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TRAILBLAZERS AT A GLANCE
Utah Tech continues a stretch that will see the team play seven of its next nine games on the road, with game number three of the odyssey at in-state rival Southern Utah on Thursday night.
 
Thursday night's game is the Trailblazers' fifth game against an in-state foe this season. Utah Tech has split the first four games, including a 78-71 home win over the Thunderbirds last month (1/18/24) inside the Burns Arena.
 
In all, Utah Tech is a combined 10-18 against its fellow Beehive State opponents in the program's NCAA era, though the Blazers are 8-8 in in-state rivalry games during their current Division I transition.  
 
The Trailblazers are currently 5-5 on the road this season, and have won five of their last eight away from the Burns Arena overall, including a two-game Texas road sweep last weekend.
 
Utah Tech is currently one of only two teams (California Baptist) in the WAC featuring four players averaging double figures in points through this point of the season.
 
In fact, Utah Tech is the only team in the WAC with three players listed in the conference's top-10 in both scoring (2. Breaunna Gillen 16.21 ppg; T3. Maddie Warren16.18; 8. Macie Warren 14.6 ppg) and field goal percentage (3. Mac. Warren .489; 6. Gillen .477; 8. Mad. Warren .447). 
 
Gillen enters Thursday night's game as one of two players in the WAC who is ranked in the conference's top-10 in scoring (#2), rebounding (#10 - 7.0 rpg) and assists (#1 - 5.16 apg).
 
OPENING TIP: Utah Tech (13-9/7-4 WAC) returns to the Beehive State, but will continue its current four-game road swing at in-state rival Southern Utah (6-14/4-7 WAC) on Thursday night in Cedar City. Tip-off inside the America First Event Center (5,300) is set for 6:30 p.m. 
 
UTAH TECH VS. SUU: The Trailblazers will look to clinch the overall season series sweep when they take to the AFEC court on Thursday night.
            Utah Tech broke through and snapped a four-game losing streak to SUU this past Jan. 18, with a 78-71 home victory inside the Burns Arena.
            Prior to that win, the Thunderbirds had won each of the four previous games by double digits, including a two-game WAC sweep last season (@SUU 76, UT 61 - 12/29/22; SUU 62, @UT 51 - 1/19/23).  
            The two sides also squared off as non-conference foes during both the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons as part of a home-and-home series (@SUU 80, UT 44 - 12/21/20; SUU 95, @UT 58 - 12/21/21). 
            
LAST TIME OUT: Utah Tech clinched a Texas-sized sweep of its two-game trip to the Lone Star State on the strength of a 72-60 road win at UT Arlington last Saturday afternoon. 
 
HEAD COACH JD GUSTIN: JD Gustin is in his eighth season at the helm of the Utah Tech Women's Basketball program.
            Gustin has seen marked improvements in each season on the Trailblazer sideline, culminating with an 19-12 overall record last season, a nine-win turnaround from the previous season. The 2022-23 campaign also featured a 10-8 mark and a fifth-place finish in Western Athletic Conference play. In addition, the Trailblazers made their WAC Tournament debut in 2022-23, and advanced on to the quarterfinal round by defeating Utah Valley, 72-68, to win their first-ever NCAA Division-I era postseason victory. 
            Utah Tech's 19 wins last season were the most in the program's current NCAA Division-I transition, and is the highest win total during Coach Gustin's seven-year tenure on the Trailblazer bench. 
            In Utah Tech's final Division II season, the Trailblazers played to an 18-12 under Gustin. The team also capped that 2019-20 season by clinching a berth in the 2020 RMAC Tournament, marking the first time the Trailblazers had qualified for a conference tournament since the 2013-14 season. The Trailblazers entered the tournament as the No. 7 seed, and shocked second-seeded Western Colorado in Gunnison, Colo., for a 65-60 win in the RMAC Quarterfinals.
            
