Game Notes: UTAH TECH - PDF | TARLETON - PDF
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OPENING TIP: Utah Tech (11-14/3-9 WAC) returns home for their final home game in February this Saturday night when they welcome Tarleton (13-12/6-6 WAC) to the Burns Arena (4,779). Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. 
 
UTAH TECH VS. TARLETON: Utah Tech is 1-3 all-time vs. Tarleton, which includes a hard-fought 74-72 road loss in Stephenville, Texas this past Jan. 26. 
            Prior to last month's match-up, the previous three games had been played in the Burns Arena, and all were decided by double digits, including an 83-69 home loss last season (12/30/21).
            During the 2020-21 campaign, UT split its home series vs. the Texans with a pair of lopsided results. Tarleton rolled to a 77-59 win in game one (2/19/21), which was followed the next night by a 64-48 Blazer victory (2/20/21). 
 
LAST TIME OUT: Utah Tech could not overcome a late Seattle U second half run as the Trailblazers fell just short of their first WAC road win of the season after a 75-71 loss on Wednesday night inside Climate Change Arena. 
            A Jacob Nicolds 3-pointer with 4:13 left gave UT a 65-61 lead. Unfortunately that would be the only field goal Utah Tech would hit over the next four minutes as the Redhawks rattled off a back-breaking 14-3 run en route to a 75-68 lead with 16 seconds to play.
            Frank Staine made it a two-possession game with a 3-pointer with 4.2 seconds left, and the Blazers would force a Seattle U turnover on its ensuing possession, but it was too late as the Trailblazers lost their fourth-straight to Seattle U overall. 
 
LAST TIME OUT VS. TARLETON: Despite a furious second half comeback, Utah Tech came up on the wrong end of a 74-72 road decision at Tarleton (1/26/23).
            UT trailed 50-28 at the halftime break, thanks in part to a cold-shooting first half (6-of-25; .240) and 11 turnovers. 
            The Trailblazers managed to flip the script in the second half, outscoring the Texans by 20 points in the period, and made it a two-possession game late. However UT could not wrestle the lead away as the Blazers fell to 0-4 on the road in WAC play. 
 
HI MY NAME IS...: The Trailblazers began the 2022-23 season with a new institutional name - Utah Tech University. 
            This past July 1, the university re-branded to the new moniker, replacing "Dixie State University," while the "Trailblazers" nickname remained in place. 
 
NEW RADIO HOME OF UT ATHLETICS: Along with the new name, Utah Tech University Athletics announced in July a new five-year multimedia agreement with Canyon Media Corporation. 
            Beginning this fall through the 2026-27 season, all Trailblazer football and men's basketball games, including comprehensive pregame and post game coverage, will be broadcast live on The Fan Sports Network (99.5/95.3 FM in St. George; 93.1 FM/1400 AM in Cedar City).
            The agreement will also feature select coverage of several other Trailblazer Athletic events throughout the year.
 
AND A NEW VOICE: In conjunction of the new radio home announcement, longtime Utah sportscaster Rod Zundel was introduced as director of broadcasting and multimedia content for Trailblazer Athletics, and will serve as the new radio voice for football and men's basketball.
            Along with complete radio coverage, Zundel will host "The Jon Judkins Coaches Show" every Tuesday night on The Fan Sports Network at 6 p.m. He will also oversee the production of several weekly Trailblazer student-athlete, coach and team online video feature stories, along with other digital content throughout the year. 
            Joining Zundel court side at home and select road games this season will be former UT assistant coach and current athletic administrator Mike Olson. 
 
CHALK UP ANOTHER MILESTONE WIN FOR COACH...: Head Coach Jon Judkins earned his 600th career coaching victory in UT's home triumph over New Mexico State back on Jan. 21, one of many career milestones the longtime Trailblazer mentor has passed over the last couple of years. 
            Last season, he became the all-time winningest head coach in Utah collegiate basketball history last season with career victory No. 583 in UT's 114-49 home rout of SAGU-AIC (12/15/21).
            Judkins moved past legendary Utah head women's basketball coach Elaine Elliott (582-324) atop the state's all-time coaching victories list (men's and women's). That list also includes a pair of former Utah Tech (then Dixie State) coaches in Dave Rose (1990-97 before moving on to BYU) and Stan Watts (1941-45 before moving on to Utah), along with such names at Stew Morrill (Utah State) and Rick Majerus (Utah). 
            Judkins currently owns a 601-306 (.662) overall record during his time at both Utah Tech and Snow (UT) College (1992-2005; 284-128).
            Coach Judkins became the first men's coach in Utah collegiate basketball history to reach the 500-win plateau when UT defeated Hawai'i Hilo (81-72) back on January 28, 2017.
            Coach Judkins is currently 317-178 (.640) in 17-plus years at Utah Tech, and he now stands three wins away from his 300th NCAA era victory at UT (297-166; .641).
 
