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TRAILBLAZERS AT A GLANCE
Utah Tech closes out its five-game Beehive State stretch on Thursday night with a short drive north on Interstate 15 to Cedar City to square off against in-state rival Southern Utah on Thursday night.

A Trailblazer win on Thursday night would end Utah Tech's current nine-game losing streak, and would be Utah Tech's third win in its last four games vs. the Thunderbirds overall.  

Utah Tech is 2-5 all-time vs. SUU, though the Trailblazers did post an 88-77 road victory in its last visit to Cedar City last season (2/8/24).  

However the Thunderbirds returned the favor earlier this month as they rallied for 69-66 win inside the Burns Arena (2/13/25). 

In all, Utah Tech is a combined 12-22 against its fellow Beehive State opponents in the program's NCAA era, though the Trailblazers are 9-13 in in-state rivalry games as a Division-I program.  

OPENING TIP: Utah Tech (5-20/1-11 WAC) closes out its five-game Beehive State stretch on Thursday night with a short drive north on Interstate 15 to Cedar City to square off against in-state rival Southern Utah (7-19/5-8 WAC). Tip-off inside the America First Event Center (5,300) is set for 6:30 p.m. (MT).

FINALLY ELIGIBLE FOR POSTSEASON PLAY: Not only is the 2024-25 season Utah Tech's fifth Division I season overall, it is also the FIRST season that the Trailblazers are eligible for NCAA postseason play. 
        The NCAA Division I Board of Directors officially approved Utah Tech's move to active Division I status this past June 28. With that confirmation, Trailblazer Athletics is now officially eligible to participate in all NCAA postseason championships in its 15 intercollegiate programs."

HEAD COACH JD GUSTIN: JD Gustin is in his ninth season as Utah Tech head women's basketball coach. 
            Last season, Coach Gustin guided the Trailblazers to an 18-14 overall record, including a 12-8 mark in Western Athletic Conference play, which was good for fourth place in the conference standings and a first round bye into the 2024 WAC Tournament.
            Along with the 18 wins last season, his 2023-24 Trailblazers broke school records in made 3-pointers (327; #1 WAC/#6 NCAA), points (2,343), single game points (116), field goals made/attempted (853/1942), 3-pointers attempted (945), free throw percentage (.736) and fewest turnovers (420).
            Gustin has seen marked improvements in each season on the Trailblazer sideline, culminating with an 19-12 overall record in 2022-23, a nine-win turnaround from the previous season. The 2022-23 campaign also featured a 10-8 mark and a fifth-place finish in Western Athletic Conference play. 
            Utah Tech's 19 wins that season were the most in the program's newly minted NCAA Division-I era, and is the highest win total during Coach Gustin's tenure on the Trailblazer bench.

GUSTIN FOR 100: Gustin, who coached in his 450th collegiate game at home vs. Utah Valley back on Jan. 18, collected his 100th win as Trailblazer head coach with an 81-78 home win over in-state rival Weber State this past Nov. 16. Gustin has now recorded at least 100 coaching victories in each of his two head coaching stops (103-119 at Utah Tech; 2016-current/146-83 at Westminster College; 2004-11).

21-FOR-22: Thanks to its road victory at McNeese State (11/23 in Lake Charles, La.), Utah Tech has now won at least one basketball game in 21 different states during the program's NCAA era.
            In all, the Trailblazers have played games in 22 different states overall. The only state Utah Tech has visited and not won a game is Kansas, where the Blazers were handed a 91-82 loss at Big 12 member Kansas State (11/20/22) early in the 2022-23 season.

HOME SWEET HOME: Since joining the NCAA ranks in 2006-07, Utah Tech has played to a 145-85 (.630) overall record in 230 games inside the Burns Arena, which includes a 4-10 mark this season, and an 11-5 record last season. 
            Under Coach Gustin, the Trailblazers are 66-52 (.559) on their home floor and have won eight or more home games in six of their last seven seasons overall. In fact, Utah Tech's 11 home wins last season tied for the most during Gustin's tenure (11-4 in 2018-19) on the Trailblazer bench.