GILLEN THE ONE TO WATCH IN 2023-24: Coming off a banner senior season in 2022-23, fifth-year guard Breaunna Gillen entered her final collegiate campaign with a pair of well-deserved preseason honors to her credit. 
            In October, Gillen was voted as the WAC's Preseason Player of the Year, and was named to the 25-player preseason watch list for the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year, presented by Her Hoop Stats. 
            Gillen is the lone WAC representative on the Hammon watch list, which includes women's basketball student-athletes from 23 teams and 16 conferences overall. 
            Last season, Gillen was either at or near the top of the WAC scoring list throughout the entire 2022-23 campaign en route to first team all-WAC honors, wound up as the conference's second leading scorer at 17.8 points per game. 
            The fifth-year guard finished last season as the WAC's leader in assists at 6.45 apg, and finished in the top-10 overall in assist/turnover ratio (2nd; 1.77), field goal percentage (5th; .438), and free throw percentage (10th; .744).
 
FROM WAY DOWNTOWN....BANG: Utah Tech has hit at least one 3-pointer in 252-straight games, which included a season-high 21 treys in the Oregon win on Dec. 19, and a WAC season-high 16 3-pointers (16-of-35) in last Thursday's win at UTRGV.
            The 21 made treys vs. Oregon were the second-most in a single game in program history. In addition, the Trailblazers combined to shoot school record-breaking 67.7 percent (21-of-31) from the perimeter on the day, besting the previous record that stood for nearly 12 full seasons (.611, 11-of-18 at BYU-Hawaii; 2/4/2012). 
            In the 2021-22 season, the Trailblazers nailed a school-record 22 3-pointers in its 107-57 blowout win over LIFE Pacific (11/9/21).
            That record was one of two 3FG school records to fall that night as the Blazers also broke a team record for 3FG attempted (51). 
            Utah Tech has reached double figures in made 3-pointers 96 times during the program's NCAA era, including in 13 of 22 games this season, and in a school-record 19 games last season. 
            In fact, the Trailblazers broke single season school records for 3FGM (310), 3FGA (898), and 3FG% (.345) last year.
            In all, Utah Tech has hit at least one 3-pointer in 460 of its 463 games during its NCAA era, which began in the 2006-07 season.
            Two of the three instances when the Blazers did not hit a three happened during the 2013-14 season (vs. Hawai'i-Hilo, 2/13/14; at California Baptist, 1/18/14), and the other came in the program's first NCAA season in 2006-27 (vs. UHH, 1/7/07). 
            Meanwhile, Utah Tech has surrendered at least one made opponent 3-pointer in 462 of 463 games during its NCAA era. 
 
NEARLY A WAC RECORD: Utah Tech's 16 made 3-pointers at UTRGV on Thursday afternoon nearly tied a WAC record for the most made threes in a conference game in league history. Former member Fresno State still holds the record of 18 set during the 2010-11 season vs. Idaho.
            However, Utah Tech's 22 made treys vs. LIFE Pacific (11/9/21) during the 2021-22 campaign is the overall record for most made 3-pointers in a game by a WAC team in conference history. 
 
RELEASE - ROTATION - SPLASH: Utah Tech enters Thursday's game at SUU ranked THIRD-NATIONALLY in made 3-pointers (232) and FOURTH in made 3-pointers per game (10.5 3FGM/g). 
            In addition, Utah Tech is THIRD in the country in 3FGA per game (29.5 3FGAg), and is t-36th in the NCAA Division I ranks in 3FG% (.357). 
 
IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT THE 3-BALL: Though Utah Tech scored 48 of its 91 points from beyond the arc in Thursday's win at UTRGV, the Trailblazers also tallied 36 points in the paint (18-of-31 2FG; .580) and went 7-of-9 (.778) at the foul line.  
 
PERFECT 11: Fifth-year guard Maggie McCord had herself a night in the win vs. Seattle U (1/4) as she set a school record by going 11-of-11 from the floor with four 3-pointers on her way to a career-high tying 26 points.
            McCord, who tallied 26 points last year in a road win at, coincidentally, Seattle U (2/26/22), also pulled down a team-high 12 rebounds to notch her second double-double of the season.
            McCord's shooting night bested the previous perfection record held by former Trailblazer Megan Tidwell, who went 9-of-9 for 21 points in a road win at Chaminade (93-54; 2/4/09) during the 2008-09 season. 
 
