Game Notes: UTAH TECH - PDF | SOUTHERN UTAH
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OPENING TIP: Utah Tech (11-15/3-10 WAC) opens a three-game road swing with an WAC in-state showdown at Southern Utah (17-9/9-4 WAC) this Friday night in Cedar City. Tip-off inside the America First Event Center is set for 7 p.m.
 
UTAH TECH VS. SOUTHERN UTAH: Despite being separated by 54 total miles, Friday night's game vs. SUU will be only the fifth meeting between the Trailblazers and Thunderbirds on the basketball court in the NCAA era for both programs. 
            The game will also be the second time that the two sides will meet as conference opponents since their old JUCO rivalry days. SUU is in its first season in the WAC after spending the last 10 years in the Big Sky Conference.
            Utah Tech managed to even the renewed in-state rivalry series at 2-2 after posting an 86-79 home victory over the Thunderbirds back on Feb. 4. In fact, both Trailblazer wins in the series have come inside the Burns Arena, including an 83-76 triumph last season (11/12/21). 
            On the flip side, SUU has protected its home court with a pair of victories, beginning with the first-ever NCAA meeting during the 2020-21 season, when the T-Birds claimed a hard-fought 85-78 victory (12/17/20). SUU also exacted a little revenge on Utah Tech last season in the return game at the AFCU Center with an 87-59 romp (12/22/21).
 
LAST TIME OUT: Utah Tech saw another late second rally come up just short as the Trailblazers fell to 3-10 in WAC play after a 75-71 home loss to Tarleton last Saturday night. 
            UT was blitzed by a hot-shooting Texans side as Tarleton knocked down 14 its first 16 shots and shot nearly 74 percent from the floor (7-of-10 3FG) in the first half en route to a 45-32 halftime lead. The Texans would extend their lead to as many as 18 points in the early going of the second half, and maintained a double-digit advantage most of the period.
            Trailing 60-45 with under 10 minutes to play, Utah Tech managed to get back into the game thanks to a 13-3 run that made it a two-possession game at 63-58 with 2:35 to play. The Trailblazer defense helped lead the rally, forcing two Texan shot clock violations and four total turnovers, while holding Tarleton with a field goal for nearly 10 full minutes. 
            Utah Tech got as close as four points on a couple of occasions in closing moments, but Tarleton went 8-of-10 at the foul line to hold off the Blazers and escape with the road win.
 
LAST TIME OUT VS. SUU: Utah Tech snapped a three-game losing streak with an 86-79 victory over in-state rival Southern Utah in front of a raucous Burns Arena crowd this past Feb. 4.  
            The Trailblazers led wire-to-wire, thanks in part to a hot start on offense and three big first half scoring runs that propelled UT to a 47-30 halftime lead. 
            Down 22 in the early going of the second half, the Thunderbirds rattled off 15-straight points to pull to within seven at 52-45 with 15 minutes to play. SUU would make it a two-possession game on four different occasions, but the Blazers answered every T-Bird rally to come away with the big home win. 
 
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 601-307 (.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 317-179 (.639) in 17-plus years at Utah Tech, and he now stands three wins away from his 300th NCAA era victory at UT (297-167; .640).
 
HOME SWEET HOME: Since joining the NCAA ranks in 2006-07, Utah Tech has played to a 158-46 (.774) overall record in the Burns Arena under Head Coach Jon Judkins, which includes a 8-4 mark to the 2022-23 campaign.
            In fact, thanks to its home win over SUU (2/4), 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 Judkins following its loss at Seattle U (2/8) last week. 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 11 made threes vs. Tarleton last Saturday, 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 10 times though 26 games this season, this after doing it only four times last year.
            In all, Utah Tech has hit at least one three pointer in 368 of its last 370 games overall, and in 462 of the program's 466 NCAA-era games, which began in the 2006-07 season, with 32 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 (2/8). UT has now hit 231 3-pointers this year (231-of-596; .387), which eclipsed the previous record of 219 set last year in 31 games.
            UT broke the record in 130 fewer attempts (568), while the 596 total attempts this season are ranked second on the single season list. This year's team is on pace to pass the existing school record with ease, needing only 103 more attempts to shatter the record of 698 attempts set last season.
            The Blazers have attempted 20 or more 3-pointers 19 times this season, including a season-high 32 at Arizona (11/17), and 27 more vs. Tarleton (11-of-27). In addition, Utah Tech is currently ranked second in the WAC in 3FGM/game (8.9) and third in 3FG%.
 