AWAY FROM THE BURNS: Utah Tech owns a 90-137 (.396) record in 227 road games since the 2006-07 season. Under Coach Gustin, the Blazers are 33-68 (.328) away from home, which includes a 1-10 mark this year, and a 7-8 road record last season. In addition, Utah Tech is 22-19 (.538) on neutral courts, 4-5 under Coach Gustin.

TRAILBLAZERS PICKED SEVENTH THE WAC: Utah Tech was picked to finish seventh in the 2024-25 Western Athletic Conference women's basketball preseason coaches poll, which was released this past October 16.
            Grand Canyon received four of a possible nine first place votes and 59 total points to be tabbed as the WAC preseason favorite, while defending conference regular season and tournament champion California Baptist collected four first place nods to finish second in the poll with 58 points.
            UT Arlington (1 FPV/53 pts) was picked to finish third, followed by Abilene Christian (37 pts) in fourth, Southern Utah (33 pts) in fifth, Tarleton State (28 pts) in sixth, Utah Tech (24 pts) in seventh, Utah Valley (17 pts) in eighth, and Seattle U (15 pts) was picked to finish ninth.  

FROM WAY DOWNTOWN....BANG: Utah Tech has hit at least one 3-pointer in 287-straight games, including 11 treys in the Blazers' home loss to Abilene Christian last Saturday, and a season-high 17 perimeter jumpers (17-of-47) in the 2024-25 season-opening victory vs. Northern New Mexico (11/4). 
            Utah Tech also drained 11 trifectas in the Seattle U home win (1/16), which continued a stretch that has seen the Trailblazers reach double figures in made 3-pointers 29 times in their last 57 games dating back to last season, highlighted by a season-best 21 3-pointers in its home win over Oregon (12/19/23). 
            In fact, the Trailblazers have knocked down at least 10 treys in 113 games during its NCAA era overall, including 11 games this season.
            Last season Utah Tech led the WAC and finished the year ranked sixth-nationally with a school record 327 made 3-pointers, and broke a school records in both 3-point field goal attempts (945) and 3FG percentage (.346). 
            The 21 made treys last year vs. Oregon were the second-most in a single game in program history. In addition, the Trailblazers combined to shoot school record-breaking 67.7 percent (21-of-31) from the perimeter vs. the Ducks, besting the previous record that stood for nearly 12 full seasons (.611, 11-of-18 at BYU-Hawaii; 2/4/2012). 
            In the 2021-22 season, the Trailblazers nailed a school-record 22 3-pointers in its 107-57 blowout win over LIFE Pacific (11/9/21).
            That record was one of two 3FG school records to fall that night as the Blazers also broke a team record for 3FG attempted (51). 
            In all, Utah Tech has hit at least one 3-pointer in 495 of its 498 games during its NCAA era, which began in the 2006-07 season.
            Two of the three instances when the Blazers did not hit a 3-pointer happened during the 2013-14 season (vs. Hawai'i-Hilo, 2/13/14; at California Baptist, 1/18/14), and the other came in the program's first NCAA season in 2006-07 (vs. UHH, 1/7/07). 
            Meanwhile, Utah Tech has surrendered at least one made opponent 3-pointer in 497 of 498 games during its NCAA era.

RELEASE - ROTATION - SPLASH: Utah Tech heads into Thursday's game at Southern Utah as the WAC leader and ranked t-27th NATIONALLY in made 3-pointers with 229. Meanwhile, the Trailblazers are t-13th in the country in 3FGM per game (9.16 3FGM/g), 14th-overall in 3-point attempts (733), and SEVENTH in 3FGA per game (29.3 3FGA/g).

STOP....THIEF: Utah Tech's defense forced an opponent season high 28 turnovers in the road loss at Abilene Christian (2/6), 21 of which were the result of steals. 
            The Blazers' 21 steals were the most in the program's brief Division-I tenure, and tied for the seventh-most in a single game in Utah Tech's NCAA era overall. The 21 steals were also the most in one game since Utah Tech recorded 22 in the 2018-19 season opener vs. Northern New Mexico (11/10/18). 
            Junior point guard Chardonnay Hartley led the way with a career-high seven steals. Hartley became just the eighth different player in Utah Tech's NCAA era to record at least seven steals, which also tied for the sixth-most in a single game in the program's four-year era.
            Meanwhile senior forward Emily Isaacson equaled her career high with six steals, which also tied her for 11th on the program's single-game list.
            In fact, three Trailblazers have recorded at least six steals in a game this season, the first being freshman guard Ellie Taylor, who tallied six steals in the Seattle U home win last month (1/16/25).  
            Utah Tech has picked off at least 10 steals 11 times in 25 games this season, including 16 at Utah Valley (2/19), this after the Trailblazers managed to reach double figures in steals only five times in 32 games in 2023-24.