SINGLE DIGITS: Utah Tech's defense posted its seventh single-digit point quarter of the season in last Saturday's road win at UT Arlington when the Blazers held the Lady Mavs to just six second-quarter points.
            Five of the seven instances have come inside the Burns Arena, including final three quarters vs. Bethesda (7/6/7; 12/16), and a five-point second quarter vs. Seattle U (1/4/). 
            The first road instance turned out to be historic as the Trailblazers broke a single-game record for fewest points allowed in a quarter when they held New Hampshire to only three third-quarter points in their win back on Nov. 22.
            The Trailblazer defense limited UNH to 1-of-16 shooting in the period, this after the Wildcats missed their final nine shots to close out the second quarter. 
            Utah Tech's previous school record for fewest points allowed in a quarter was four points set three times - coincidentally all on the road. In fact, the last occurrence came last season in the Blazers' road win against Weber State (3Q; 12/17/22).  
            Meanwhile, the Blazers achieved the feat two other times during their Division II era, both in the fourth quarter of road victories at UT-Tyler (W, 75-41; 11/8/2019) and at Holy Names (61-44; 2/20/16).
 
DEFENSE BLAZERS DEFENSE (CLAP CLAP): Utah Tech begins the week as the WAC leader (#22 in NCAA D-I) in FG% defense at 36.2 percent, thanks in large part to holding both UTRGV (.300) at UT Arlington (.316) below 32 percent shooting in last week's road sweep.
            In fact, the Trailblazers limited UTA to just 3-of-16 shooting (.188) and 4-of-21 (.190) from the floor in the second and fourth quarters, respectively, in Saturdays win. 
            Utah Tech, which is fourth in the WAC in both scoring defense (66.7 ppg) and 3FG% defense (.294), has held five of 22 opponents below 30 percent shooting (all wins) this season, with the last instance coming in its home win over Tarleton (.250) back on Jan. 27. For context, Utah Tech only held two total opponents to under 30 percent shooting all of last season.
 
