Men's Basketball | 12/28/2024 3:00:00 PM

Game #15
Who | Utah Tech (4-10) at Florida International (5-7)
When | Monday, Dec. 30 – 10 a.m. MT
Where | Ocean Bank Convocation Center – Miami, Fla.
Broadcast | ESPN+ / 99.5 The Fan Sports Network
Social Media | Instagram + Twitter (X) + #UtahTechBlazers + #WACmbb

SCOUTING THE PANTHERS
Florida International comes into Monday afternoon's contest with a 5-7 mark and a 3-2 record at home.

Coming off a 75-69 win over IU Indy at home on Dec. 21, the Panthers also have wins over Florida National (110-55), CSU Bakersfield (76-73), New College of Florida (70-63) and Stetson (81-72) this season.

FIU posted a 11-22 mark in 2023-24 finishing ninth in Conference USA and are led by seventh-year head coach Jeremy Ballard, who is 92-108 (.460) overall in his tenure with the Panthers.

The Panthers sit ninth in Conference USA in scoring offense (73.8) while ranking second in blocks per game (4.9), third in steals per game (8.6) and fifth in scoring defense (70.6).

Junior center Vianney Salatchoum ranks second in C-USA in both blocks (26) and blocks per game (2.17) while junior guard Jayden Brewer tops the team averaging 14.5 points, 5.6 rebounds & 2.8 assists per game.

SERIES HISTORY VS. FIU & CONFERENCE USA
This will be Utah Tech's second meeting against Florida International.

The Trailblazers topped FIU, 96-92 in overtime in St. George last season behind a program record seven three-pointers from Noa Gonsalves.

Utah Tech sank a season-high 14 three-pointers as a team, outrebounded FIU, 58-34, and outpaced the Panthers, 13-9 in the extra session to pull out the win.

Overall, UT has faced four current Conference USA members with 1-0 records against FIU and Jacksonville State while going 0-2 vs. Sam Houston State and 1-5 vs. New Mexico State. 

LAST TIME OUT
Storming back from an 11-point deficit to South Dakota over the final 5:32 of the second half, the Trailblazers came out victorious over the Coyotes, 92-87 on Dec. 19.

Led by a double-double from Beon Riley, who finished with 21 points and a career-high 14 rebounds, Gonsalves notched a season-high 22 points, including connecting on 6-for-11 from three-point range, adding three rebounds and an assist.

Samuel Ariyibi posted a second straight double-double finishing with 11 points and a career-best 12 rebounds.

Making his Trailblazer debut, freshman guard Madiba Owona came off the bench to score 11 points, including a clutch three-pointer in the final minute, along with two rebounds in 16 minutes of action.

With the Coyotes leading 42-39 at the break, South Dakota continued to lead throughout the second half building a 10-point lead (69-59) with 10:25 to play and USD continued to lead by 11 with five-and-half minutes to play.

A 14-5 run for the Trailblazers over the next three-and-half minutes brought UT back within two (84-82) as a three-pointer by Gonsalves put the Trailblazers in the lead for the first time in the half with 90 seconds remaining.

A layup by Ariyibi and a three-pointer by Owona extended the Trailblazers lead to six, 90-84 as UT completed the comeback win.

WHERE THE BLAZERS RANK IN THE WAC/NCAA
Utah Tech continues to lead the WAC in three point percentage defense holding opponents to 30.2 percent from beyond the arc. Eight of UT's 14 opponents have shot below that mark with Montana being the lowest mark (.200).

The Trailblazers are also second in turnovers per game (11.1), three point attempts per game (23.6) and assist/turnover ratio (1.18) while ranking third in offensive rebounds per game (11.64) & three pointers per game (7.2).

Individually, Gonsalves ranks second in the WAC in three point attempts (92) and is third in made 3-pointers (33).

Riley checks in third in the conference in rebounds (84) while Ariybi is fifth in blocks per game (1.23).

SEASON HIGHS
Utah Tech shot a season-high 49.2 percent (32-65) from the field and 44.8 percent (13-29) from three point range.

The 13 made three-pointers were also a season high for the Trailblazers.

RILEY RETURNS WITH A BANG
After missing the last three contests, Riley came back strong against South Dakota as he was one point shy of matching his career high in points (22 at Portland State, Nov. 30) and grabbed 14 rebounds to top his previous career best of 13 set vs. Utah Valley on Dec. 2, 2023.

BYRD CLOSING IN 1K CAREER PTS
Senior guard Hakim Byrd is closing in 1,000 career points as he enters Monday only 14 points shy of that mark.

With 100 total points at UT this season, Byrd totaled 658 points at Thomas Jefferson (2022-24), 176 points at Marist (2020-21) & 52 pts. at UMBC (2021-22).

PROGRAM RECORDS
The Trailblazers set a pair of single game program records against Whittier on Dec. 16 in both total rebounds (66) and field goal attempts (85).

SHARING THE ROCK
The Trailblazers recorded a season-leading 23 assists on Dec. 16 against Whittier.

It was the most assists for the Trailblazers since dishing out 22 assists in a 79-74 win at home at UTRGV on March 7, 2024.

THREE POINT KING
Gonsalves became the program leader for the most career three pointers made on Dec. 7 at Utah State passing Brandon Simister (2012-18). 

He currently has 178 made three-pointers in 473 attempts and is ninth in 3-point percentage at 37.6 percent.

CONSISTENT TRAILBLAZERS
Gonsalves, Bieker and Britton Berrett have played in all 14 games while Gonsalves is the lone Blazer to score in all 14 contests.

WHAT'S NEXT
Utah Tech opens WAC play at home on Jan. 9 hosting UT Arlington (6-7) at Burns Arena at 7 p.m.