INDIANAPOLIS – UT Tyler senior Sam Phipps is one step away from the national stage.

After being selected as one of 16 dunkers nationwide for the 2026 State Farm Dark Horse Dunker competition, Phipps has surged through three rounds of fan voting to reach the final, placing him one step away from earning a spot in the State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships during Final Four weekend.

Phipps opened the competition with a strong showing, defeating Shad Thomas (Azusa Pacific) in the opening round. He followed that with another win over Alvin Tumblin Jr. (Palm Beach Atlantic) in the quarterfinals before edging out Jair Knight (Emory) in a semifinal nail-biter to punch his ticket to the finals.

Now, just two dunkers remain nationwide, as Phipps faces Gavin Sarvis (Loras) in the final round of voting.

The winner will earn a coveted spot in the 37th annual State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships, set for April 3 in Indianapolis and airing on ESPN on April 5 at 1:30 p.m. ET.

Final Round Voting Details:

X (@CollegeSLAM): Open from March 23 at Noon CT through March 27 at Noon CT

Instagram Story (@College_Slam): Opens March 26 at Noon CT and closes March 27 at Noon CT

Fans can vote ONCE per platform per matchup

This marks a historic run for Phipps, who became the first player in UT Tyler men's basketball history to compete in the Dark Horse Dunker competition and now has the opportunity to become the program's first representative on the national dunk stage. Three previous Dark Horse Dunker winners have gone on to win the national championship, highlighting the significance of the opportunity in front of Phipps.

With the finish line in sight, Patriot fans have the chance to make the difference. Click HERE to vote and help Sam Phipps reach Indianapolis on X.