Who | Utah Tech (10-17, 6-10 WAC) vs. Tarleton (20-7, 13-3 WAC)
When | Thursday, February 29 / 7 p.m. (MT)
Where | Burns Arena (4,779) / St. George, Utah
Broadcast | ESPN+ / The Fan Sports Network 99.5 FM
Live Stats | vs. Tarleton
Social Media | Instagram + Twitter (X) + #UniteTheFamily / #IntoTheStorm

Utah Tech vs. Tarleton
            Utah Tech is 1-5 all-time vs. Tarleton on the hardwood and enters Thursday night's tilt looking to end a four-game losing streak to the Texans overall, which includes an 86-68 road loss in Stephenville back on Jan. 27. 
            Thursday's game will also be the fifth time the two teams will have played each other in the Burns Arena, which is where the Blazers' lone win in the series was recorded back in the 2020-21 season (W, 64-48; 2/20/21).
 
Scouting the Texans
            Tarleton begins the week as the hottest team going in the WAC right now as the Texans have won eight-straight, including a 77-74 home win over conference leading Grand Canyon last Thursday night. 
            The Texans feature a balanced scoring attack with four players averaging double figures, led by senior forward Jakorie Smith (6-6) who is scoring at a 15.7 ppg clip on 42.0 percent shooting. 
 
Last Time Out
            Utah Tech saw its losing skid reach three-straight after a tough 89-78 road loss at UT Arlington last Saturday. 
 
The March to 500 - Part II
            Utah Tech played in its 500th NCAA game in last Saturday's loss at UT Arlington. 
            The Trailblazers are now 311-189 (.622) all-time during their four-year era, which began in the 2006-07 academic year.
            Meanwhile, Head Coach Jon Judkins will coach in his 500th career NCAA game in the Blazers' home finale vs. Abilene Christian this Saturday night. 
 
One Giant LEAP For The Blazers
            Utah Tech will do something on Thursday night that it has not done in its four-year era - play a game on Leap Day. The Trailblazers have played on February 28 (4x) and March 1 (3x) on several occasions over the last 18 years, but has never played a game on February 29.  
 
Searles Continues Strong Play
            Junior forward Jaylen Searles kept his strong February going with 14 points on 6-of-12 shooting at UT Arlington last Saturday.
            That effort came on the heels of his first double-double of the season with 13 points and a career high 10 rebounds vs. Seattle U (2/17) one week earlier.
            The junior enjoyed a banner week during Utah Tech's home sweep of both Southern Utah (Feb. 8) and California Baptist (Feb. 10), during which he averaged 23.0 points and 6.0 rebounds on his way to earning both the WAC Player and Newcomer of the Week awards on Feb. 12.  
            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, who out the Seattle U (2/17) two weeks ago, returned to the line-up at UT Arlington and tallied 13 points and six rebounds. Riley poured in nine of those points at the foul line (9-of-10).  
            Riley has scored in double figures in 14 of his 20 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 three more trifectas last Saturday at UT Arlington on his way to 11 points.
            Gonsalves has knocked down 15 3-pointers over his last seven games, and in the process has vaulted into fourth place on Utah Tech's career 3FGM list (136). 
            In fact, the junior guard now stands 31 made threes away from passing former Blazer guard Brandon Simister (166; 2012-18) to become the program's all-time leader. 
            Meanwhile, Gonsalves (57 3FGM) has moved into fourth place on Utah Tech's single-season 3FGM list, where he stands four treys away from moving up to second all-time, and is 11 3-pointers away from passing Simister (67; 2017-18) for the top spot on that list.  
            Gonsalves has hit three or more trifectas nine 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 t-third in the WAC in made threes (57), 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 81.8 percent clip (36-of-44) 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 (407 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 20 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 Thursday night's game vs. Tarleton, the duo finds themselves ranked third (Olayinka 47) and fourth (Christensen 44) in the WAC in blocks, respectively. 
            Olayinka has led or co-led the Blazers in blocks 17 times this season overall, including two more blocks at UT Arlington last Saturday, while Christensen is two games back at 14 games. 
            Christensen is currently third all-time in program history in career blocks (69 in 59 games), while Olayinka (47 in 27 games) has already moved into sixth 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 has come back in a big way over his last two games.
            Demings tallied a then-WAC career high 13 points on 4-of-6 shooting at Seattle U (2/17), the chased that with a career-high tying 19 points at UT Arlington last Saturday. 
            The freshman, who grew up 20 miles from the UTA campus, went 7-of-11 from the floor and finished with two boards and two assists. 
            Demings has scored in double figures 10 times this season, highlighted by his first 19-point outing in the Florida International overtime win (12/30). 
 
What's Next
            Utah Tech will put a bow on its 2023-24 home slate on Saturday night when the Trailblazers play host to Abilene Christian. Tip-off inside the Burns Arena is set for 7 p.m. (MT).