California Baptist University's Men's and Women's Teams Advance to NCAA Tournament The California Baptist University (CBU) men’s and women’s basketball teams made history by securing their spots in the NCAA Tournament, marking a significant milestone for the school. Both teams advanced to the Big Dance after winning their respective Western Athletic Conference (WAC) tournament championships on March 14. The men’s team, seeded No. 14, will face No. 3 Kansas in San Diego on March 20, while the women’s team, a 16th seed, will take on No. 1 UCLA in Los Angeles on March 21. The women’s victory was their second tournament appearance, though they faced UCLA two years ago in a 84-55 loss. CBU Vice President for Athletics Micah Parker expressed pride in the achievement, noting that the university is one of only six schools with both men’s and women’s teams winning their conference tournaments. The men’s team secured their spot with a dramatic 63-61 win over Utah Valley, where sharpshooter Dominique Daniels Jr. delivered a clutch performance. After trailing by six points with two minutes left, Daniels hit three consecutive 3-pointers, including a game-winning shot after a dramatic slip and recovery. The women’s team dominated Abilene Christian, 76-54, showcasing their depth and resilience. The men’s victory was particularly notable as a No. 14 seed has defeated a No. 3 seed 26 times in NCAA Tournament history, a feat with roughly a 15% chance of occurring. Daniels’ heroics extended his season averages to 23.2 points per game, earning him chants of “DAH-mi-NAY-tion” from the student section. His journey to this point was marked by injuries, but he credited CBU’s support for his recovery.#california_baptist_university #western_athletic_conference #micah_parker #dominique_daniels_jr #jarrod_olson
