Men's Basketball | 11/14/2024 4:00:00 PM

Game #4
Who | Utah Tech (1-2) at Wyoming (2-1)
When | Saturday, Nov. 16 – 7 p.m.
Where | Arena-Auditorium – Laramie, Wyo.
Broadcast | Mountain West Network / 99.5 The Fan Sports Network
Social Media | Instagram + Twitter (X) + #UtahTechBlazers + #WACmbb

Scouting the Cowboys
Wyoming comes into Saturday's contest with a 2-1 record coming off a 96-49 loss at home to Texas Tech on Wednesday night. The Cowboys earned a pair of wins to start the season defeating Division II Concordia-St. Paul (108-85) and Tennessee State (81-66).

Coming off a 15-17 overall season in 2023-24, the Cowboys finished eighth in the Mountain West with an 8-10 conference mark.

Led by first-year head coach Sundance Wicks, Wyoming is led in scoring by senior guard Obi Agbim averaging 21.3 points per game, which ranks second-best in the MW.

Senior guard Jordan Nesbitt is nearly averaging a double-double averaging 10 points and nine rebounds per game (third in the MW).

As a team, the Cowboys are shooting 47.9 percent from the field (sixth in the MW) while averaging 79.3 points per game and allowing 82.3 points per contest.

Series History vs. Wyoming/Mountain West Network
This will be the Trailblazers' first meeting against Wyoming and fourth against a current member of the Mountain West.

The Blazers have seen three MW opponents in Nevada (0-1, Nov. 7, 2022), New Mexico (0-1, Jan. 13, 2021) and Utah State (0-1, Dec. 1, 2022).

Utah Tech will also face Boise State and Utah State on the road in December.

Last Time Out
The Trailblazers earned their first win of the season on Wednesday night with a 90-59 victory over Bethesda at Burns Arena.

With its largest margin of victory since beating Chapman by 41 points on Dec. 17, 2022, the Blazers used a 24-6 run to start the second half to take a 14-point halftime lead to 32 going on for the blowout win.

UT was led in scoring by Noa Gonsalves with 17 points, got a double-double from Beon Riley (14 pts, 10 rebs.) and got a career-high 13 points off the bench by Tennessee Rainwater. 

Where the Blazers Rank in the WAC/NCAA
Utah Tech currently ranks second in the WAC in three point attempts per game (25.7), turnovers (10.3) and offensive rebounds per game (14.33).

The Trailblazers also check in fourth in assist/turnover ratio (1.26), free throw attempts (26.7), rebounds per game (42.0), scoring defense (71.3) and steals per game (8.0).

Individually, Riley leads the WAC in total rebounds (26) and is second in rebounds per game (8.7). Gonsalves ranks among the top five in three-pointers made (7), steals (6) and field goal attempts (34).

Road Trip Gets Underway
With the Trailblazers next eight games on the road, UT will not host another home game at Burns Arena until facing Weber State on Dec. 13.     

The Trailblazers will be one of 18 Division I teams who will go at least 30 days in between home games led by Bethune Cookman going 63 days (Nov. 16-Jan. 18).

Getting on the Boards
The Trailblazers 59 rebounds against Bethesda are tied for the third-most in a single game in program history and only three shy of tying the program record of 62 set at Cal Poly Pomona on Nov. 10, 2017.

Seasoned Veteran
Head coach Jon Judkins is in his 20th season at Utah Tech this season sporting a 332-205 (.618) overall record and a 312-193 (.618) mark in NCAA play.

Only nine current Division I coaches have been at their schools longer - Greg Kampe (41st season at Oakland), Tom Izzo (30-Michigan St.), Mark Few (26-Gonzaga), James Jones (26-Yale), Randy Bennett (26-Saint Mary's), Leonard Hamilton (23-Florida St.), Scott Drew (22-Baylor), Bill Self (22-Kansas) & Gary Manchel (22-Mercyhurst).

New Kids on the Block
The Blazers bring in five transfers in sixth-year guard Justin Bieker (San Francisco), fifth-year guard Hakim Byrd (Thomas Jefferson University/UMBC/Marist), redshirt junior forward Samuel Ariyibi (Washington), junior guard Britton Berrett (College of Southern Idaho) and redshirt freshman guard Dallin Grant (Utah State).

Rounding out the newcomers are five freshmen in a pair of guards Hunter Schenck (Pleasant View, Utah) & Madiba Owona (Bordeaux, France), guard/forward Preston Vandermyde (St. George, Utah), forward Bryson Bailey (Lehi, Utah) and center Pavle Misic (Nis, Serbia).

Nine of the 10 Trailblazer newcomers have seen action this season with Bieker and Byrd starting all three games with Bieker scoring a career-high 14 points in the season opener at Oregon State.

Gonsalves The Sniper
With 97 career games played, including 63 starts, Gonsalves moved into the sole spot of second in program history in career three-pointers made (152) on Wednesday and also sits second in attempts (401) while ranking eighth in three point percentage (.379).

He is just 15 made three-pointers and 22 three-point attempts shy of reaching the top spot in both categories.

Trailblazers in Home Openers
Utah Tech fell to 4-1 in home openers in the Division I era with its loss to New Mexico State on Nov. 9.

The Blazers have racked up wins over North Dakota (2020-21), Southern Utah (21-22), CSUN (22-23) and Utah Valley (23-24).

The Trailblazers had won five straight home openers before its loss to the Aggies with its last loss coming in the 2018-19 home opener falling 72-66 to Cal Poly Pomona.

UT Picked Eighth in the WAC
The Trailblazers was picked to finish eighth in the 2024-25 WAC men's basketball preseason coaches poll, which was released on October 15.

Grand Canyon received eight of nine first place votes and 64 total points to be tabbed as the WAC preseason favorite, while UT Arlington (49 pts) was picked to finish second, followed by Seattle U (46 pts.), California Baptist (45 pts.), Utah Valley (38 pts.), Tarleton State (30 pts.), Abilene Christian (29 pts.), the Trailblazers and SUU (11 pts.)

What's Next
Utah Tech is back in action at Utah (3-0) on Nov. 22 for an afternoon contest in Salt Lake City at 3:30 p.m.