There are few things more embarrassing that missing a dunk in a basketball game. If you’re even attempting a dunk, that means you have a mostly clear look at the basket, hoping to flex your athleticism and make your teammates go crazy. Then, whatever ill-begotten fate awaits you, be it a slip, mishandling the ball, or a weird takeoff happens and you whiff. Not a great look.
It’s even worse when it happens in one of the biggest games of your college program’s history. It’s even worse when it happens with less than five seconds left in that game and your team is trailing by two points.
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That’s exactly the nightmare that Utah Valley forward Isaac Davis underwent during last night’s Western Athletic Conference championship game. Trailing by two points to Cal Baptist with a spot in the Division I NCAA Tournament on the line – a feat Utah Valley has never been able to accomplish – Davis had an alley-oop opportunity to tie the game.
He missed.
Sherman Weatherspoon IV of the Utah Valley Wolverines dribbles against Jordan Muller of the California Baptist Lancers in the first half of the championship game of the Western Athletic Conference men’s basketball tournament. The Lancers defeated the Wolverines 63-61.
Isaac Davis stats
While this was obviously a harrowing moment in Davis’ career, his impact on the Utah Valley men’s basketball program cannot be overstated. The team’s 25-7 record this season was the best record (by win-loss percentage) in program history, and the sophomore Davis played a pivotal role in that success.
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Davis was fourth on the team in points per game with 11, while shooting 64.8% from the field. He also averaged 3.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.
Utah Valley outlook
While this is a tough moment for the Utah Valley Wolverines program, the program does have a bright future. After all, the team only boasted a single senior on this year’s roster – guard Noah Taitz.
Furthermore, the team has improved its record each of the three years since head coach Todd Phillips took over in 2023.
When does the NCAA Tournament begin?
The NCAA Tournament begins with the First Four on March 17-18, with the championship game set for April 6 in Indianapolis.
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Cal Baptist’s victory over Utah Valley gave the team their first tournament bid in program history. They will figure out who their NCAA Tournament first-round opponent will be during Selection Sunday, at 6 p.m. ET on CBS tonight.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Utah Valley misses dunk that could have clinched NCAA Tournament bid
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