Men's Basketball | 12/11/2025 11:00:00 AM

Game #12 - TEDDY BEAR TOSS
Who | Utah Tech (5-6) vs. Justice University (5-3)
When | Saturday, Dec. 13 – 7 p.m.
Where | Burns Arena – St. George, Utah
Broadcast | ESPN+ / 99.5 The Fan Sports Network
Social Media | Instagram + Twitter (X) + #UtahTechBlazers

THIRD ANNUAL TEDDY BEAR TOSS
Bring your own teddy bear or exchange any toy for one at the arena, and join us for the halftime teddy bear toss!

Every donation goes toward helping local children & families this holiday season!

SCOUTING JUSTICE UNIVERSITY
Justice is 5-3 on the season coming off a 100-70 home win over California Prestige on Dec. 4 and defeated Navajo Tech four times in November winning a pair both at home and on the road.

The Lions have played a pair of exhibitions against Division I opponents in Northern Arizona (87-55) & Idaho State (89-51) along with exhibitions against Division II foes West Texas A&M & Angelo State.

In Justice's eight games, the Lions are averaging 99.6 points per game (second in the NCCAA) while only allowing 52.1 points per contest (first in the NCCAA) for a 47.5 scoring margin.

The Lions are leading the NCCAA in assist-to-turnover- ratio (2.30), are second in field goal percentage (52.2) and tied for fifth in rebounds per game (40.5).

Individually, junior forward Jaden Walker ranks sixth in the NCCAA in scoring averaging 20.9 points per game while junior forward Jaydon Cameron is tied for 14th in rebounds grabbing 6.9 boards per game

Walker is also leading the NCCAA in three-point percentage (64.3 percent) and ranks third in field goal percentage (68.6).

Senior guard Demetrius Valdez is tied for seventh in assists dishing out 4.5 assists per contest with both Valdez & Cameron both ranking in the top five in assist-to-turnover ratio.

SERIES HISTORY VS. JUSTICE
The Trailblazers and Lions square off for the first time in program history in the regular season after the two teams met in an exhibition contest in St. George last season on Oct. 30.

UTAH TECH VS. NCCAA OPPONENTS
Utah Tech faces its third NCCAA opponent of the season joining wins at home over Bethesda (110-65) on Nov. 5 and Nobel (96-48) on Nov. 21.

Justice plays both home and away against Bethesda and Nobel later this season.

LAST TIME OUT AT SANTA CLARA
Despite outscoring Santa Clara in the second half, the Trailblazers fell 90-80 to the Broncos on the road on Dec. 3 at Leavey Center.

Utah Tech was led by a pair of Trailblazers with career highs in scoring led by 25 points from sophomore guard Madiba Owona along with 17 points from senior guard Britton Berrett.

Ethan Potter nearly missed his third double-double of the season leading the Trailblazers with nine rebounds to go along with 12 points.

As a team, Utah Tech shot 49.2 percent from the field (31-63), 34.5 percent (10-29) from three-point range & connected on a perfect 100 percent (8-8) from the free throw line.

Falling behind 48-35 at halftime, a layup by Owona and a four-point play by Noah Bolanga gave the Trailblazers the first six points out the locker room, but a 26-13 run for the Broncos pushed Santa Clara back in front, 74-54 midway through the second half.

Continuing to battle back, a dunk by Bolanga cut Santa Clara's lead to 10 at 81-71 with 5:41 to play and a layup from Chance Trujillo made it 84-77 with 1:30 to play.

That would be as close as the Trailblazers could get as Berrett hit three final free throws in the final minute, but that was not enough as UT fell by 10.

WHERE THE TRAILBLAZERS RANK IN THE WAC/NCAA IN 2025-26
Utah Tech comes into Saturday's contest  ranking second in the WAC in three point attempts (24.8), three point percentage defense (28.0) and turnovers per game (12.8) & third in free throw percentage (72.6), free throw made per game (14.5) & three pointers per game (7.2).

Individually, Potter leads the WAC with in both points (181) & rebounds (79) and is second in the conference in field goal percentage (57.9).

Chance Trujillo leads the WAC in three point attempts (72) and ranks second in minutes per game (33:39) & free throw percentage (88.9).

Bolanga ranks fifth in the conference in both minutes per game (31:01) & rebounds (62).

OWONA & BERRETT SET NEW CAREER HIGHS AT SANTA CLARA

Owona & Berrett each set new career highs in points at Santa Clara.

Owona topped his previous high of 22 points set at Southern Utah last season while Berrett also topped his previous career high surpassing the 16 points he scored in a win at home last season over Whittier.

HOT FROM DOWNTOWN
The 10 three-pointers made at Santa Clara on Dec. 3 were a season high for the Trailblazers and the 34.5 percent shooting from downtown was its second-highest of the season, only topped by Nov. 29 vs. UC Riverside (40 percent).

DISHING IT OUT
The Trailblazers set a season high with 18 assists at Santa Clara on Wednesday.

It is the most assists for the Utah Tech since notching 21 assists on Dec. 19, 2024 in a win at home against South Dakota.

IN ALL FIVE WINS
The Trailblazers have found four commonalities in all five of its victories this season. 

UT has led at half, shot 40 percent or better from the field, tallied more assists & shot a higher percentage from three-point range than their opponents in all five of its wins.

POTTER NAMED WAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Senior forward Ethan Potter was named the WAC Player of the Week on Dec. 1 after scoring a career-high 26 points on Nov. 29 in a 77-69 win over UC Riverside, Potter went 11-for-19 from the field against the Highlanders, hit all four free throws, grabbed three rebounds & dished out an assist.

In addition to his standout performance against UCR, Potter also led the Trailblazers in scoring earlier in the week against Portland State on Nov. 25 finishing with a team-leading 18 points converting 9-for-13 from the field and grabbed five rebounds against the Vikings.

ELITE COMPANY
Head coach Jon Judkins is in his 21st season at Utah Tech sporting a 343-234 (.594) overall record and a 323-222 (.593) 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).

UP NEXT
The Trailblazers close out non-conference action with a pair of road contests at Weber State (5-5) on Dec. 20 and Creighton (5-4) on Dec. 22.