Men's Basketball | 2/18/2025 4:00:00 PM

Game #26 - RED OUT
Who | Utah Valley (18-7, 9-1 WAC) at Utah Tech (6-19, 2-8 WAC)
When | Thursday, Feb. 20 – 7 p.m.
Where | Burns Arena – St. George, Utah
Broadcast | ESPN+ / 99.5 The Fan Sports Network
Social Media | Instagram + Twitter (X) + #UtahTechBlazers + #WACmbb

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Game #27
Who | Utah Tech (6-19, 2-8 WAC) at Abilene Christian (12-13, 4-6 WAC)
When | Saturday, Feb. 22 – 5 p.m. MT
Where | Moody Coliseum – Abilene, Texas
Broadcast | ESPN+ / 99.5 The Fan Sports Network
Social Media | Instagram + Twitter (X) + #UtahTechBlazers + #WACmbb

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SCOUTING THE WOLVERINES
Utah Valley is set for the second contest of the "Old Hammer Rivalry" game on Thursday with a 18-7 overall record while sitting atop the WAC with a 9-1 overall record.

Winners of its last three contests since its lone WAC setback at Grand Canyon on Feb. 1, the Wolverines are 7-6 on the road this season and have won six of their last seven road contests dating back to a 70-56 win at Idaho State on Dec. 18.

The Wolverines lead the WAC in assist/turnover ratio (1.36), assists per game (16.2), blocks per game (5.8 - 3rd nationally) and field goal percentage (46.8).

Utah Valley ranks second in rebounds per game (37.76), field goal percentage defense (42.5), scoring offense (76.2) and is third in free throw attempts per game (22.8), scoring defense (69.0) and turnovers per game (11.9).

Individually, the Wolverines have three players averaging double figures led by junior guard Dominick Nelson with 15.2 points per game.

Sophomore forward Carter Welling ranks second in the WAC in blocks per game (1.74) while redshirt sophomore guard Trevan Leonhardt leads the WAC and ranks eighth nationally in assist/turnover ratio (3.38). He also leads the conference in assists per game (5.3).

SCOUTING THE WILDCATS
Meeting the Trailblazers for the second time in a 16-day stretch on Saturday,  Abilene Christian heads into Saturday night's game against the Trailblazers with a 12-13 overall record and a 4-6 mark in the WAC, sitting seventh in the WAC.

The Wildcats will host Southern Utah on Thursday prior to the Trailblazers coming to Abilene.

ACU is 7-4 at home on the season and is 2-2 in WAC home contests with wins over Seattle U (75-59) and Tarleton State (67-56).

The Wildcats lead the WAC and rank second in the nation in steals per game (10.4), rank second in turnovers forced per game (16.2- 7th nationally) & field goal percentage (45.2). Finally, ACU is third in three point percentage defense (32.8) and fourth in scoring defense (70.8).

Individually, junior guard Quion Williams leads the team in points (13.6), rebounds (5.2) & blocks (0.7) per game while checking in fourth in the WAC in field goal percentage (48.1).

Junior forward Leonardo Bettiol ranks third in the WAC in field goal percentage (54.0) while averaging 13.4 points and 4.2 rebounds per game.

SERIES HISTORY VS. UTAH VALLEY
This will be Utah Tech's 10th meeting against Utah Valley with the Trailblazers trailing the all-time series, 6-3.

Meeting in Orem earlier this season on Jan. 18, UT fell 96-80 to the Wolverines with Noa Gonsalves leading the team with 18 points.

The teams split its pair of meetings last season with the Trailblazers winning at home, 65-53.

UT is 2-1 at home against Utah Valley falling on Feb. 2, 2023 and winning in overtime, 80-75 on Feb. 19, 2022.

SERIES HISTORY VS. ABILENE CHRISTIAN
 This will be Utah Tech's seventh meeting against Abilene Christian and fourth on the road in Abilene with UT trailing the all-time series, 6-0.

Meeting earlier this season on Feb. 6 in St. George, the Trailblazers fell 86-72 to the Wildcats.

With the last two meetings coming in St. George, the Trailblazers fell 82-60 at ACU on Jan. 25, 2024.

Meeting only once in the 2022-23 season, the Trailblazers fell on the road while losing both pair of contests against the Wildcats in 2021-22.

LAST TIME OUT
Despite a 49-point second half, the Trailblazers fought to the very end on Saturday night at California Baptist falling 86-83 to the Lancers at Fowler Events Center.

For only the second time this season, Utah Tech (6-19, 2-8 WAC) had five Trailblazers finish with double figures led by 18 points from Madiba Owona on 8-of-11 shooting from the field adding three rebounds, an assist and steal.

