By CHASE UPTON/Sports Editor
INDIANAPOLIS — Sam Phipps has earned a spot to compete in the State Farm College Slam Dunk Championship by winning the 2026 State Farm Dark Horse Dunker contest. This gave the former UT Tyler standout a national platform to showcase the above-the-rim play that became a staple for Patriots fans over the past two seasons.
The annual State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships, held during Final Four weekend and televised on ESPN, brings together top leapers and shooters from across the country, giving Phipps a national audience to showcase the creativity, explosiveness, and above-the-rim athleticism that defined his time in Tyler. The dunk contest airs April 5 at 1:30 p.m. ET.
The full eight-player roster is set to be unveiled in the coming days.
Phipps was a senior forward for the Patriots this past spring who averaged eight points, nearly seven rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game across his two seasons at UT Tyler. He finished with a 57% shooting mark from the field, but his impact often went beyond the stat sheet.
Inside the Herrington Patriot Center, fans witnessed moments like crazy rebounds pulled down in traffic, blocks pinned on the backboard and unbelievable dunks that quickly shifted the energy inside the HPC. That style of play, quick off the floor, physical in the paint and at his best above the rim, helped earn Phipps this opportunity.
During his senior season, Phipps averaged 9.3 points per game, 8.4 rebounds, and totaled 33 dunks, earning Lone Star Conference Honorable Mention honors. The Dark Horse contest win now gives him one final chance to take the floor wearing a Patriots uniform, but this time it will be on the biggest stage.
For fans who followed him over the past two seasons, the stage fits perfectly.
Expect high-flying dunks and a chance to see Phipps’ insane athleticism shine one last time in Indianapolis, against some of the best athletes in the country and in front a national audience on ESPN.
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