HOME SWEET HOME: Since joining the NCAA ranks in 2006-07, Utah Tech has played to a 158-45 (.778) overall record in the Burns Arena under Head CoachJon Judkins, which includes a 8-3 start to the 2022-23 campaign.
            In fact, thanks to last Saturday's win over SUU, Utah Tech secured its 15th winning home record in 17 seasons of four-year competition. 
            Last season Utah Tech played to a 10-6 home mark, which clinched the Trailblazers' ninth 10-plus win home season in its NCAA era, and the first as a newly-minted D-I program.              
            The Blazers went 5-7 in their Division-I debut season in 2020-21, this after UT posted a 12-2 record in its final D-II year in 2019-20. That 2020-21 record snapped a 13-year streak that saw Utah Tech finish above .500 at home. The last time the program did not finish with a home winning record was UT's first NCAA season in 2006-07, when the Blazers finished with a 2-5 home mark.  
            Utah Tech posted a perfect 12-0 record at home in 2009-10, and 11-1 records in consecutive seasons in 2015-16 and 2016-17. 
 
HOW ABOUT WHEN THE BAGS ARE PACKED?: Utah Tech fell to 140-122 (.534) in 262 games away from home in its NCAA era under Coach Judkinsfollowing its loss at Seattle U last Thursday. That mark includes a 111-100 record (.526) in true road games, and a 29-22 mark (.568) in neutral site games during Judkins' tenure. 
            Utah Tech has matched its away from home win total from last season (3-11 overall), when UT played to a 3-12 (3-11 in true road games) record in 2021-22, which unfortunately included a five-game skid to close out the year. 
            UT finished the 2020-21 campaign with a 3-6 overall road mark, which snapped an 11-year run that saw the program post a winning road record. The last time Utah Tech did not come away with a winning road record was all the way back in the 2007-08 season, when it went 4-11 away from home in the program's second year of Division-II competition. 
            UT has won eight or more games away from home in 11 of its previous 16 NCAA campaigns overall, including a program best 15-5 record (10-2 in road contests) in 2010-11. 
 
FROM WAY DOWNTOWN....BANG: Utah Tech has hit at least one 3-pointer in 165-straight games, which included 13 made threes at Seattle U last Wednesday, and a season-high 14 treys vs. Lindenwood (12/22). The 14 treys vs. Lindenwood were the third-most in a single game in the program's NCAA era, while the 13 3-pointers are tied for the fourth-most in a game, and matched the previous season high set last December vs. Chapman (12/9)
            Last season, the Trailblazers nailed a school-record 21 treys in its 114-49 blowout win over SAGU-American Indian College (12/15/21).
            That record was one of five 3FG school records to fall that night as the Blazers also broke records for first half 3FGM (10), second half 3FGM (11), and for 3FG attempted (37). In addition, 11 different Trailblazers hit at least one 3-pointer, which was another school record.
            UT has reached double figures in made 3-pointers nine times though 25 games this season, this after doing it only four times last year.
            In all, Utah Tech has hit at least one three pointer in 367 of its last 369 games overall, and in 461 of the program's 465 NCAA-era games, which began in the 2006-07 season, with 31 total games of at least 10 3FGM.
 
RELEASE...ROTATION...SPLASH: Utah Tech broke its single-season record for made 3-pointers when Frank Staine hit the Blazers' last trey in the final seconds at Seattle U on Wednesday night. UT has now hit 220 3-pointers this year (220-of-569; .386), which eclipsed the previous record of 219 set last year in 31 games.
            UT broke the record in 130 fewer attempts (568), while the 569 total attempts this season are ranked second on the single season list. The Blazers have attempted 20 or more 3-pointers 18 times this season, including a season-high 32 at Arizona (11/17), and 28 more at Seattle U (13-of-28).  
            The Trailblazers are currently ranked third in the WAC in 3FG% (220-of-569; .386) and third 3FGM/game (8.8).
 