HARTLEY'S ON FIRE: Hartley just missed on posting her team-leading fifth double-double of the year after going for 11 points and a game-high eight assists in last Saturday's home loss to Abilene Christian. 
            The junior notched her fourth double-double of the year with 13 points and a school-record tying 13 assists, and picked off four steals, in the Blazers' 80-70 home win over Seattle U (1/16).
            Hartley has scored in double figures in 12 of her 25 starts as a Trailblazer, highlighted by a career-high 28 points in the Weber State home win this past Nov. 16.
            In fact, the junior point guard got off to a pretty hot start as she became just the fifth player in the program's NCAA era to score at least 20 points in three of the first four games to begin a season, this after she opened the year with 21 points vs. Northern New Mexico (11/4), and 23 points three nights later at New Mexico State (11/07). 
            Hartley just missed making it four of her first five games overall after she poured in a co-game high 17 points with a season-high four 3-pointers at Houston Christian (11/21), which she followed with 17 more points at McNeese State (11/23) on her way to WAC Player of the Week honors (11/25).
            Hartley has also got the foul line, where she is currently t-37th in all of Division I in free throw attempts (154) and is t-136th nationally in free throws made (87). 
            Not only can she score the basketball, Hartley has also been a facilitator, as she enters Saturday's game vs. Abilene Christian as the WAC leader and t-eighth nationally in total assists (163) and FOURTH in the NCAA D-I ranks in assists/game (6.5 apg; 6.75 apg in WAC play).
            The junior has dished out six or more assists 13 times through her first 25 games this season with five double-digit assist outings, including her record-tying performance vs. Seattle U. Her 13 helpers tied the record held by former Blazer guard Breaunna Gillen (2019-24), who dished out 13 assists twice during the 2022-23 season.
            Hartley's three other double-doubles came in November in home games against NNMC (21p/10a; 11/4), Weber State (28p/12a; 11/16) and Colorado (14p/10a; 11/27).
            Hartley heads into Thursday's match-up at Southern Utah in second place on Utah Tech's single season assists list (163). The junior now stands 38 dimes away breaking the school's single-season assist record currently held by Gillen (200; 2022-23). 
            In addition, Hartley currently stands as one of only three Trailblazers to post multiple 10-plus assist games in a career, and she is just the second player in the program's NCAA era to do it at least five times.
            Gillen reached double figures in assists a school record nine times in her career overall, while former guard Leslie Tademy (2014-16) achieved the feat twice in her two years at Utah Tech. 

8 FOR 30: Junior guard Aaliyah Ibarra has led Utah Tech in scoring six times this season, and has scored in double figures in 10 games overall, highlighted by a career-high 36 points on 12-of-20 shooting with five 3-pointers in the road win at McNeese State (11/23), which helped her earn WAC Newcomer of the Week honors (11/25). 
            Ibarra poured in 18 of her 36 points in the second quarter at MSU, during which she was a perfect 6-of-6 from the floor with four 3-pointers.
            Ibarra's 36-point day at McNeese tied for the fifth-most points scored by a Trailblazer in a single game in the program's NCAA era, and were the second-most points scored by a Trailblazer in a game during the team's current Division I era (38, Breaunna Gillen vs. UT Arlington; 2/24/24).
            Ibarra also became the eighth different Trailblazer to score at least 30 points in one game in the program's four-year era. In addition, her career day marked the 13th-time a Trailblazer had scored at least 30 points in a game overall.
            Former Trailblazer post player Haley Holmstead scored 30 or more points a school record six times during the 2013-14 season, during which she wound up setting the school's single season scoring record with 646 points. Holmstead's dominant season was highlighted by a school record 42-point effort in a road win at Fresno Pacific (86-84; 12/7/13). 

