Men's Basketball | 2/12/2024 1:35:00 PM

Thanks to a pair of dominant performances last week, Utah Tech junior forward Jaylen Searles swept the Western Athletic Conference's TicketSmarter Player and Newcomer of the Week awards on Monday.  
 
Searles averaged 23.0 points on a combined 62.9 shooting (17-of-27), 2-of-7 (.286) from the perimeter, and 66.7 percent (10-of-15) at the line, in Utah Tech's two-game home sweep. In addition, he averaged 6.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 3.5 steal in his two starts.
 
The junior began the week with 13 points on 5-of-11 shooting with four rebounds, one block and three steals in Utah Tech's 70-68 triumph over in-state rival this past Thursday night. 
 
Searles then chased that with a career-high 33 points on 12-of-16 from the floor and 8-of-9 at the foul line to lead the Blazers to an 85-78 win over California Baptist on Saturday afternoon. He also pulled down a game-high eight boards, and had four assists and picked off a career-high four steals. 
 
Searles' 33-point day tied for the fourth-most points scored in a game by a Utah Tech player in the program's four-year era. In addition, his 33 points were also the second-most scored by a Utah Tech player in the program's NCAA Division I era, second only to former point guard Cameron Gooden's school record 35 points in his final game in the Trailblazers' WAC Tournament quarterfinal loss to SUU last season (3/9/23).

Utah Tech (10-14/6-7 WAC) will play the first of its two February road games next Thursday night when the Trailblazers head to the desert to tangle with WAC leading Grand Canyon. Tip-off inside the GCU Arena in Phoenix is set for 7 p.m. (MT).