FROM WAY DOWNTOWN....CLANG??!!: For just the second time in the program's NCAA era, Utah Tech held an opponent without a 3-point field goal as Abilene Christian went 0-of-6 from the perimeter back on Jan. 28. The last time that happened came at home during 2020-21 season against Saint Katherine (0-of-18; 12/5/2020). 
 
SEEING 20/20/20: For the first time since beginning its Division I transition, and for the third time in the program's NCAA era, Utah Tech had three players score at least 20 points in the road loss at GCU back on Jan. 18.
            Junior guard Isaiah Pope led the way with a career-high tying 25 points, while junior forward Frank Staine poured in a career-best 21 points. Sophomore forward Tanner Christensen also got into the act as he matched Staine with 21 points of his own. 
            Utah Tech achieved that feat two other times during its Division II run, the first coming at home in a 93-91 win over Chaminade (2/12/15), when DeQuan Thompson (22 pts), Mason Sawyer (21 pts) and former All-American Zach Robbins (20 pts) led the Blazers to victory.
            Fast forward nearly two years later when former All-American Trevor Hill (25 pts), Brandon Simister (23 pts) and Kyler Nielson (20 pts) did it in a narrow overtime loss at Azusa Pacific (104-103; 12/10/16). 
            Utah Tech has also had 24 instances during its NCAA of two players scoring 20 of more points in one game, including the Blazers' win vs. New Mexico State (1/21). Prior to the NMSU game, the last occurrence came during the 2020-21 season against, coincidentally, Grand Canyon (1/22/21). 
 
POPE ALSO SEEING 20/20....AND 20: Pope saw his streak of 20-plus point games stopped at three-straight after he was held to seven points in just 14  minutes of game action at ACU (1/28). Pope was hampered by foul trouble the entire night and eventually fouled out with just over seven minutes to play in the second half. 
            Pope also battled foul trouble in the UVU loss (2/2) and was limited to just eight points in 14 minutes before fouling out again in the second half. The junior then filled the stat sheet with nine points, four boards, two assists and two steals vs. SUU last Saturday. 
            Prior to the ACU game, Pope was currently enjoying the most dominant three-game stretch as a Trailblazer, a stretch that saw the junior average 25.0 points on 53.8 percent shooting (21-of-39), including an even 60.0 percent clip (9-of-15) from the perimeter. He had also gone to the line 30 times (24-of-30; .800) and has averaged 4.0 assists. 
            Pope led the Blazer comeback at Tarleton (1/26) when he scored 19 of his game and career-high 27 points in the second half. He went 8-of-13 from the floor with a season-high five 3-pointers (5-of-7 3FG), and became the fourth different Trailblazer to hit five 3-pointers in a game this season, and he was 6-of-7 at the foul line. 
            That effort nearly matched his performance at GCU (1/18), where he tallied 17 of his then career-high tying 25 points in the second half at GCU to help keep the Blazers within striking distance. Pope shot 6-of-12 from the floor and knocked down 11-of-14 at the foul line, both of which were career highs from the charity stripe.
            The junior then followed that up with 23 more points on 7-of-14 from the floor and 7-of-9 at the line in UT's home win over NM State (1/21). Pope also dished out a career-high eight assists and pulled down five rebounds for good measure.  
            The junior is averaging 13.5 ppg in WAC play this season and has scored in double figures in six of UT's 12 conference games overall.
            Pope was inserted into the starting lineup 20 games ago in North Dakota and responded with 12 points against both UND (11/25) and Cal State Fullerton (11/26). He has now scored in double figures in 15 of 25 games to this point of the season, and is averaging 13.4 ppg since moving into the starting lineup. 
 