Justin Bieker came off the bench to score 15 points, his second-highest scoring performance of the season while Noa Gonsalves chipped in 14 points and grabbed a team-high six rebounds.

The first half saw the Lancers get out to a 19-6 lead after the opening six minutes of action and extended their lead to as many as 15 (32-17) in the opening half and led 45-34 at halftime.

Coming out of the locker room hot to start the second half, Bieker got the scoring started with a three-pointer followed by a three-point play by Rainwater to cut the CBU lead to five.

Continuing to claw closer, a three-pointer by Owona cut the Lancers' lead to 53-52, but a 17-8 run over the next five-and-half minutes put CBU back in front by 10 (70-60) with 9:21 to play.

Nine straight points for the Trailblazers over the next minute-and-half brought UT back within one at 70-69 and a three-pointer by Owona from the left corner locked the contest up at 77 with 5:01 to go.

A layup by Owona and a pair of free throws by Bieker kept UT ahead 81-79 and a jumper by Gonsalves kept the Trailblazers in front, 83-82 with 57 seconds remaining.

After a timeout, CBU scored on a layup to jump back ahead by one and two free throws by Williams made it 86-83 in favor of the Lancers as the final possession by the Trailblazers was lost.

WHERE THE BLAZERS RANK IN THE WAC/NCAA
Utah Tech checks in second in the WAC in three point attempts per game (22.4) and ranks third in three pointers made per game (7.3).

The Trailblazers also rank fourth in assist/turnover ratio (1.05), assists per game (13.0) and turnovers per game (12.4).

Individually, Gonsalves ranks second in the WAC in three-pointers made (58) & three-pointers made per game (2.32) and is third in minutes per game (34:25).

Riley ranks fifth in rebounds per game (7.6) & third in double-doubles (7).

Samuel Ariybi is sixth in blocks per game (1.41) & blocks (31).

OWONA CONTINUES STRONG PLAY WITH STRONG WEEK
Freshman guard Madiba Owona sets season highs in points (22), rebounds (4), blocks (2), field goals made/attempts (8/15) and free throws made/attempts (4/4) last Thursday at Southern Utah.

He followed it up on Saturday at California Baptist with an 18-point performance in a season-high 33 minutes of action adding three rebounds, an assist and a steal.

In 12 games, Owona has made three starts and is averaging 8.1 points per game and 20.0 minutes per contest.

FALLING IN CLOSE CONTESTS
Utah Tech fell to 0-6 in games decided by three points or less on Saturday at California Baptist and have dropped their last seven games decided by three or less dating back to last season.

Its last win in a contest that was three points or fewer came in a 70-68 win at home over Southern Utah on Feb. 8, 2024.

RILEY CONTINUES STRONG SEASON
Riley's average of 7.6 rebounds per game is sixth all-time in a single season while he is also sixth all-time in program history grabbing 6.6 rebounds per game.

A two-year Trailblazer, Riley's average of 12.1 points per game is tied for ninth all-time in program history.

GONSALVES MOVING UP CAREER TOP 10 MARKS
Gonsalves continues to ascend the all-time career scoring list sitting at 1,134 career points and is only 12 points shy of moving into the top five in program history in scoring as he looks to pass Brandon Simister (1,145 - 2012-18) on Thursday against the Wolverines.

In addition, Gonsalves ranks second in career games played (119), tied for third in starts (85), fourth in steals (119), field goals made (392) & field goal attempts (886) & 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 50-of-56 (89.3) to rank second and third, respectively in program history in a single season in free throw percentage.

HOME COOKING
The Trailblazers are 170-59 (.742) overall at Burns Arena in the NCAA era.

Utah Tech has recorded 14 winnings seasons in 18 seasons in St. George in its NCAA era, including a perfect 12-0 in 2008-09.

The Blazers are 5-4 at home this season, including winning four of their last five, and are 35-29 (.547) at home in the Division I era.

DOUBLE FIGURES 
Gonsalves has reached double figures in 20 of 25 contests, including 12 of his last 14.

Riley (15), Justin Bieker (8), Ariyibi (7), Byrd (7), Britton Berrett (3), Owona (3)  & Tennessee Rainwater (3) have also recorded multiple double digit contests this season.

SEASONED VETERAN
Head coach Jon Judkins is in his 20th season at Utah Tech this season sporting a 337-222 (.603) overall record and a 317-210 (.602) 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 LESS THAN ONE MONTH AWAY
Set for March 11-15, the opening game of the WAC Tournament between the number eight and nine seeds are set for March 11 at Burns Arena with the rest of the tournament set for March 12-15 against Orleans Arena.

UP NEXT
The Trailblazers are back home next week hosting Southern Utah (11-15, 3-9 WAC) on Feb. 27 and California Baptist (13-12, 6-5 WAC) on March 1.