TRAILBLAZER PLAYER NOTES
* - Fifth-year guard Breaunna Gillen showed why she was voted the WAC Preseason POY after she posted a pair of dominant performances last weekend.
* - Gillen opened the trip with 19 points on a sizzling 8-of-12 shooting with three 3-pointers at UTRGV ... she also co-led the team with six rebounds and four assists, and picked off two steals.
* - Gillen then followed that up with her second triple-double of the season, and third of her career, with 14 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists at UT Arlington last Saturday. 
* - Gillen is now one of only six players in the NCAA Division I ranks (second player in the WAC) with multiple triple-doubles this season.
* - Gillen, who is already far-and-away Utah Tech's career assists leader (491), also recorded her ninth-career double digit assist game overall in the UTA win. 
* - Gillen returned to the starting line-up in the Tarleton home win back on Jan. 27, and picked up right where she left off with 22 points and game-highs of 10 rebounds and seven assists.
* - Gillen is averaging 18.3 points on 53.8 percent shooting, 8.7 rebounds and 7.3 assists over her last three games, which has helped propel her into the WAC's top-10 in all three stat categories (see pg 1). 
* - Gillen, who missed consecutive games for just the first time in her near five-year career (vs. UVU 1/20; vs. ACU 1/25), has only missed four total games overall, though three of those absences came this season.   
* - Despite missing those three games, the 2023-24 campaign has been one for the record books for Gillen, who earlier this season became the first Trailblazer to mess around and record a second career triple-double with 17 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in the Oregon win (12/19).
* - Gillen notched her first triple-double just over two years earlier in the 2021-22 season opener vs. LIFE Pacific (14p/10r/11a – 11/9/21).
* - On a night when she became the program's all-time leader in games played, Gillen posted her fifth 20-point game of the season with 20 points on 7-of-16 shooting in the SUU win (1/18).
* - Gillen (531 rebs) also became just the third Trailblazer in program history to reach the 500-rebound plateau earlier in that SUU win. 
* - Gillen (1,420 pts/531 rbs/491 assts) joined former Blazer forward Johnna Brown (1,212 pts/726 rbs/232 assts; 2009-11, 12-13) as the only two players in program history with at least 1,000 career points, 500 career rebounds and 200 career assists.
* - Gillen now has 24 20-plus point games (6 in 2023-24) to her credit, and including her 14 points at UT Arlington, she has now scored in double figures 76 times in 111 career games overall.
* - Gillen also went for 20 points vs. Weber State (12/9), against which she was just 4-of-12 from the floor, though she did go a perfect 10-of-10 (career best) from the foul line, and tallied seven rebounds, three assists and a season-best four steals.
* - Gillen's 10 made free throws were one off of her career high of 11 that she set twice last season, the first time at Kansas City (11/18/22), and again a month later against, coincidentally, at Weber State (12/17/22).
* - Gillen, who is Utah Tech's career leader in six total statistical categories, is now within striking distance of one more career record ... the fifth-year guard needs 29 steals (120 - t-third) to reach that career plateau ... Gillen bolstered that chase by picking off a career-high tying five steals in the Seattle U win (1/4).
* - Redshirt sophomore guard Maddie Warren continued her solid play of late with a pair of dominant performances of her own last weekend ... Warren averaged 20.5 points on 64.0 percent shooting (16-of-25), including a 46.1 percent (6-of-13) clip from the perimeter in Utah Tech's two-game Texas road sweep ... she also averaged 7.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 0.5 steals in her two starts.
* - Warren kick-started the trip with 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting with four 3-pointers, along with six boards and four dimes in the UTRGV win on Thursday.
* - The sophomore chased that with a game-high 25 points in the Trailblazers' victory at UT Arlington, against which she scored 19 of those 25 points in the second half, including eight points on 4-of-4 shooting in the Blazers' decisive fourth quarter. 
* - She knocked down 10 of her 15 shots in the win with a pair of 3-pointers, and finished with eight boards, one assist and one steal.
* - Warren lit the scoreboard up with a career-high 27 points in the Tarleton win (1/27), including outscoring the Texans 15-7 by herself in the decisive third quarter. 
* - Warren knocked down 11 of her 16 shots, which included a 5-of-9 clip from the perimeter, and tallied seven rebounds, three assists, one steal and a career-high two blocks in just over 32 minutes of game action.
* - Warren's 27-point day tied for the most points scored by a Trailblazer player this season ... twin sister Macie Warren also tallied 27 points in a home win over Seattle U last month (W, 81-65; 1/4/24). 
* - Warren is averaging 22.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and nearly three assists over her last three starts ... during this current stretch she is shooting at a 65.8 percent clip and is 11-of-22 (.500) from beyond the arc.
* - Warren recorded her first career double-double with 17 points and a career-high 10 boards in the SUU win as well ... Warren hit on 7-of-11 from the floor and just missed a triple-double with a career-high five assists. 
* - The redshirt-sophomore guard, who leads the team with seven 20-plus point games this season, enjoyed a three-game stretch last month that saw her score at least 20 points in each of those starts, including a pair of 20-point outings against Jax State (11/9) and at UNLV (11/14), as well as the 21 at TAMU-Commerce (11/20).