POPE IN RARE COMPANY: Pope became just the sixth Trailblazer in the program's NCAA era to score 20 or more points in at least three-straight games.
            His former teammate, Hunter Schofield, was the last to do it when he rattled off a four-game streak last season (1/15-29/2022), and he also posted a three-game streak during the 2019-20 campaign. 
            Former Blazer big man and former assistant coach Kasey Winters was the first to do it back in the 2007-08 season, while former UT swingman Tom Whitehead did it in both the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons. Former guard Trevor Hill placed his name on the list thanks pair 30-point games in during his All-American campaign in 2017-18, as did Matt Conway in the 2018-19 season. 
 
IT'S GOOD(EN) TO HAVE YOU BACK: After missing the first five games of the 2023 calendar year due to injury, senior guard Cameron Gooden has quickly picked up right where he left off. Gooden is averaging 18.5 ppg since his return to action six games ago, highlighted by a WAC career-high tying 26 points in last Saturday's win over SUU.
            Gooden knocked down 8-of-18 of his field goal attempts with three 3-pointers, and dished out a game-high six assists and grabbed four rebounds
            The SUU also marked the second time since his return that he hit for 26 points, doing so at Abilene Christian (1/28) one week earlier. That effort bettered his performance in UT's win vs. NM State (1/21), against which he went off for 17 points in 20 minutes off the bench. Gooden also led four Trailblazers in double figures with 17 points on 5-of-8 shooting with four 3-pointers at Seattle U last Wednesday night. 
            The senior returned to the starting line-up at Tarleton (1/26) and poured in 10 points before doing something he had never done in his previous 67 games over two-plus seasons as a Trailblazer - he fouled out, doing so midway through the second half. 
            Despite missing those five games, Gooden still leads the team in both scoring (16.5 ppg/16.9 ppg WAC) and assists (3.5 apg). He has led or co-led the Blazers in scoring 12 times and has scored in double figures in 17 of 20 games overall, highlighted by a career-high 29 points on 9-of-16 shooting (5-of-7 3FG) at Utah State back on Dec. 1.
            Gooden has scored in double figures in 50 of his 72 career games with 12 20-plus point outings, and has led the team in scoring 40 times overall. 
            Gooden also became just the ninth Trailblazer in the program's NCAA era to reach the 900-point plateau (962) at ACU (1/28), and now stands just 38 points away from becoming the ninth member of UT's 1,000-point club. The senior is already in fifth place on UT's career scoring list (13.3 ppg), and seventh in career steals (90), assists (250), and 3FG made (95). 
 
GOING...GOING...GONSALVES: Sophomore guard Noa Gonsalves had a night in Utah Tech's win over NM State (1/21), going off for a career-high 24 points, along with four rebounds and three assists in a game high 38-plus minutes. 
            The sophomore sharpshooter connected on 7-of-12 from the floor with a career-high tying five 3-pointers (5-of-9 3FG), which marked the third time this season that Gonsalves had knocked down five treys in a game.
            Gonsalves' 24 points eclipsed his previous career high of 19 points set against both vs. Lindenwood (12/22) and Chapman (12/9) last month. In the Lindenwood win, he drilled his first five 3-point attempts (5-of-6 3FG) and pulled down four rebounds. 
            That effort virtually matched his night vs. Chapman, against which he scored 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting, including a 5-of-8 effort from the perimeter. That night the sophomore became the 16th different Trailblazer in the program's NCAA era to hit at least five 3-pointers in one game. 
            Gonsalves has scored in double figures in 12 of his 25 starts overall to this point of the season, including going for 10 points with two more made 3-pointers at Seattle U last Wednesday night. The sophomore now has an even 50 made 3-pointers on the year, which is good for seventh on UT's single season list. 
 
