The Growling Tigers defeated the Fighting Maroons twice to deny UP's finals rematch against Ateneo and tie with 2014 champions NU Bulldogs as the lowest-seeded basketball team in UAAP history to have competed in the championship round - and the first overall ever to do so in a stepladder post-season format.

Graduating player Thirdy Ravena became the first athlete in UAAP history to win three consecutive Finals MVP awards.

The UE Red Warriors' Lawrence Chongson and the De La Salle Green Archers' Jermaine Byrd were both recognized by the UAAP as active consultants of their respective teams.

Gian Nazario who had been listed by La Salle as their coach clarified that the school is yet to make an announcement regarding Byrd's official appointment.

The Quadricentennial Pavilion in UST Manila and the Blue Eagle Gym in Quezon City are the alternate and main venue for the women's and boys' tournaments, respectively.

FEU then again had 9–0 run to cut the lead to five, but Subido and Soulemane Chabi Yo scored eight points together to put the Tigers up for good.

UST, which has never lost to UP this season, led 19–13 in the first quarter, with Renzo Subido and Rhenz Abando converting multiple three-pointers.

Bright Akhuetie and the return of Gomez de Liaño cut the deficit to 11, but UST closed out the quarter scoring on each of its possessions to lead 60–47.

UP cut the lead again to 11, but Sherwin Concepcion and Mark Nonoy made back-to-back three pointers to put UST up for good, extending the series to a deciding Game 2.

In the fourth quarter, UP led for the first time in the series, off a Gomez de Liaño jump-shot, and extended the lead further off a Jun Manzo lay-up.

Akhuetie then suffered from cramps, that led to Manzo fouling a UST player to stop the clock; it was his fifth and he was disqualified from the game.

UP led by four just after the two-minute warning off a Kobe Paras slam dunk, but Abando scored on a fast-break to cut the lead to a single possession.

Ricci Rivero missed on a lay-up for UP, Renzo Subido made a three-pointer to give UST the lead for good, and the Tigers advance to the Finals.

A UST scoring run led by Mark Nonoy cut the lead to two in the second quarter, but that's the closest the Tigers could get as Ateneo had its own 13–1 to end the first half.

Ateneo increased its lead to 23 in the third quarter, and Nonoy's back-to-back three-pointers in the fourth period were canceled out by Angelo Kouame and Matt Nieto's baskets.

[32] The UST Growling Tigresses ended a 13-year finals drought when they defeated the FEU Lady Tamaraws in the second round of the stepladder semifinals on November 16.

Graduating player Pat Pesquera's three-point attempt from the halfcourt line went in before the buzzer sounded for a 55–52 lead, effectively avoiding an overtime period.