Men's Basketball | 11/7/2024 11:30:00 AM

Who | New Mexico State (1-0) at Utah Tech (0-1)
When | Saturday, Nov. 9 – 7 p.m.
Where | Burns Arena – St. George, Utah
Broadcast | ESPN+ / 99.5 The Fan Sports Network
Social Media | Instagram + Twitter (X) + #UtahTechBlazers

Scouting the Aggies
New Mexico State opened the season on Monday night with a 93-57 win over New Mexico Highlands behind four double digit scorers, led by graduate student forward Robert Carpenter with 18 points. Senior forward Nate Tshimanga, a Utah Valley transfer, grabbed a team-leading 12 rebounds.

NMSU is a veteran group with nine of its 15 players being seniors or graduate students. Senior guard Christian Cook was the Aggies' leading scorer a year ago averaging 11.3 points per game.

The Aggies are coming off a 13-19 overall season in 2023-24 while going 7-9 in Conference USA action to finish in a four-way tie in the conference with Liberty, UTEP or Middle Tennessee.

Head coach Jason Hooten is in his second season at NMSU after going 261-169 (.607) in 13 seasons at the helm of Sam Houston from 2010 to 2023.

Utah Tech vs. CUSA Opponents
New Mexico State is the most-often played opponent for Utah Tech hailing from Conference USA as this will be the Trailblazers sixth meeting against the Aggies

Utah Tech won the last meeting against NMSU winning 89-76 at home on Jan. 21, 2023 behind 24 points from Noa Gonsalves, but trail the all-time series, 4-1.

UT has also played CUSA members Sam Houston State (0-2) and Florida International (1-0).

The Blazers travel to FIU on Dec. 30 for the second game of the WAC/CUSA Alliance. UT defeated FIU, 96-92 at home in overtime last season.

Trailblazers in Home Openers
Utah Tech is a perfect 4-0 in home openers as a Division I program with wins over North Dakota (2020-21), Southern Utah (21-22), CSUN (22-23) and Utah Valley (23-24).    

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

Seasoned Veteran
Head coach Jon Judkins is in his 20th season at Utah Tech this season sporting a 331-204 (.619) overall record and a 311-192 mark in NCAA play.

Only nine Division I coaches enter the 2024-25 season having 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).

Home Cooking
The Trailblazers are 165-54 (.753) overall at Burns Arena in the NCAA era.

Coming off a 6-7 mark at home in 2023-24, UT has recorded 14 winnings seasons in 18 seasons in St. George, including a perfect 12-0 in 2008-09.

The Blazers are 30-25 (.545) at home in the Divison I era.

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).

Bieker Sets New Career High
After scoring 66 total points in 65 games in his five years at San Francisco, Justin Bieker led the Trailblazers with a career-best 14 points on Monday at Oregon State on 5-of-11 shooting adding three rebounds, two assists and a steal.

First Time Trailblazers Seeing Action
In addition to Bieker, seven other Trailblazers saw their first action at Utah Tech on Monday with Ariyibi and Byrd getting the start along with Sammy Howlin, Misic, Berrett, Schenck and Grant off the bench.

Ariyibi, who only played in six games over two seasons at Washington, set career highs in points (6) and rebounds (7).

Trailblazers 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.).

Gonsalves The Sniper
With 95 career games played, including 61 starts, Gonsalves sits third in program history in three-pointers made (147) and second in attempts (391) while ranking seventh in three point percentage (.376).

He is just 20 made three-pointers and 32 three-point attempts shy of reaching the top spot in both categories.

Life of Riley
Senior guard Beon Riley is also a big returning piece for the Trailblazers after finishing third on the team with 10.7 points per game and posted 16 double figure scoring contests.

The Chula Vista, Calif. native nearly missed a double-double at Oregon State finishing with nine points and nine rebounds while grabbing a team-leading five assists  before fouling out late in the second half.

Hip-Hip-Turay
Senior guard Unisa Turay is also a key returner after playing in 28 games a season ago after transferring in from Scottsdale CC.

Turay led the Trailblazers with 73 assists averaging 2.6 assists per contest and became the sixth different Trailblazer to dish out at least 10 assists in a game in the program's NCAA era last season against UTRGV (March 7), and the first to do in the Division I era.

What's Next
Utah Tech is back in action at home on Wednesday hosting Bethesda (Calif.) at 7 p.m. at Burns Arena.