Utah Valley basketball’s dream of reaching this season’s NCAA Tournament could be derailed before it even tips off at the WAC Tournament.
That’s a major headline for the simple reason that Utah Valley is the favorite to win the WAC men’s title and head on to that NCAA Tournament. But there is a major problem going on right now with the program, as the WAC announced on Tuesday that Utah Valley “has not complied” with a Utah judge’s order that demands the university place $1 million in escrow with the court.
Because of this, the WAC board of directors has asked commissioner Rebekah Ray not to include the Utah Valley men’s and women’s basketball teams in their upcoming WAC tournaments because “it would be a member not in good standing.”
The WAC board also announced that Utah Valley must comply with the Utah judge’s order by 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday. If the school does not, the board said it would be releasing new conference tournament brackets that don’t include the Wolverines.
Utah Valley locked up the No. 1 seed in this week’s WAC men’s tournament after capturing the league’s regular-season title along with posting a 24-7 overall record. It was the program’s second consecutive WAC title, and the Wolverines would skip right to the conference tournament semifinals on Friday — if, that is, they’re even allowed to play in the tournament. It was the first time that Utah Valley won back-to-back WAC titles, but now the program is locked in a different kind of battle.
“The conference regrets that the intentional actions of Utah Valley University have caused uncertainty and harm for institutions, student-athletes, coaches, staff and fans across the WAC — including at Utah Valley University,” the WAC board of directors wrote in a statement on Tuesday afternoon.
Here is the WAC board of directors’ full statement:
Here is Kalshi’s current odds for the top teams to make the Sweet 16, with Utah Valley in danger now of not even having a chance to play in the NCAA Tournament:
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
