Who | Utah Tech (6-7, 2-0 WAC) at Seattle U (8-5, 1-1 WAC)
When | Thursday, Jan. 4 / 8 p.m. MT
Where | Redhawk Center / Seattle, Wash.
Broadcast | ESPN+ / 99.5 The Fan Sports Network
Social Media | Instagram + Twitter (X) + #UniteTheFamily / #IntoTheStorm
 
Conference Play
Thursday's game against Seattle U begins a stretch of 18-straight regular season games against Western Athletic Conference competition. The Trailblazers enter this game with a 2-0 record against WAC opponents this season, defeating Utah Valley and California Baptist in early December. SU does hold an advantage in the all-time series, however, holding a 5-2 advantage over Utah Tech.
 
Tanner Christensen scored 19 points the last time these two teams matched up, a 93-56 Trailblazer victory on March 1, 2023. The Redhawks have gotten off to a hot start in 2023-24, however, posting an 8-5 record through the first 134 games and out-scoring opponents by 10.0 points per game. Cameron Tyson is fueling the offense to the tune of 19.8 points per game and has found his rhythm in recent games, scoring a season-high 33 against Louisiana Tech on Dec. 20 before pouring in 25 against UTEP on Dec. 30.
 
Overtime Wins
Utah Tech enters this weekend's game coming off a hard-fought home win against FIU, defeating the Panthers 96-92 in overtime. The visitors built a lead as large as 12 points mid-way through the first half but the Trailblazers fought back, building their own double-digit lead down the stretch of the first half but clutch shooting from deep brought things level at the end of regulation; Utah Tech then proceeded to shoot 50% from the field in the extra period to claim the four-point win.
 
Pressure Makes Diamonds
Saturday's game was not the first time this season that Utah Tech has played in an overtime. During the team's second game of the year, it took just one extra period for Utah Tech to down Jacksonville State, 81-79, on the road. With an overtime victory in the first round of the 2023 Hercules Tires WAC Men's Basketball Tournament last season, UT has won its last three overtime games.
 
Cleaning the Glass
A key part of the Trailblazers' success against FIU was an outright domination of the glass. Utah Tech posted a plus-24 rebounding advantage, grabbing 58 to the Panthers' 34. Led by Christensen's 10, five players finished with five or more boards: Beon Riley (eight), Demings (seven), Searles (five) and Caleb Stearman (five), all contributing to the team's first 50-plus rebound performance since grabbing 51 against UTRGV on Dec. 29, 2022.
 
Bench Points
Led by Jaylen Searles and Angelo Kambala posting 11 points apiece, Utah Tech's bench played a big role in the season-high scoring output. Unisa Turay (five) along with Caleb Stearman (four) and Tennessee Rainwater (one) helped produce 32 points from the reserve unit, which is the second-highest this season. The bench has accounted for 30 points in three games this year: against Santa Clara (30), FIU (32) and North Dakota (44).
 
Record-Setting
Fueling the Trailblazer offense against Florida International was Noa Gonsalves, who had a game for the books, setting a new program record for three-pointers made in a single game when he connected on seven of his 11 attempts from range, finishing the game with a team-leading 21 points.
 
The scoring outburst also set a new season-high mark for points by the Lehi, Utah, native, also ranking second-most in his career after a 24-point outing against New Mexico State last season.
 
Dynamic Demings
Utah Tech's freshman point guard Aric Demings had one of his best performances at the collegiate level against FIU, setting new career-high marks for points and rebounds as he finished with a line of 19 points, seven rebounds and three assists, shooting 4-7 from the field, 1-1 from deep and 10-16 at the line.
 
The performance lifted his season average to 10.4 points per game while shooting 38.9% from the field and 35.9% from deep, and Demings is now one of four Trailblazers to average double-figure scoring this season.
 
A Little Bit of Everything
UT's leading scorer this season is Tanner Christensen, who did a little bit of everything in that victory over FIU. Not only did he record his third double-double of the season with 15 points and 10 rebounds, the 6-10 forward/center tied career-highs with five assists and four blocks while shooting 6-9 from the field and 3-4 at the line.
 
Christensen is currently on a run of four-straight games with three or more blocks, improving his season average to 1.85 per game, a mark that ranks second-highest in the WAC just behind UTA's Shemar Wilson (2.0).
 
Efficient Offense
Shooting 30-64 (46.9%) from the field and 14-26 (53.8%) from three-point range, Utah Tech's 96-point performance was the highest offensive output of any game this season; the Trailblazers' last 90+ point performance came against Seattle U on March 1, 2023.
 
Second Straight Start
After making his first start of the season against Colorado on Dec. 21, Hamed Olayinka remained in the first five against FIU, finishing with eight points (4-5 FG) and four rebounds across 16 minutes of action. Having played in every single game this season, Olayinka has season averages of 4.6 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.6 blocks while shooting 56.1% from the field.
 
Four-Point Play
Angelo Kambala had the best game of his young career against the Panthers, playing 27 minutes off the bench and hitting a number of important shots - though none were bigger than when the Las Vegas, Nev., native drilled a corner three and was fouled, converting the free throw to turn a two-possession game into a 10-point Trailblazer lead.
 
Kambala added another triple during the overtime period and finished Saturday's game with 11 points, three rebounds and four assists, hitting 5-7 shots at the line.
 
Clutch Triple
Though FIU tied the game with just 28 seconds on the clock, Utah Tech came close to sealing the game in regulation thanks to a clutch bucket from Jaylen Searles. After finding himself open several feet behind the arc, Searles unleashed a triple that caught nothing but net to put UT ahead, 83-80, with seven seconds on the clock.
 
The clutch bucket put a seal on his solid outing, as the 6-8 forward finished with 11 points (4-8 FG, 3-3 3PT), five rebounds and two assists in 25 minutes played.
 
Headed Home
After playing the Redhawks on Saturday, Utah Tech returns home to face Grand Canyon. Tipoff against the Lopes is slated for 7 p.m. this Saturday, Jan. 6.