* - Speaking of her twin sister, Macie Warren has scored in double figures in 16 of her 22 starts this season, including a game-high 21 points on 6-of-14 shooting with four 3-pointers in Thursday's win at UTRGV, which was followed by a 14-point effort on 6-of-11 shooting at UTA. 
* - Warren started the new year off on the right foot with a season-high 27 points in the win over Seattle U (1/4) ... Warren finished two points off of her career high of 29 points she tallied last season in a road win at Air Force (12/10/22).
* - Warren's previous season-high was 26 points in the home loss to CBU (12/6), against which she hit on 10-of-17 from the floor, 5-of-11 from beyond the arc.
* - Warren notched her team-leading fifth double-double of the year (and career), and her second in as many games, with 23 points and a career-high tying 10 boards in the SUU win back on Jan. 18.
* - Warren, who scored her 600th-career point at the foul line late in the fourth quarter in the SUU win, went 4-of-5 from the perimeter and shot 7-of-15 overall on the night.
* - Warren narrowly missed her first collegiate triple double in the La Verne win (11/6), though she did notch her first career double-double with 19 points, a career-high 10 assists and seven rebounds.
* - Warren is currently ranked seventh in program history in career FG% (244-of-526; .464), and third in career 3FG% (96-of-254; .378) through her first 57 games as a Trailblazer.
* - McCord led all scorers with 21 points in the ACU win (1/25), and finished one rebound shy of her third double-double of the year as she grabbed a co-game high nine boards ... McCord went 8-of-12 from the floor, including a 5-of-8 effort from the perimeter, which marked the third time this season, and the 18th time in her career (11 times last season), that the fifth-year guard had hit at least five 3-pointers in a game. 
* - McCord, who DNP'd in the Bethesda win, came back in a big way in Oregon win (12/19) as she tied her own school record with eight made 3-pointers on her way to a then-season high 24 points.
* - McCord's eight treys were the most made by a Trailblazer inside the Burns Arena, and matched her previous record-tying performance (8-of-10) during the 2021-22 season in a road loss at Seattle U (2/26/22). 
* - Former Blazer guard Kaylah Miller was the first Blazer player to hit eight treys in one game nearly 10 full seasons ago on the road at Azusa Pacific (1/20/14). 
* - Meanwhile, McCord's 24 points vs. Oregon eclipsed her previous season high of 20 in the win at Stonehill (11/25) ... McCord went 7-of-10 from the floor with six 3-pointers (6-of-9) and Stonehill, against which she finished with a co-game high eight rebounds, two assists and one steal.
* - McCord, who tallied 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting with three 3-pointers at UTRGV last Thursday, is currently Utah Tech's career 3FG% leader (.399; 176-of-441), and is ranked fifth all-time in rebounding (459) and seventh in scoring (797) heading into the SUU game on Thursday. 
* - Calyn Dallas got the starting nod for the eighth time overall vs. ACU (1/25), and the freshman guard responded with 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting with three 3-pointers, along with four rebounds and one steal.  
* - Dallas notched her first collegiate double-double in the Bethesda win (12/16) with career-highs of 22 points and 15 rebounds ... the freshman went 10-of-19 from the floor with a pair of 3-pointers and flirted with a triple-double as she finished with a career-best six assists along with two blocks and one steal in just her second start of the season.
* - Dallas carried that shooting touch into the Oregon win (12/19) as she went 5-of-6 from the floor with a career-high tying four 3-pointers on her way to 14 points off the bench ... the freshman also knocked down four treys as part of a 16-point afternoon off the bench in the Stonehill win (11/25). 
* - Dallas made the most of her Trailblazer debut as she poured in 15 points in 24 minutes in 25 reserve minutes in the La Verne win (11/6) on 5-for-5 shooting with three 3-pointers.
* - Freshman forward Nicole Willardson enjoyed a breakout performance in the Oregon win (12/19), pouring in a career-high 12 points off the bench on 5-of-7 shooting with a pair of 3-pointers.
* - Willardson scored eight of her 12 points in a near two-minute stretch with under four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, and recorded a key block with 18 seconds to play that helped protect a slim three-point Blazer lead.
* - Willardson, who had started in each of the last seven games prior to the Bethesda game (12/16), tallied eight points, five rebounds, and a career-high three blocks, off the bench in that Bethesda win. 
* - Sophomore forward Alyson Deaver made her first collegiate start in the loss to UVU (1/20), and responded with eight points, six rebounds and one block in 28-plus minutes. 
* - Deaver enjoyed another solid outing with nine points on 3-of-4 shooting with three rebounds and two dimes in 15 reserve minutes vs. ACU (1/25). 
* - Deaver put together her overall best game as a Trailblazer in Bethesda win (12/16) with a career-high 14 points in 22 minutes ... Deaver went 7-of-8 at the foul line and tallied eight rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block in 22 reserve minutes. 
* - Twin sister Catelyn Deaver enjoyed her best game as a Trailblazer vs. UVU (1/20), against which she poured in a career-high 14 points on 5-of-8 shooting with a career-high tying three 3-pointers in 23 reserve minutes.
* - That effort came three weeks after Deaver tallied a then-career high 13 points with three 3-pointers at Florida International (12/30) ... Deaver also pulled down three boards and blocked two shots in a career-long 33 minutes of game action.  
* - Freshman forward Caitlynn Jordan just missed her first collegiate double-double vs. Bethesda (12/16), notching career highs with nine points and 10 boards. 
 
