Men's Basketball | 1/14/2025 3:30:00 PM

Game #18
Who | Utah Tech (6-11, 2-0 WAC) at Seattle U (6-10, 1-1 WAC)
When | Thursday, Jan. 16 – 8 p.m. MT
Where | Redhawk Center – Seattle, Wash.
Broadcast | ESPN+ / 99.5 The Fan Sports Network
Social Media | Instagram + Twitter (X) + #UtahTechBlazers + #WACmbb

SCOUTING THE REDHAWKS
Seattle U comes into Thursday night's contest with a 6-10 overall record and a 1-1 mark in WAC play coming off an exciting 66-64 win over Abilene Christian at Climate Pledge Arena last Saturday.

The Redhawks, who were picked third in the WAC Preseason Poll, notched non-conference wins over UC San Diego, Northwest, Portland State, Pacific (Ore.) & Washington.

Seattle U had a standout 2023-24 season finishing 23-14 overall winning the College Basketball Invitational after advancing to the WAC Tournament semifinals falling to eventual champion Grand Canyon. The Redhawks finished in a tie for fourth in WAC play with an 11-9 mark.

The Redhawks rank second in the WAC in free throw percentage (73.7), free throw made/attempts per game (18.9/25.7) & three pointers per game (7.6). Seattle U is also third in scoring defense (70.3), three point percentage (34.3) & turnovers per game (12.4).

Senior forward Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe, who earned WAC Player & Newcomer of the Week honors last week, leads the team in points (15.5) & rebounds per game (10.9) sitting fifth and first in the WAC, respectively.

Junior guard Maleek Arington ranks second in the WAC in assists per game (4.8),third in steals per game (1.81) & fourth in assists/turnover ratio (1.83).

SERIES HISTORY VS. SEATTLE U        
This will be Utah Tech's 10th meeting against Seattle U with the Redhawks currently leading the series, 7-2.

The Trailblazers are 0-4 at Seattle U in program history falling 70-53 last season on Jan. 4, 2024 getting 12 points from Beon Riley.

The two teams met later in the season in St. George with UT dropping a heartbreaker, 66-65.

Both of UT's win over the Redhawks have come at home in 2021 & 2023 with the two teams meeting this season to close out the regular season on March 8 at home. 

LAST TIME OUT
A baseline jumper by Riley in the final 30 seconds of regulation gave the Trailblazers an exciting 58-54 win over Tarleton State last Saturday night at Burns Arena.

The Trailblazers were led by 17 points on 8-of-13 shooting from the field from Riley, who added six rebounds and two steals.

Hakim Byrd made it two Trailblazers in double figures adding 14 points and four assists.

A three-pointer at the end of the first half by Byrd made it 25-22 in favor of the Texans at the break.

The Trailblazers opened the second half on a 16-9 run over the opening 10 minutes of action to jump ahead 38-34 after a three-pointer by Byrd.

A three-pointer by Samuel Ariyibi kept the Trailblazers in the lead, 44-41, but the Texans answered back with a 7-0 run to jump ahead 48-44 with 4:52 to play.

With ties at 50, 52 and 54 over the next four minutes, Riley's jumper with 24 seconds remaining put UT ahead for good and two free throws by Byrd in the final seconds sealed the win.

TRAILBLAZERS LOOK TO FOR FIRST 3-0 START TO WAC PLAY
The Trailblazers look to go 3-0 in WAC play for the first time in its five years in the conference.

One of only two teams who remain undefeated in WAC play, along with Utah Valley, the Trailblazers' last 3-0 start to conference play came in 2019-20 when UT started RMAC play 6-0.

WHERE THE BLAZERS RANK IN THE WAC/NCAA
Utah Tech leads the WAC in three point percentage defense holding opponents to 30.5 percent from beyond the arc.        

The Trailblazers check in second in turnovers per game (11.9) and rank third in three point attempts per game (23.3), assist/turnover ratio (1.13) & three pointers per game (7.4).

Individually, Gonsalves checks in second in the WAC in  three-pointers made (42), third in  three-pointers per game (2.47) & minutes per game (33:53).

Riley ranks third in field goal percentage (49.3) and is seventh in points per game (14.6) while Samuel Ariybi is fifth in blocks per game (1.31) & blocks (21).

TRAILBLAZERS NOTCH A FIRST SINCE 2015
Despite only scoring 58 points on Saturday in their win over Tarleton State, it was the fewest points the Trailblazers have scored in a win since Feb. 15, 2015 in a 57-50 home win over Hawai'i Pacific.

FIRST WIN OF SEASON WHEN ...
The Trailblazers earned their first win of the season on Saturday against Tarleton State when they were outshot from the field (43.5-44.7), outrebounded (24-27) and had less assists (7-13).

BYRD & GONSALVES EACH RECORD 1000 CAREER POINTS
Byrd & Gonsalves each recorded their 1,000 career point last Thursday in the Trailblazers win over UT Arlington.

With 124 points at UT this season, Byrd totaled 658 points at Thomas Jefferson (2022-24), 176 points at Marist (2020-21) & 52 pts. at UMBC (2021-22) as he passed the mark with a first-half three-pointer.

Spending all four seasons as a Trailblazer, Gonsalves reached that mark in the second half of Thursday's contest and has a season-high 230 points this season while also leading the team in scoring last season with 385 points.

His first two seasons saw him post 278 points as a sophomore (2022-23) and 119 points as a freshman (2021-22).

MAKING IT RAIN FROM DEEP
The Trailblazers finished 15-of-26 from three-point range on Thursday in their win over UT Arlington on Jan. 9.

The 15 made three-pointers were a season high and the third-most in a single game in program history trailing only 21 vs. SAGU American Indian College (Dec. 15, 2021) and 16 vs. Denver (Dec. 11, 2021).

The 57.7 percent shooting from deep was a season high and fifth-best in a single game in program history.

STANDOUTS FROM THE CHARITY STRIPE
Byrd and Gonsalves have been consistent all season from the free throw line.

Byrd has connected on 32-of-35 from the line hitting 91.4 percent while Gonsalves has sank 35-of-40 for a 87.5 percent.

With each hitting the minimum of two made free throws per game played to qualify, Byrd currently sits atop the single season mark currently held by Brandon Simister in 2017-18 (.902, 110-122).

DOUBLE FIGURES 
Matching his career high with 24 points against UTA, Gonsalves has reached double figures in 14 of 17 contests, including six of his last seven.

Riley (9), Justin Bieker (7), Ariyibi (5) & Byrd (4) also have recorded multiple double digit contests this season.

THREE POINT KING
Gonsalves became the program leader for the most career three pointers made on Dec. 7 at Utah State passing Brandon Simister (2012-18). 

He currently has 187 made three-pointers in 492 attempts and is eighth in 3-point percentage at 38.0 percent.

SEASONED VETERAN
Head coach Jon Judkins is in his 20th season at Utah Tech this season sporting a 337-214 (.612) overall record and a 317-202 (.611) mark in NCAA play.

Only nine current Division I coaches have been at their schools longer - Greg Kampe (41st season at Oakland), Tom Izzo (30-Michigan St.), Mark Few (26-Gonzaga), James Jones (26-Yale), Randy Bennett (26-Saint Mary's), Leonard Hamilton (23-Florida St.), Scott Drew (22-Baylor), Bill Self (22-Kansas) & Gary Manchel (22-Mercyhurst).

WHAT'S NEXT
The Trailblazers continue their road swing on Saturday afternoon traveling to Utah Valley (11-6, 3-0 WAC) for a 2 p.m. contest in Orem for the Old Hammer Rivalry Game.