Men's Basketball | 2/11/2025 12:45:00 PM

Game #24
Who | Utah Tech (6-17, 2-6 WAC) at Southern Utah (10-14, 2-8 WAC)
When | Thursday, Feb. 13 – 6:30 p.m.
Where | America First Event Center – Cedar City, Utah
Broadcast | ESPN+ / 99.5 The Fan Sports Network
Social Media | Instagram + Twitter (X) + #UtahTechBlazers + #WACmbb

SCOUTING THE THUNDERBIRDS
Southern Utah heads into Thursday's contest against the Trailblazers with a 10-14 overall record and a 2-8 mark in the WAC, sitting ninth in the WAC.    

Coming off a 84-70 loss at home to Abilene Christian last Saturday, the Thunderbirds have earned WAC wins over California Baptist (60-57) and UT Arlington (73-68).

Meeting for the first time over the next two weeks, the Thunderbirds went 8-6 in non-conference action and are 7-5 at home on the season.    

SUU went 10-21 in 2023-24 and 5-15 in the WAC to finish 10th in the conference.    

The Thunderbirds check in second in the WAC in three point percentage defense (31.5), are third in blocks per game (4.6) & rebounds per game (37.1) and fourth in field goal percentage defense (43.5).

Individually, sophomore forward Brock Felder has been strong defensively topping the WAC in blocks (53) and blocks per game (2.21)

Senior guard Jamir Simpson has been a scoring machine ranking second in the conference averaging 17.0 points per game totaling 21 double-digit scoring games and had a season-high 28 at Loyola Chicago on Nov. 19. The Wisconsin Parkside transfer ranks fourth in the WAC in free throw percentage (82.1) and is sixth in minutes per game (31:29),

In total, SUU averages 71.5 points per game and is 9-3 when scoring 72 or more points. In 10 WAC games, the Thunderbirds are averaging 63.7 points per game and have reached 64 or more points in five games.

SERIES HISTORY VS. SOUTHERN UTAH       
This will be Utah Tech's ninth meeting against Southern Utah and fifth on the road in Cedar City with UT trailing 3-5 overall and 0-4 on the road.

Earning a 70-68 win at home over the Thunderbirds last season, UT fell 75-65 in Cedar City in 2023-24.

Noa Gonsalves notched double figures in both contests last season and overall in seven contests against SUU is averaging 8.4 points per game.

The other three meetings in Cedar City came in 2020 (78-85), 2021 (59-87) and 2023 (71-81).

The two teams will face off in St. George on Feb. 27 at Burns Arena.

LAST TIME OUT
The Trailblazers returned home on Thursday night for their lone home game in a five-game stretch falling 86-72 to visiting Abilene Christian on Feb. 6.

Utah Tech was led by a double-double from Beon Riley with 17 points and 12 rebounds for his seventh double-double of the season.

Gonsalves added 12 points while Samuel Ariyibi added nine points off the bench adding three assists, three blocks and a pair of rebounds

A high-scoring first eight minutes saw the Wildcats jump out to a 23-14 lead as ACU started 9-for-10 from the field.

A 7-2 run for the Trailblazers, capped by a three-pointer by Gonsalves, cut the ACU lead down to 25-21, but six straight points for the Wildcats pushed their lead back to double digits.

Extending their lead to as many as 16 (44-28) in the final seconds of the opening half, a three-pointer by Stone Hutchings at the buzzer brought UT back within 13 at halftime.

Eight straight points for the Wildcats to start the second half extended their lead to 21 and continued to lead by 22 (74-52) with 6:26 to play.

Continuing to fight, a dunk by Tennessee Rainwater ignited a 13-1 run over the next three-and-half minutes for the Trailblazers to pull within 10 (75-65) with 2:58 to go.

That would be as a close as the Trailblazers could get as ACU went on to win by a final margin of 14.

