Men's Basketball | 11/6/2025 2:30:00 PM

Game #3
Who | Utah Tech (2-0) at No. 13 Arizona (1-0)
When | Friday, Nov. 7 – 7:02 p.m.
Where | McKale Memorial Center – Tuscon, Ariz.
Broadcast | TNT Sports / 99.5 FM The Fan Sports Network
Social Media | Instagram + Twitter (X) + #UtahTechBlazers

Game #4
Who | Utah Tech (2-0) at Arizona State (1-0)
When | Sunday, Nov. 9 – 1 p.m.
Where | Desert Financial Arena – Tempe. Ariz.
Broadcast | ESPN+ / 99.5 FM The Fan Sports Network
Social Media | Instagram + Twitter (X) + #UtahTechBlazers

SCOUTING NO. 13 ARIZONA
Arizona comes into Friday night's contest against the Trailblazers with a 1-0 mark after knocking off defending national champion Florida on Monday night in Las Vegas, 93-87.

The Wildcats are coming off a 24-13 overall mark in 2024-25 and finished in a tie for third in the Big 12. Arizona went on to defeat Akron and Oregon in the NCAA Tournament before falling to Duke in the Sweet 16.

Freshman forward Koa Peat led the Wildcats with 30 points against the Gators while senior guard Jaden Bradley added 27 points.

Freshman forward Ivan Kharchenkov, a native of Germany, tallied a double-double against Florida finishing with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Head coach Tommy Lloyd is in his fifth season leading the Wildcats with a 113-33 (.774) overall record. 

SCOUTING ARIZONA STATE
Arizona State also comes in 1-0 coming into their contest against the Trailblazers after defeating Southern Utah, 81-64 at home on Tuesday night.

The Sun Devils went 13-20 in 2024-25 and finished 15th in the Big 12 with a 4-16 mark. 

Four different Sun Devils scored in double figures against the Thunderbirds led by senior guard Anthony "Pig" Johnson with 17 points.

Freshman center Massamba Diop added 14 points and five rebounds while Bryce Ford and Allen Mukeba each chopped in 11 points apiece.

Head coach Bobby Hurley is in his 11th season at Arizona State with a 169-151 (.528) overall record. 

SERIES HISTORY VS. ARIZONA/ASU/BIG 12
This will be the Trailblazers first meeting against both Arizona and Arizona State.

The Wildcats and Sun Devils will be the third & fourth current Big 12 programs Utah Tech will face joining Colorado (0-1) and Utah (0-2). 

LAST TIME OUT
The Trailblazers opened their home slate on Wednesday night breezing to a 110-65 victory over Bethesda at Burns Arena.

Utah Tech was paced for a second straight contest with five Trailblazers in double figures led by senior forward Ethan Potter matching his career high with 23 points.

The Trailblazers also got 17 points from Madiba Owona, 14 points from Chance Trujillo and 10 points apiece from Jusaun Holt and Boston Harker.

All 12 Trailblazers who saw action scored at least two points and grabbed at least one rebound with Trujillo leading the way in boards with nine.

As a team, Utah Tech shot 50.6 percent (39-77) from the field, 29.6 percent (8-29) from downtown and 77.4 percent (24-31) from the charity stripe.

The Trailblazers got out to a 15-9 lead through the opening four-and-half minutes of action after a three-pointer by Britton Berrett.

A 12-7 run for the Lion Angels brought Bethesda back within one at 22-21 with 12:06 to play, but the Trailblazers responded with a 12-4 run over the next four minutes to jump ahead 34-25 with eight minutes to go in the opening half.

With the Lions Angels able to close the margin to 38-34 with just over five remaining in the half, UT finished off the half on a 13-2 run as the Trailblazers turned up the defense down the stretch.

Leading 51-36 at the break, back-to-back three-pointers by Bolanga got the second half started and the Trailblazers pushed their lead to 22 (67-45) after a triple from Trujillo on their way to a 45-point victory.

BIG WIN
The 110 points scored on Wednesday are the most for the Trailblazers since scoring 114 on Dec. 15, 2021 in a 65-point win over SAGU American Indian College.

The 45-point margin of victory is also the most since the 65-point win over SAGU American Indian College in 2021.

HOT START
It is the fifth time in the NCAA era the Trailblazers have started a season 2-0 joining 2009-10, 2012-13, 2013-14 & 2020-21.

WHERE THE TRAILBLAZERS RANK IN THE WAC/NCAA IN 2025-26
Through the first two contests of the season, Utah Tech ranks second in the WAC in scoring offense (95.5) & three pointers per game (7.5).

Individually, Potter leads the WAC in blocks (4), field goal attempts (24), field goals made (14) & points (38).

Trujillo tops the WAC in rebounds (21), three-pointers made (5), three-pointers attempted (15) and is second in assists (8).