STAINE MOVING UP THE CHARTS: Like Pope, Staine also had a solid second half at GCU (1/18), scoring 13 of his career-high 21 points after halftime with three made 3-pointers. The junior's previous career high was 20 points, which he hit twice, the last coming just over three years ago vs. UC-Colorado Springs (1/3/20).
            Staine, who was playing in his 100th-career game, hit on 7-of-11 from the floor, including a red-hot 5-of-8 from the perimeter.
            The junior (923 career points) also poured in 13 points on 5-of-10 shooting at Seattle U, and currently stands in 10th place on UT's career points list.
            Staine is also third in career 3FG made (140), fourth in career steals (108), second in career 3FGA (386), ninth in career 3FG% (.362), and is currently four starts shy of becoming UT's career leader in starts (88). 
SEND IT IN BIG FELLA: Christensen tied his WAC career high with his 21 points in the SUU win last Saturday, which was his 10th double-digit scoring night and his fourth 20-point game of the season. The sophomore went 9-of-12 from the floor with seven rebounds and two assists. He also threw down three more dunks, and had one more at Seattle U on Wednesday night, giving him a team-high 24 dunks on the season. 
            Christensen poured in 21 points at GCU (1/18), 16 of which came in the first half to help keep Utah Tech in the game. His 21 points at GCU were the most since he scored 20 points on 9-of-13 shooting to go with eight rebounds and five assists in UT's road win at Weber State (12/3). 
            The sophomore also posted his third double-double of the season with 11 points and 12 rebounds at Tarleton (1/26), which was his second road WAC double-double of the year. His first came at CBU (1/5), where he racked up game highs of 17 points and 14 rebounds. His 14 boards were a career high and also the most by a Trailblazer player in the program's new NCAA D-I era, and he also blocked one shot at CBU, all while not committing a personal foul.   
            Meanwhile, his first double-double of the year came away from home in UT's 66-60 neutral court win vs. Cal State Fullerton (11/26), going for 13 points and 10 boards. 
            Christensen put on a show at Washington (11/14), going for a game and UT career-high 26 points in nearly 35 minutes. The sophomore scored UT's first eight points and had 16 of the team's 25 points as Blazers' opened up a 25-17 lead 12-plus minutes into the first half. Christensen, who hails from Spokane Valley, Wash., finished the night 11-of-17 from the floor with four rebounds and three assists in his return to his home state.
 
NICOLDS IS RED-HOT: Senior forward Jacob Nicolds made a little history when his name was announced in the starting lineup on Wednesday night in Seattle as he became Utah Tech's career leader in games played list with appearance No. 114. The senior moved past former Trailblazer All-American Trevor Hill, who played in 113 games over his four seasons from 2014-18. 
            The senior responded with 11 points on 3-of-4 shooting with a pair of 3-pointers and three rebounds. 
            Nicolds had a career night in the UTRGV win (12/29) as he poured in a career-high 18 points on 6-of-7 shooting. Nicolds knocked down a pair of 3-pointers and went 4-of-4 at the line, and just missed his second career double-double as he finished with nine rebounds. 
            Nicolds has scored in double figures in five-straight starts, including last Saturday's win vs. SUU, against which he also grabbed seven rebounds to become the seventh player in UT's NCAA era to reach the 400-rebound plateau (406). In addition, the senior is currently seventh in career FG% (.539).
            Like Pope, Nicolds has also started in UT's last 20 games and has averaged 10.1 ppg in those outings.
            In fact, Nicolds has had the hot shooting touch over his last 19 starts, having hit on 68 of his 105 (.647) shot attempts (24-of-43 3FG; .558) and 40-of-57 (.701) at the foul line, including a perfect 5-of-5 (3-of-3 3FG) from the floor, and he hit his lone FT attempt en route to 14 points vs. The Master's (12-17).
            Nicolds was also a perfect 5-of-5 with a 3-pointer for 11 points in the CSUF victory (11/26), and went 3-for-3 with a trey and 4-of-4 at the foul line for 11 points in road win at Weber State (12/3). 
 
