Who | Utah Tech (10-14, 6-7 WAC) at Grand Canyon (22-2, 12-1 WAC)
When | Thursday, February 15 / 7 p.m. (MT)
Where | GCU Arena / Phoenix, Ariz.
Broadcast | ESPN+ / The Fan Sports Network 99.5 FM
Live Stats | at Grand Canyon
Social Media | Instagram + Twitter (X) + #UniteTheFamily / #IntoTheStorm

Utah Tech vs. Grand Canyon
        Utah Tech is 13-10 all-time in its series vs. Grand Canyon, which dates back to when both programs were members of the Pacific West Conference. However the Trailblazers have dropped six of the last seven meetings vs. the Lopes, including a 75-65 home loss in the Burns Arena this past Jan. 6. 
        Utah Tech is 5-5 vs. GCU in Phoenix, that said the Blazers have not won in the desert since the 2012-13 season (W, 65-64; 2/2/13).
        In the 2020-21 campaign, the two sides renewed their old PacWest rivalry with a two-game set in St. George, however it was the eventual WAC champion Lopes who came away with the road sweep (GCU 77, UT 74 - 1/22/21; GCU 81, UT 46 - 1/23/21).
        Prior to that 2020-21 season, Utah Tech and GCU last met in the 2012-13 campaign, which was GCU's final season in the PacWest before its transition to NCAA Division I status and the program's move to the WAC.

Scouting the Lopes
        WAC-leading Grand Canyon begins the week tied for the best overall record in the NCAA Division I ranks at 22-2 (UConn/Purdue), and enjoys a two-game lead over Tarleton (10-3) in the WAC standings at 12-1.
        The Lopes will carry a five-game win streak into Thursday night's game after they ran their home record to 12-0 thanks to a convincing 94-65 rout of Southern Utah this past Saturday night.
        GCU features the top scoring offense in the WAC (81.0 ppg) and currently leads the conference in both scoring (+13.5 ppg) and rebounding (6.7 rpg) margins, FG% (.469) and FT% (.749), and is second only behind Utah Tech (.345) in 3FG% (.340).
        Senior guard Tyon Grant-Foster (6-7), who scored 20 points in the first GCU/Utah Tech game last month, is the WAC's second-leading scorer at 19.0 ppg on 43.6 percent shooting.
        Meanwhile, senior forward Gabe McGlothan (6-7), who had 23 vs. Utah Tech last month, is the WAC's sixth-leading scorer (16.2 ppg) and fifth-leading rebounder (7.4 rpg).

Last Time Out
        The Trailblazers completed a 3-1 homestand when they slipped past California Baptist by an 85-78 count last Saturday afternoon inside the Burns Arena.
        Utah Tech led by 17 at the half and by as many as 20 points in the second, only to see the Lancers battle all the way back to make a one-point game with under two minutes to play. 
        However thanks to a career day from junior forward Jaylen Searles and clutch free throw shooting in the closing moments, the Blazers managed to hold on and claim the big home victory.

The March to 500
        Utah Tech will play in its 500th NCAA game when the Trailblazers travel to UT Arlington on Saturday, Feb. 24. 
        The Blazers are currently 311-186 (.625) all-time during their four-year era, which began in the 2006-07 academic year.
        In addition, Head Coach Jon Judkins will coach in his 500th career NCAA game in the home season finale vs. Abilene Christian on March 2. 

Searles Sweeps the WAC Weekly Honors
        Thanks to a pair of dominant performances last week, Searles swept the Western Athletic Conference's 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).

Life of Riley
        After missing the last six games due to injury, junior guard Beon Riley returned to action last Thursday night and picked up right where he left off with team-highs of 16 points and eight rebounds in the SUU win.
        Riley, who scored 14 of his 16 points in the first half, connected on 7-of-12 from the floor, including a 6-of-8 clip in the opening frame, and had two assists and one steal in 29-plus minutes of action off the bench.
        The junior guard returned to the starting lineup on Saturday vs. CBU and responded with 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting with four boards in 28 minutes vs. CBU before fouling out.
        Riley has scored in double figures in 13 of his 18 games played this season, including a season-high 21 points in Utah Tech's road win at CBU back on Dec. 6. 

Release-Rotation-Splash
        Junior guard Noa Gonsalves continued his climb up the Utah Tech 3-point charts with seven made treys during Utah Tech's just completed homestand, during which he averaged just under 12 ppg.
        Gonsalves poured in 15 points in last Thursday's win over SUU, 11 of which came in the second half, and he tallied seven boards, two assists and two steals on the night.
        The junior guard has hit three or more trifectas seven times this season, highlighted by a single-game school record seven 3-pointers in the Blazers' home overtime victory over FIU (12/30). He followed that up with four treys vs. Grand Canyon (1/6) and five more in the Stephen F. Austin home win (1/11).
        Gonsalves, who is currently fifth in the WAC in made threes (49; 2.04 3FGM/g), enters play on Thursday three 3-pointers shy of vaulting into solo fifth place on Utah Tech's career 3FGM list (128).
        Gonsalves has also been near-automatic at the charity stripe, leading the team with an 85.0 percent clip (34-of-40) at the line, including a career-best 9-of-10 effort vs. UT Arlington back on Feb. 3. 

Double Your Pleasure
        Junior forward Tanner Christensen posted his fifth double-double of the season with 11 points and a game-high 11 rebounds in the homestand-opening win over UTRGV (2/1).
        For Christensen, who racked up four double-doubles in his Blazer debut season last year, it was the 10th double-double of his career, which included one he posted while at Idaho during the 2021-22 season.
        Christensen now has 11 double-digit rebound games in his near two years at Utah Tech and 16 overall during his collegiate career.

Block Party
        Christensen and sophomore forward Hamed Olayinka are jockeying back-and-forth for the team lead in blocked shots this season.
        Entering Thursday's game at GCU, the pair finds themselves ranked t-second in the WAC in blocks with 43 apiece. 
        Olayinka has led or co-led the Blazers in blocks 15 times this season overall, while Christensen is one game back at 14 games. 
        Christensen is currently third all-time in program history in career blocks (69 in 56 games), while Olayinka (43 in 24 games) moved into solo eighth place on the career list thanks to his lone block vs. CBU on Saturday afternoon. 
        The pair is also tied for fourth on the program's single-season blocks list. 

What a Difference a Day Makes
        After shooting a paltry 62.5 percent at the foul line in Thursday's win over SUU, Utah Tech connected on a season-best 91.7 percent (22-of-24) at the charity stripe on Saturday vs. CBU, which included a 17-of-19 clip in the second half.           

Something About (CB) U
        Utah Tech shot a season-best 61.2 percent (30-of-49) from the floor in Saturday's win over CBU, which included a sizzling 70.4 percent effort (19-of-27) in the first half - also a season high.
        The Trailblazers' big day from the floor eclipsed their previous season highs in both overall (.588; 30-of-51) and first half (.680; 17-of-25) shooting percentages, which coincidentally were set in Utah Tech's road win at CBU this past December 6.  

What's Next
        Utah Tech returns home for a crucial WAC showdown vs. Seattle U on Saturday night. Tip-off inside the Burns Arena is set for 7 p.m. (MT).