Who | Utah Tech (10-16, 6-9 WAC) at UT Arlington (14-13, 9-7 WAC)
When | Saturday, February 24 / 1 p.m. (MT)
Where | College Park Center (7,000) / Arlington, Texas
Broadcast | ESPN+ / The Fan Sports Network 99.5 FM
Live Stats | at UT Arlington
Social Media | Instagram + Twitter (X) + #UniteTheFamily / #IntoTheStorm

Utah Tech vs. UT Arlington
            Saturday's game will be the third meeting between the Trailblazers and Mavericks on the hardwood, and the second one played in UTA's home gym
            Utah Tech is looking for its first win in the budding series after UT Arlington claimed the first two match-ups, including an 87-66 road triumph earlier this month in the Burns Arena (2/3/24). 
            The Mavericks drew first blood last season with thrilling 71-69 overtime home win in Arlington (2/25/23). 
 
Scouting the Mavericks
            UT Arlington enters Saturday's game having won five of its seven February games, which includes the road win at Utah Tech back on Feb. 3, and a 90-85 home victory over Southern Utah this past Thursday night. 
            The Mavericks boast four players averaging double figures, led by junior guard Phillip Russell (5-10) at 13.2 ppg on 36.6 percent shooting. Meanwhile, reigning WAC Player of the Week DaJuan Gordon (Gr., G/6-5) is averaging nearly a double-double a game at 12.7 ppg and 8.5 rpg (#2 in the WAC). 
 
Last Time Out
            Utah Tech saw a double-digit first half lead disappear, and despite a furious last minute rally, the Trailblazers were felled in a last-second 66-65 heart breaker to Seattle U last Saturday night inside the Burns Arena. 
 
The March to 500
            Utah Tech will play in its 500th NCAA game when the Trailblazers take the court at UT Arlington on Saturday afternoon. 
            The Blazers are currently 311-188 (.623) 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 Continues Strong Play
            Junior forward Jaylen Searles kept his strong February going with his first double-double of the season with 13 points and a career high 10 rebounds vs. Seattle U last Saturday night.
            Searles collected his 10th rebound on an offensive board and tip-in with 15 seconds left to give the Trailblazers a one-point lead.
            That effort came on a week when he swept both the WAC's Player and Newcomer of the Week awards on Feb. 12.  
            Searles averaged 23.0 points and 6.0 rebounds in a home sweep of Southern Utah (Feb. 8) and CBU (Feb. 10). 
            After he tallied 13 points and four boards in the SUU win, the junior struck for a career-high 33 points on 12-of-16 from the floor and 8-of-9 at the foul line two days later vs. the Lancers. 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 majority of January due to injury, junior guard Beon Riley returned to action vs. Southern Utah (2/8) and picked up right where he left off with team-highs of 16 points and eight rebounds in the 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 vs. CBU (2/10) and responded with 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting with four boards in 28 minutes vs. CBU before fouling out.
            Riley sat out the Seattle U game last Saturday, but will look to return to action at UTA this weekend.
            Riley has scored in double figures in 13 of his 19 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 two more trifectas last Saturday night vs. Seattle U on his way to 12 points.
            Gonsalves has knocked down 12 3-pointers over his last six games, and in the process has vaulted into fourth place on Utah Tech's career 3FGM list (133). 
            In fact, the junior guard now stands 34 made threes away from passing former Blazer guard Brandon Simister (166; 2012-18) to become the program's all-time leader. 
            Gonsalves has hit three or more trifectas eight times this season, highlighted by a single-game school record seven 3-pointers in the Blazers' home overtime victory over Florida International (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 fourth in the WAC in made threes (54; 2.08 3FGM/g), also became just the second player in the program's NCAA era to hit 50 or more 3-pointers twice in one season. Former guard Tom Whitehead was the first to do so with 56 in 2009-10, and 60 more one year later. 
            Gonsalves has also been near-automatic at the charity stripe, leading the team with an 80.9 percent clip (34-of-42) 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 sixth double-double of the season with a game-high 18 points and team-high 10 rebounds at GCU on Feb. 15. In fact, Christensen was five assists shy of a triple-double as he dished out a team-best five helpers.
            For Christensen, who racked up four double-doubles in his Blazer debut season last year, it was the 11th double-double of his collegiate career, which included one he recorded while at Idaho during the 2021-22 season.
            Christensen now has 12 double-digit rebound games in his near two years at Utah Tech and 17 overall during his collegiate career. He (402 rebs.) also became the ninth Trailblazer in program history to surpass 400 career rebounds, and including his rebounding numbers during his time at Idaho (2020-22; 273 rebs), he is 25 caroms away from 700 career rebounds overall.
 
Block Party
            Sophomore forward Hamed Olayinka and Christensen have been jockeying back-and-forth for the team lead in blocked shots this season.
            Entering Saturday's game at UT Arlington, the duo finds themselves ranked third (Olayinka 45) and fourth (Christensen 44) in the WAC in blocks, respectively. 
            Olayinka has led or co-led the Blazers in blocks 16 times this season overall, including two more blocks at GCU (215), while Christensen is two games back at 14 games. 
            Christensen is currently third all-time in program history in career blocks (69 in 58 games), while Olayinka (45 in 26 games) has already moved into seventh place on the career list. 
 
Hip-Hip-Turay
            Junior guard Unisa Turay poured in a career-high 14 points with three 3-pointers at GCU (2/15), with nine of those points coming after halftime to help keep the Blazers within striking distance.
            Turay's night eclipsed his previous career high of 12 points, which came on the road at Utah Valley (1/20) last month. 
 
Rare Aric
            After missing the GCU road game last week (2/15), freshman guard Aric Demings came back with a WAC career-high 13 points on 4-of-6 shooting and three assists against Seattle U this past Saturday. 
            Demings has scored in double figures nine times this season, highlighted by a career-best 19 points in the Florida International win (12/30). 
 
Something About (CB) U
            Utah Tech shot a season-best 61.2 percent (30-of-49) from the floor in its win over CBU on Feb. 10, 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 will close out its 2023-24 home slate with two games next week, beginning with a match-up against Tarleton on "Leap Day" Feb. 29. Tip-off inside the Burns Arena is set for 7 p.m. (MT).