BLAZING TRAILS:
* - Senior forward Dancell Leter tied a career-high with three blocks vs. UVU (2/2), including a big swat on a would-be breakaway Wolverine scoring chance that turned into a five-point swing thanks to a Gooden 3-pointer  last in the first half ... Leter also knocked down a trey of his own as the Blazers scored the final nine points of the period to take a four-point lead into the locker room.
* - Leter also had the hot hand off the bench in the SFA loss (1/12) as he hit on 5-of-6 of his attempts en route to a WAC season high 12 points.
* - Leter came within one point of his second career double-double as he tallied nine points and a career-best 13 rebounds in the UTRGV win (12/29) ... Leter's 13 caroms bested his previous career high of 11 set at Chicago State last season (1/29/22), which is where he recorded his first UT double-double (13 pts).
* - Leter tied his career high with 17 points off the bench at Utah State (12/1), with 13 of those points coming after halftime ... Leter went 5-of-6 from the floor and 6-of-8 at the foul line, and added four boards, three assists and two steals to his final stat line.
* - Leter's 17 points at USU were the most he has scored on the road in his year-plus as a Trailblazer, and matched his career high of 17 he scored in last year's home game vs. Weber State (11/27/21).
* - Utah Tech shot a season-best 54.8 percent (23-of-42) from the floor in the SFA loss (1/12) ... that effort eclipsed the previous season best 54.1 percent (40-of-74) from the floor in the Chapman win (12/9), which followed up a 52.0 percent (26-of-50) effort a week earlier at Weber State (12/3).
* - UT then made it three-straight games by shooting 53.3 percent (32-of-60 vs. The Master's (12/17), which marked the first time in the program's brief D-I era that the Blazers have shot better than 50 percent in three consecutive games. 
* - The last time Utah Tech shot north of 50 percent in three-straight games was during the 2019-20 season when the Blazers did it in four-straight games (2/22-3/6/20). 
* - Utah Tech posted season highs of 52 points and 64.5 percent shooting (20-of-31) in the first half vs. Lindenwood (12/22) ... UT shot 52.4 percent (33-of-63) for the game.
* - Since the 2016-17 season, Utah Tech has shot 50 percent or better in just 59 of its last 187 games overall, though the Trailblazers have done it 10 times through 25 games this season, including a 52.7 percent clip (29-of-55) vs. Southern Utah last Saturday.
* - In fact, the Blazers shot better than 50 percent only four times in 31 games last season. 
* - Also dating back to the 2016-17 season, Utah Tech has had 85 of its last 190 games decided by nine points or less, including six of its last seven, and 27 of 77 games overall to this point of the program's Division I transition.
* - Utah Tech dished out a season-high 24 assists on its 40 made field goals in the Chapman (12/9), which are the most helpers recorded since UT racked up 25 dimes in game one vs. Bethesda last season (11/30/21) ... UT also collected 22 assists on its 33 made baskets vs. Lindenwood (12/22).
* - The Blazer defense also picked off a season best 16 steals vs. Chapman (12/9), which is the fourth-most in a single game in the program's NCAA era, and two shy of the school record of 18 set in game two vs. Bethesda last season (12/1/21). 
* - After being outrebounded in its first two games of the season, Utah Tech has won the rebounding battle in 15 of its last 23 games, highlighted by a decisive 38-25 rebounding margin at Washington (11/14), which included a 15-4 edge on the offensive glass ... UT also outrebounded Chapman by a 42-28 count (15-5 offense), and posted a season best +23 rebounding margin (51-28) in the UTRGV win (12/29).
* - In fact, Utah Tech's 51 rebounds vs. UTRGV were a season high and the most since the Blazers pulled down 52 rebounds against, coincidentally, UTRGV last season (1/22/22).
* - However UT's rebounding margin took a big hit in the UVU loss (2/2) as the Wolverines posted a +22 edge on the glass (47-25), which was the most of any opponent to this point of the season.
* - Last season the Trailblazers won the "Battle of the Boards" in 15 of 31 games (10-5), this after they were outrebounded 12 times in 21 games in their D-1 debut in 2020-21 ... overall, Utah Tech has outrebounded an opponent in 105 of its last 163 games going back to the 2017-18 campaign. 
 
ABOUT THE TARLETON "TEXANS": Tarleton comes into Saturday's game with a 13-12 overall record, which includes an even 6-6 mark in WAC play following a 72-62 loss at SUU this past Thursday night in a game the Texans led in for most of the night.
            Sophomore swingman Freddy Hicks (6-6) is one of two Texans averaging double figures at 15.6 ppg on 43.3 percent shooting and leads the team in rebounding (5.8 apg). Meanwhile, junior guard Lue Williams (6-5) has accounted for nearly one-third (37-of-88) of Tarleton's 111 made 3-pointers to this point of the season and is second on the team in scoring at 11.2 ppg, which included a team-high 25 points in the home win over Utah Tech last month.
 
UP NEXT: The Trailblazers opens a three-game road swing with an WAC in-state showdown at Southern Utah next Friday night, Feb. 17. Tip-off inside the America First Event Center in Cedar City is set for 7 p.m.