HOME OPENERS
The Trailblazers improved to 16-4 overall in home openers in the NCAA era with its win over Bethesda on Wednesday and have won five of their last six home openers in the Division I era.

SEASON OPENERS/ROAD OPENERS
The Trailblazers improved to 9-11 in season openers in the NCAA era and 2-4 in the Division I era with its overtime win on Monday at South Dakota.

It was Utah Tech's first win in a season opener since the 2020-21 season when the Trailblazers defeated North Dakota, 74-73 at home.

It was the Trailblazers first season-opening victory to come on the road joining six wins at home and two at neutral sites.

It was the fifth straight season Utah Tech has started the season on the road and ninth time overall in the NCAA era.

UT also moved to 9-11 overall in road openers.

TRAILBLAZERS SNAP ROAD LOSING SKID
The Trailblazers earned their first road win at South Dakota since March 7, 2024 at UTRGV snapping their 17-game road losing skid.

ELITE COMPANY
Head coach Jon Judkins is in his 21st season at Utah Tech sporting a 340-229 (.598) overall record and a 320-217 (.596) mark in NCAA play.

Only eight current Division I coaches have been at their schools longer - Greg Kampe (42nd season at Oakland), Tom Izzo (31-Michigan St.), Mark Few (27-Gonzaga), James Jones (27-Yale), Randy Bennett (27-Saint Mary's), Scott Drew (23-Baylor), Bill Self (23-Kansas) & Gary Manchel (23-Mercyhurst).

ARIYIBI BACK FOR ROUND TWO
Leading the Trailblazers among its six returners is fifth-year senior forward Samuel "Tobi" Ariyibi who is the top returner  in points (240), rebounds (162), assists (48), blocks (44), minutes played (674), steals (30), games played (29) and games started (25) from last season.

After playing in only six games in his first three seasons at Washington, the Nigerian native broke out last season and will look to lead the Trailblazers in his final collegiate campaign.

OWONA LOOKS TO BUILD OFF ALL-WAC FRESHMAN SELECTION SEASON
Another top returner for the Trailblazers this season is sophomore guard Madiba Owona, who earned WAC All-Freshman Team honors last season.

After making his Trailblazer debut in Utah Tech's win over South Dakota, the Bordeaux, France native appeared in 20 games while making eight starts.

Owona made his season debut on Wednesday against Bethesda scoring 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the field and hit a pair of three-pointers.  

RETURNERS
Four more Trailblazers join Ariyibi and Owona among returners led by senior guard Britton Berrett, sophomore forward Dallin Grant and sophomore guards Hunter Schenck and Preston Vandermyde.

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
The Trailblazers welcome eight newcomers to the fold this season led by Potter, an All-WAC Preseason selection.

A senior forward from Layton, Utah, Potter comes to UT after three seasons at Utah Valley where he played in 80 career games and scored 459 career points and grabbed 293 career rebounds.

Joining Potter in the front court will be sixth-year senior forward Dario Domingos. A well-traveled WAC veteran, Domingos has spent time at both Tarleton State and UT Arlington along with UT Permian Basin.

The remaining six newcomers feature guards Chance Trujillo (Snow College), Boston Harker (Garden City CC), Jusaun Holt (Kennesaw State/Georgia/Alabama), Marvel Allen (Dayton), Noah Bolanga (St. Bonaventure) and Tanner Davis (Smithfield, Utah).

Holt and Bolanga bring previous Division I experience while Trujillo and Harker arrive from the junior college ranks.

Allen and Davis round out the newcomers and will provide great depth in the backcourt.

TRAILBLAZERS PICKED SIXTH IN PRESEASON POLL
Utah Tech was picked to finish sixth in the WAC preseason poll released on Oct. 28 with the Trailblazers tallying nine points.         California Baptist earned the top spot as the preseason favorite registering five first-place votes and 33 total points.

Utah Valley, who went 15-1 in the WAC last season, was picked second with 29 points followed by Abilene Christian (27 pts.), UT Arlington (22 pts.), Tarleton State (19 pts.) in the third through fifth spots with Southern Utah (8 pts.) rounded out the poll.

TOP 10 SINGLE SEASON MARKS IN 2024-25
The Trailblazers set a single season program record for field goal attempts (1,908) in 2024-25 and also posted top 10 marks in three-point field goals made (2nd, 246) & field goal attempts (2nd, 738). UT also finished third in steals (213), fourth in blocks (106), fifth in points (2,305) & field goals made (810), sixth in offensive rebounds (332), eighth in rebounds (1,090) and ninth in assists (418).

UP NEXT
The Trailblazers make the short trip to Tempe on Sunday afternoon to take on Arizona State at 1 p.m. on ESPN+.