(St. George, Utah - Dec. 16, 2024) - Leading from start to finish, the Trailblazers got back on the winning track on Monday night defeating Whittier, 100-66 at Burns Arena.

Highlighted by five Trailblazers in double figures, Utah Tech (3-10) scored a season-high 100 points led by a career-best 17 points from redshirt sophomore guard Stone Hutchings.

Senior center Sammy Howlin came off the bench to notch his first career double-double finishing with career highs in both points (16) and rebounds (15).

"I thought Sammy came in and played really well. He finished strong, he did some good things," head coach Jon Judkins said.

Junior guard Britton Berrett tacked on a career-best 16 points off the bench, sinking four three-pointers, while Samuel Ariyibi recorded his first career double-double tallying 13 points and grabbed a career-best 11 rebounds.

Senior guard Noa Gonsalves rounded out the double-digit scorers with 13 points, two rebounds and a steal.

Whittier (6-3) was lead by guards Aamari Smith with 31 points and Andrew Milot added 12 points.

How It Happened
Getting out to a 9-2 lead after a three-pointer by Tennessee Rainwater, the Trailblazers went on a 25-11 run to extend their lead to 34-13 after a jumper by Ariyibi with 7:20 to play in the opening half.

The Poets chiseled down the lead to 17 (39-22), but the Trailblazers ended the first half on an 11-4 run to take a 24-point lead to the break.

A layup by Gonsalves got the scoring started for UT in the second half as they shot 46.5 percent from the field in the half extending their lead to as many as 37 (96-59) with 3:38 to play.

Two late layups by freshman Preston Vandermyde, his first two fields as a Trailblazer, got Utah Tech to the 100-point mark.

Numbers to Know

• This was Utah Tech's first-ever contest against Whitter.
• It was the first time since Feb. 14, 2020 the Trailblazers have had two players with double-doubles (Jack Pagenkopf & Cameron Chatwin).
• Howlin, Hutchings and Berrett each topped their previous career highs of five, eight & 12 points, respectively.
• Howlin's 15 rebounds were four shy of the single-game program mark of 19 set by Zach Robbins on Feb. 28, 2015 and he was the first Trailblazer to reach 15 rebounds since Isaiah Clark at Cal Poly Pomona on Jan. 10, 2017.
• Utah Tech set a program record with 66 total rebounds as a team (25 offensive) topping the previous high of 62 set at Cal Poly Pomona on Nov. 10, 2017.
• The Trailblazers also set a program record with 85 total field goal attempts topping the previous best mark of 82 set vs. Central Washington on Nov. 18, 2016.
• UT also set season highs in assists (23) and field goals made (41) while the Poets only committed eight turnovers, a season-low for a Trailblazer opponent.
• The Trailblazers reached the 100-point plateau for the first time since Dec. 17, 2022 defeating The Master's University, 100-58.
• The 34-point margin of win was the largest since a 37-point win over Seattle U at home on March 1, 2023.
• UT tallied five Trailblazers in double figures for the first time since Feb. 29, 2024 vs. Tarleton State.
• The 59 bench points were the most since Dec. 15, 2021 vs. SAGU-AIC (64).

Up Next
The Trailblazers close out their three-game homestand on Thursday night hosting South Dakota (9-4) at 7 p.m. at Burns Arena