Utah Tech Men’s Basketball Survives & Advances vs. Abilene Christian, to Play Cal Baptist in WAC Semi’s

The Utah Tech Trailblazers men's basketball kept their postseason hopes alive Thursday night with an impressive 80-74 win over the Abilene Christian Wildcats in the quarterfinals of the Western Athletic Conference tournament in Las Vegas.

POTTER POWER

Utah Tech, the tournament’s No. 3 seed, jumped out to a fast start at Orleans Arena. The Trailblazers built a commanding 46-28 halftime lead, fueled by efficient shooting and strong offensive execution. Forward Ethan Potter led the charge early and finished with a game-high 25 points, helping Utah Tech control the pace for much of the night.

THE WIDEST OF CATS

Abilene Christian didn’t go quietly. The Wildcats mounted a strong second-half push, outscoring Utah Tech by 12 points after the break and cutting the deficit to just a few possessions late in the game. Guard Bradyn Hubbard and Rich Smith each scored 19 points for ACU, helping spark the comeback attempt. But the Trailblazers made key plays down the stretch and held on for the six-point victory to advance.

The win improved Utah Tech to 19-14 overall and moved the Trailblazers into the WAC semifinals.

Now the challenge gets even tougher.

NEXT UP…

Utah Tech will face the California Baptist Lancers, the No. 2 seed in the tournament, in Friday night’s semifinal matchup. Cal Baptist finished the regular season near the top of the conference standings and has been one of the most consistent teams in the league all year.

THE GOAL IS CLEAR

For Utah Tech, the path to the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament is straightforward: win the WAC tournament. Like many mid-major conferences, the league typically sends only its tournament champion to the NCAA bracket, meaning the Trailblazers need two more wins to punch their ticket to March Madness.

TWO WINS FROM HISTORY

If Potter and the Trailblazers can replicate the offensive rhythm they showed against Abilene Christian—and withstand another late surge—they’ll have a chance to pull off a semifinal upset and move one step closer to a historic NCAA tournament appearance for the first time ever.