suspended its season.

Downloadable Bracket

Schedule

All times are p.m. Eastern unless noted. Games marked with an asterisk (*) are the second of a doubleheader, so the tip time is approximate.

First Round (Tues., March 7)

Game 1: (9) Abilene Christian (13-17, 5-11) 62, (8) Cal Baptist 69
Game 2: (12) UT Arlington (11-21, 6-12) 77, (5) Grand Canyon 82
Game 3: (10) UTRGV (15-17, 5-12) 70, (7) Tarleton State 74
Game 4: (11) Utah Tech 80, (6) Stephen F. Austin (19-13, 11-7) 76 (OT)

Quarterfinals (Thurs., March 9)

Game 5: (8) Cal Baptist (17-16, 7-10) 51, (1) Sam Houston State 64
Game 6: (5) Grand Canyon 84, (4) Seattle (20-12, 11-7) 79
Game 7: (7) Tarleton State (17-16, 8-9) 58, (2) Utah Valley 72
Game 8: (11) Utah Tech (14-19, 5-13) 75, (3) Southern Utah 76

Semifinals (Fri., March 10)

Game 9: (5) Grand Canyon 78, (1) Sam Houston State (25-7, 14-4) 75
Game 10: (3) Southern Utah 89, (2) Utah Valley (25-8, 15-3) 88

Championship (Sat., March 11)

Game 11: (5) GRAND CANYON (24-11, 10-7) 84, (3) Southern Utah (22-12, 12-6) 66

Mayhem Potential

Data originally posted by Bob Vetrone Jr. on Twitter in 2020 with my own additions for the seasons beyond.

This season will be a bit of a taste of the future for WAC members, as absent New Mexico State will head off to C-USA along with top-seeded Sam Houston. The No. 1 seed has won the last four titles, with snapping a two-victory run by the 2 (even if NMSU was the last 2 to win and the first of the 1’s involved in the streak).

• 1 seed (6): 2011, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022
• 2 seed (4): 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017
• 3 seed (1): 2013

NCAA Seeding Record Since 2011

Years with an NCAA win are in bold.

• 12 seed (3): 2011, 2018, 2019, 2022
• 13 seed (3): 2012, 2013, 2014
• 14 seed (1): 2017
• 15 seed (3): 2015, 2016, 2021

Current Mountain West member Utah State is responsible for the WAC’s last at-large bid, back in the final 65-team year of 2010.

The WAC champ has avoided the 16 line since the field expanded to 68. That should continue to be the case this season, though Sam Houston and Utah Valley are likely to earn higher seeds than pretty much everyone else (12 or 13 max.).

Last NCAA Tournament Appearances

Abilene Christian: 2021 (14 seed, 2nd Round, Southland member)
Grand Canyon: 2021 (15 seed, 1st Round)
Stephen F. Austin: 2018 (14 seed, 1st Round, Southland member)
Sam Houston State: 2010 (14 seed, 1st Round, Southland member)
UT Arlington: 2008 (16 seed, 1st Round, Southland member)
Southern Utah: 2001 (14 seed, 1st Round, Mid-Continent (Summit) member)
Seattle: 1969 (unseeded, 1st Round)

Last season’s champ, New Mexico State (12 seed, 2nd Round) will have to wait until it is a Conference USA member to qualify again. UT Rio Grande Valley and Utah Valley have never reached the NCAAs, while Cal Baptist is eligible for the first time this year. Tarleton State and Dixie State (soon to be Utah Tech) must wait until 2025.