TRAILBLAZER TEAM NOTES
* - For the first time in program history, Utah Tech had five players score in double figures in consecutive games in the home wins over both Bethesda and Oregon ... the Trailblazers have now done it three times overall this season as Utah Tech also had five players score in double figures in the season opener vs. La Verne (11/6). 
* - Utah Tech also recorded a program first in the loss at SFA (1/11), during which the Trailblazer bench did not record a single point as all five starters combined to score the team's 67 points. 
* - Utah Tech also posted a pair of season-lows in the SFA loss, one good, one not-so-good ... the Blazers turned the ball over a season-low six times in the game, though they were held to a season-low 29.6 percent (21-of-71) clip from the floor.
* - The last time Utah Tech had six or fewer turnovers came nearly two full years ago in a road loss at Utah Valley (6; 2/19/22). 
* - Utah Tech's 75-point margin of victory over Bethesda (110-35) broke a school record that stood for nearly 15 years ... during the 2008-09 season, the Trailblazers rang in the New Year with a 95-36 (+59) home win over Chaminade (1/3/09).
* - The Trailblazers also set another school record by holding Bethesda to just 16.5 percent (13-of-79) from the floor ... the new shooting percentage standard broke the previous record set during the 2021-22 campaign when Utah Tech limited Antelope Valley to a 19.0 percent shooting effort (11/20/21). 
* - Utah Tech's 110 points vs. Bethesda were the second-most in a game this season and the third-most in the program's four-year era. 
* - Meanwhile, the 35 points allowed vs. Bethesda were the third-fewest surrendered during the Trailblazers' NCAA era.
* - Utah Tech shot 54.4 percent from the floor (43-of-79) in the Bethesda win, which included a 10-of-35 (.286) clip from the perimeter ... the 43 made field goals were the third-most in a single game in the program's NCAA era.
* - The Blazers pulled down a season-high 64 rebounds vs. Bethesda (t-third all-time at UT) and recorded a season-high plus-27 rebounding margin (64-37). 
* - Utah Tech also posted season highs in both steals (13) and blocks (10) in the Bethesda win ... in fact, the last time the Trailblazer defense recorded 10 blocks in a game was during the 2010-11 season (10 vs. Academy of Art; 2/12/11). 
* - Bolstered by Gillen's perfection at the foul line, Utah Tech shot a season-best 94.4 percent (17-of-18) at the stripe in the Weber State (12/9) loss ... the Blazers then followed that up by going 14-of-15 (.933) at the line in the Bethesda win (12/16).
* - Utah Tech connected on a season-best 58.4 percent of its field goal attempts (45-of-77) vs. La Verne (11/6), which was the fifth-highest single game field goal percentage in program history.
* - Utah Tech's 45 made field goals tied a program single game record that was set all the way back in the 2015-16 season in a home win vs. Chaminade (1/5/16). 
* - Utah Tech has shot 50 percent or better five times this season, including last Thursday win at UTRGV (34-of-66; .515). 
* - Utah Tech outrebounded La Verne 57-32 (11/6), and finished with 27 assists on its 45 made field goals ... the 27 dimes are the sixth-most in a single game in program history.
 
ABOUT THE SOUTHERN UTAH "THUNDERBIRDS": SUU enters Thursday night's game having lost five of its last seven games overall, though the T-Birds are coming off a 68-65 road win at UTRGV last Saturday in Edinburg.  
            Two active Thunderbirds average double figures, led by senior guard Daylani Ballena (5-8) at 14.8 ppg (#7 in the WAC) on 40.1 percent shooting. Meanwhile, freshman forward Ava Ulrich (6-0) is SUU's top rebounder at 7.3 rpg (#5 in the WAC), and is scoring at a 13.3 ppg clip (#10 in the WAC) on 48.4 percent (#4 in the WAC) from the floor.
 
NEXT UP FOR THE TRAILBLAZERS: Utah Tech wraps up its four-game road swing with a trip down to the Inland Empire for a Saturday date at California Baptist. Tip-off inside the CBU Events Center in Riverside is set for 1 p.m. (PT).