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, three boards, two assists and one steals vs. Tarleton last Saturday. 
            Prior to the ACU game, Pope was 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 13.2 ppg in WAC play this season and has scored in double figures in six of UT's 13 conference games overall.
            Pope was inserted into the starting lineup 21 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 26 games to this point of the season, and is averaging 13.2 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 picked up right where he left off. Gooden is averaging 17.1 ppg since his return to action seven games ago, highlighted by a WAC career-high tying 26 points in the win over SUU (2/4).
            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 (2/8). 
            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. Gooden also fouled out in the return home game vs. Tarleton last Saturday night after he was limited to nine points, though he did manage to dish out five dimes. 
            Despite missing those five games, Gooden still leads the team in both scoring (338 pts - 16.1 ppg/15.9 ppg WAC) and assists (3.6 apg). He has led or co-led the Blazers in scoring 12 times and has scored in double figures in 17 of 21 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 73 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 (971) at ACU (1/28), and now stands just 29 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), sixth in assists (255), and seventh in career steals (90), and 3FG made (96). 
 
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 26 starts overall to this point of the season, including going for 11 points with three more made 3-pointers vs. Tarleton last Saturday night. The sophomore now has an 53 made 3-pointers on the year, which is good for fifth 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 (932 career points) also poured in 13 points on 5-of-10 shooting at Seattle U (2/8), and currently stands in 10th place on UT's career points list.
            Staine connected on 3-of-6 from the perimeter vs. Tarleton last Saturday and in the process became the UT program leader in 3FG attempted with 392. In addition, he third in career 3FG made (143), fourth in career steals (110), ninth in career 3FG% (.364), 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 Feb. 4, 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 (2/8), 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 at Seattle U (2/8) 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, then followed that up with 13 points on 3-of-3 shooting and 6-of-8 at the line vs. Tarleton last Saturday night. 
            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 six-straight starts, including last the win vs. SUU, against which he had 10 points and also grabbed seven rebounds to become the seventh player in UT's NCAA era to reach the 400-rebound plateau (409). In addition, the senior is currently seventh in career FG% (.542).
            Like Pope, Nicolds has also started in UT's last 21 games and has averaged 10.2 ppg in those outings.
            In fact, Nicolds has had the hot shooting touch over his last 20 starts, having hit on 71 of his 108 (.657) shot attempts (25-of-44 3FG; .568) and 46-of-65 (.707) 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 led the Trailblazers with a career-high tying 17 points off the bench vs. Tarleton last Saturday night ... 10 of those  points coming in the final 2:35 of play, including a pair of late 3-pointers that kept UT within striking distance. 
* - Leter also tied his career high with 17 points off the bench at Utah State (12/1), with 13 of those points coming after halftime ... 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).
* - 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).
* - Sophomore F/C Trey Edmonds was inserted into the starting line-up in place of an injured Christensen vs. Tarleton last Saturday night ... Edmonds, who battled foul trouble for most of the game, tallied three points and two boards in 10 minutes ... Edmonds picked off a career-high three steals and finished with five points in 11 minutes off the bench at Seattle U (2/8).
* - 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 188 games overall, though the Trailblazers have done it 10 times through 26 games this season, including a 52.7 percent clip (29-of-55) vs. Southern Utah (2/4).
* - 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 86 of its last 191 games decided by nine points or less, including seven of its last eight, and 28 of 78 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 16 of its last 24 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 106 of its last 164 games going back to the 2017-18 campaign. 
 
ABOUT THE SOUTHERN UTAH "THUNDERBIRDS": Southern Utah has split its last two games since the loss at Utah Tech back on Feb. 4. The Thunderbirds rebounded with a 72-62 come-from-behind home win over Tarleton (2/9) before dropping a 90-83 road decision at Utah Valley last Saturday in Orem, however SUU has won seven of its last nine overall.
            The Thunderbirds boast a potent scoring attack as all five starters average double figures, led by senior guard Tevian Jones (6-7), who is the WAC's third-leading scorer at 18.2 ppg on 41.1 percent shooting, though Utah Tech held him to 10 points on 2-of-12 shooting in the Blazers' win on Feb. 4. Jones is also SUU's top 3-point threat (61-of-165; .370), with his 61 made 3FGs are second-most in the WAC, and he leads the team in free throw shooting (119-of-148; .804) and steals (36).  
            SUU enters Friday's game as the top scoring team in the conference at 84.3 ppg, and is second in scoring margin (+10.6), rebounding margin (+4.88) and field goal percentage (.475). 
 
UP NEXT: Utah Tech will close out the road portion of their 2022-23 schedule with its second trip to Texas for a pair of games next week. The Trailblazers will head to Edinburg for their return game at UTRGV on Thursday, Feb. 23, before wrapping up the road slate with their first-ever game against WAC newcomer UT Arlington on Saturday, Feb. 25.