Men's Basketball | 1/7/2025 12:30:00 PM

Game #16
Who | UT Arlington (7-8, 0-1 WAC) at Utah Tech (4-11, 0-0 WAC)
When | Thursday, Jan. 9 – 7 p.m.
Where | Burns Arena – St. George, Utah
Broadcast | ESPN+ / 99.5 The Fan Sports Network
Social Media | Instagram + Twitter (X) + #UtahTechBlazers + #WACmbb

SCOUTING THE MAVERICKS
UT Arlington enters Thursday's contest with a 7-8 overall record and an 0-1 mark in the WAC after falling 77-74 at Tarleton State last Saturday.

The Mavericks, who were picked second in the WAC Preseason Poll, earned non-conference wins over UNT Dallas, Texas College, Austin Peay, two wins against Louisiana-Monroe, Evansville and Texas State.

Coming off a 20-win season in 2023-24, UT Arlington finished third in the WAC regular season last season and advanced to the championship game of the WAC Tournament falling to Grand Canyon.

The Mavericks lead the WAC in three point percentage (37.9), three point attempts per game (24.5), three pointers per game (9.3) and are second in the league in scoring offense (77.8) & assists per game (13.9)

UTA has also been stingy on the defensive front holding opponents to 41.8 percent from the field, third-best in the WAC, while ranking fourth in field goal percentage (.450), rebounds per game (37.6) & three point percentage defense (32.8).

Led by senior forward Lance Ware, a graduate transfer from Villanova who also spent his first three seasons at Kentucky, tops the team averaging 14.5 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.

Senior guard Jaden Wells, a Division II All-American at Central Oklahoma, leads the WAC in three point percentage (36.9) & three pointers per game (2.73).

SERIES HISTORY VS. UT ARLINGTON    
This will be Utah Tech's fourth meeting against UT Arlington.

Looking for its first win over the Mavericks, the Trailblazers fell in a pair of contests losing at home (87-66) and on the road (89-78) last season.

The first meeting between the Trailblazers and UTA came in Arlington on Feb. 25, 2023 dropping a heartbreaker to the Mavs, 71-69 in overtime.

LAST TIME OUT
Despite 47 points in the second half, the Trailblazers could not overcome a slow start on Dec. 30 falling, 80-66 at Florida International in the WAC/C-USA Alliance Game at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center.

The Trailblazers were led by a team-leading 19 points and eight rebounds from Beon Riley while fellow senior guard Noa Gonsalves chipped in 18 points.

Samuel Ariyibi made it three Trailblazers in double figures notching his fourth straight contest in double digits finishing with 10 points, five rebounds, four steals, two assists and two blocks while playing a career-leading 36 minutes.

Gonsalves got the Trailblazers off to a strong start with seven of Utah Tech's first 11 points nailing a three-pointer to bring the Blazers within one at 12-11 with 12:19 to play in the opening half.

A quick 8-0 run for FIU pushed the Panthers' lead to nine and after a layup by Riley ended the scoreless drought, FIU extended their lead to 22 (35-13) with a 15-0 run over the next four minutes.

A pair of free throws by Unisa Turay got the Trailblazers back on the board, but FIU closed the half on a 12-4 run in the final five minutes to lead 47-19 at the break.

The second half saw the Trailblazers claw their way back into the contest, including ripping off a 10-0 run over a three-and-half minutes stretch to whittle the Panthers' lead down to 75-63 with 2:16 to play.

A three-point play by Ariyibi made it 77-66 with 77 seconds remaining, but that would be as close as the Trailblazers could get as they outscored FIU by 14 points in the second half.

TRAILBLAZERS IN WAC OPENERS
The Trailblazers are 2-2 in WAC openers winning their last two conference openers defeating Utah Valley at home last season, 65-53 on Dec. 2, 2023 & at home against UTRGV, 81-66 on Dec. 29, 2022.

The first two WAC openers saw the Trailblazers fall at UTRGV (82-49) on Jan. 15, 2021 and at home against Tarleton State (83-69) on Dec. 30, 2021.

WHERE THE BLAZERS RANK IN THE WAC/NCAA
Utah Tech ranks second in the WAC in three point percentage defense holding opponents to 31.0 percent from beyond the arc.

The Trailblazers also check in second in turnovers per game (11.7), three point attempts per game (23.7) and assist/turnover ratio (1.18) while ranking third in three pointers per game (7.2).

Individually, Gonsalves ranks second in the WAC in three pointers made (35) and is third in three point attempts (99). Ariybi ranks fifth in blocks per game (1.29).

BYRD & GONSALVES CLOSING IN 1K CAREER PTS
Senior guards Hakim Byrd & Noa Gonsalves are each closing in on 1,000 career points as the pair enters Thursday only 11 & 12 points shy of that mark, respectively.

With 103 total 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).

Spending all four seasons as a Trailblazer, Gonsalves has a season-high 206 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).

THANK YOU, WE'LL TAKE THAT
The Trailblazers nabbed a season-high 13 steals at FIU on Dec. 30 with a career-best four from Ariyibi and Riley matched his career high with three.

UT has also reached double figures in steals against New Mexico State (10) and Betehsda (10).

SEASON HIGHS
Utah Tech shot a season-high 49.2 percent (32-65) from the field and 44.8 percent (13-29) from three point range while scoring 92 points in a five-point win over South Dakota.

The 13 made three-pointers were also a season high for the Trailblazers.

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 180 made three-pointers in 480 attempts and is ninth in 3-point percentage at 37.5 percent.

CONSISTENT TRAILBLAZERS
Gonsalves, Bieker and Britton Berrett have played in all 15 games while Gonsalves is the lone Blazer to score in all 15 contests.

SEASONED VETERAN
Head coach Jon Judkins is in his 20th season at Utah Tech this season sporting a 335-214 (.610) overall record and a 315-202 (.609) 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
Utah Tech continues WAC play at home on Saturday night hosting Tarleton State (6-10, 1-0 WAC) at Burns Arena at 7 p.m.