WATCH PARTY ON SATURDAY
Come out to a watch party at Cafe Sabor in St. George on Saturday night to watch the Trailblazers take on California Baptist at 7 p.m.

WHERE THE BLAZERS RANK IN THE WAC/NCAA
Utah Tech checks in second in the WAC in three point attempts per game (22.7) and ranks third in assist/turnover ratio (1.10), three point percentage defense (32.4) and three pointers made per game (7.3).

The Trailblazers also rank fourth in assists per game (13.5) and turnovers per game (12.3).

Individually, Gonsalves ranks second in the WAC in three-pointers made (55) & three-pointers made per game (2.39) and third in minutes per game (34:09).

Riley ranks fifth in rebounds per game (8.1) & third in double-doubles (7). Samuel Ariybi is sixth in blocks per game (1.41) & blocks (31).

OWONA & MISIC MAKE STARTING DEBUTS
Freshman guard Madiba Owona and freshman center Pavle Misic each made their starting debuts against Abilene Christain on Feb. 6 with Owona totaling four points, two rebounds and one assist in 19 minutes while Misic notched two points in eight minutes.

RILEY CONTINUES STRONG SEASON
Riley's average of 8.1 rebounds per game ranks fifth all-time in a single season while he is sixth all-time in program history grabbing 6.6 rebounds per game.

A two-year Trailblazer, Riley's average of 12.0 points per game ranks 10th all-time in program history.

REBOUNDING ADVANTAGE
The Trailblazers have outrebounded their opponents in three of their last four games and are 5-3 overall (four times in WAC play) on the season when holding the advantage in rebounds. 

BYRD STRONG IN WAC PLAY
Since the turn of the new calendar year to 2025 and WAC play has got underway, Byrd has been on fire hitting double figures in six of eight contests averaging 14.1 points per game.

In addition, he has dished out three or more assists in six contests and is 22-for-24 (91.7) from the free throw line during that stretch.

GONSALVES MOVING UP CAREER TOP 10 MARKS
Gonsalves continues to ascend the all-time career scoring list currently sitting seventh all-time in career points with 1,107.

Only two points shy of passing Cameron Gooden for sixth all-time, he sits 39 points shy of reaching the top five in career points and is 80 points away from moving into fourth place.

In addition, Gonsalves ranks second in career games played (117), fourth in steals (119), starts (83), field goals made (382) & field goal attempts (867) & seventh in free throw percentage (79.0).

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

Byrd has connected on 47-of-52 (90.4) from the line while Gonsalves is 46-of-51 (90.2).

Gonsalves has hit his last 29 straight free throw attempts dating back to his first attempt against Whittier on Dec. 16.

His current streak currently leads the nation with Jared Fry (26-Stony Brook) behind him.

DOUBLE FIGURES 
Gonsalves has reached double figures in 18 of 23 contests, including 10 of his last 12.

Riley (13), Justin Bieker (7), Ariyibi (7), Byrd (7), Britton Berrett (3) & Tennessee Rainwater (2) have also recorded multiple double digit contests this season.

GONSALVES THE SHARPSHOOTER
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 200 made three-pointers on 531 attempts and is  ninth in 3-point percentage at 37.7 percent.

Overall in 117 games played, Gonsalves has hit a three-pointer in 91 contests, including 48 out of 54 games over the last two seasons.

He has hit multiple triples in 17 games this season and 57 career games.

SEASONED VETERAN
Head coach Jon Judkins is in his 20th season at Utah Tech this season sporting a 337-220 (.605) overall record and a 317-208 (.604) 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).

WAC TOURNAMENT ONLY ONE MONTH AWAY
Set for March 11-15, the opening game of the WAC Tournament between the number eight and nine seeds is set for March 11 at Burns Arena with the rest of the tournament set for March 12-15 against Orleans Arena.

WHAT'S NEXT
The Trailblazers head to California Baptist (12-11, 5-4 WAC) on Saturday night at 7 p.m. at the CBU Events Center.