20/20 SCORING: Taylor and Isaacson both "had a day" in Utah Tech's road loss at Tarleton State (1/11). Taylor led all scorers with a career-high 22 points on 7-of-15 shooting with three 3-pointers, and posted career highs of four steals and two blocked shots - all off the bench.
            Meanwhile, Isaacson poured in a then-season high 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting, including a 5-of-6 clip from the perimeter, to go with two boards, one assist and one block.
            That feat marked the second time this season, and the 12th time in the last two seasons overall, that Utah Tech had at least two players score 20 points in a game. 
            Isaacson and Hartley both went for 20 points in the Blazers' home win over Weber State (11/16). Meanwhile last year's team achieved the feat 10 times, highlighted by a record three 20-point scorers in a home blowout vs. Bethesda (12/16/23 - Calyn Dallas 23/Gillen 21/Maddie Warren 20). 

TURNING TO PAIGE: Freshman forward Paige Cofer enjoyed a breakout performance in Utah Tech's home loss to UT Arlington (2/1), against which she poured in a team and career-high 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting with three 3-pointers.
            Cofer scored 13 of those points in the first half, nine of which came in the first quarter on 3-of-3 from beyond the arc that helped neutralize a strong Lady Mavs start.
            After missing the first 13 games of the year, Cofer made her long-awaited collegiate debut in the WAC opener at UTA (1/9), where she was penciled into the starting line-up and flirted with a double-double, finishing with seven points and a co-game high nine rebounds.
            Cofer is averaging 7.6 ppg and 4.5 rpg in WAC play, including a team-high 13 points along with a team-high eight rebounds vs. ACU last Saturday. That effort came on the heels of her leading Utah Tech with 13 points and a career-high three steals at UVU (2/19) last week.

ISAACSON EYES MORE CAREER MILESTONES: It's been quite the start to the 2025 calendar year for Isaacson, who has been systematically moving up Utah Tech's career statistical lists since WAC play began.
            Isaacson (1,138 pts) checked another milestone off the list in the fourth quarter of Utah Tech's home game vs. CBU (2/15) when she became the fourth player in program history to reach the 1,100-point plateau. The senior, who poured a game and career-high 27 points in the loss, scored her 1,100th point on a free throw with 7:43 remaining.  
            The senior sharpshooter (246 3FGM) rang in the 2025 calendar year by becoming Utah Tech's career 3-point leader in the second quarter last month at UT Arlington (1/9).                     Isaacson has remained hot behind the arc, as she is currently second in the WAC in total 3-pointers made (68 - t-35th nationally), 3FG/game (2.72 - t-19th nationally), and 3-point percentage (.417; 68-of-163 - 33rd nationally), which includes a 45.3 percent clip (39-of-86 - third in the WAC) in conference games. 
            Isaacson also extended her career best 3-point streak to 19-straight games with six trifectas vs. ACU last Saturday, which also vaulted her into ninth place on Utah Tech's single season 3-pointers list.    
            The senior, who is already Utah Tech's career leader in 3FG% (.401, 246-of-613), also became the fourth player in program history with at least 550 career rebounds in the SUU loss back on Feb. 13. After pulling down more four rebounds vs. ACU last Saturday, Isaacson (568) now stands only 32 caroms away from 600 for her career.  
            Isaacson is currently one of only three players in program history with at least 1,100 points and 550 rebounds, joining her former teammate Breaunna Gillen (2019-24, 1,608 pts/607 rbs), and Trailblazer Athletics Hall of Famer Johnna Brown (2009-11, 12-13; 1,212 pts/726 rbs) on that exclusive list.  
            In addition, Isaacson is fourth in career blocks (64) and steals (124), fifth in FG made (393), seventh in career games played (98), second in career starts (90), and ninth in FG% (.447; 393-of-879).

TRAILBLAZER PLAYER NOTES
* - After missing virtually the entire 2023-24 campaign due to a season-ending knee injury, Isaacson has picked up right where she left off, averaging a team-best 13.3 points (8th in the WAC) through 25 games this year, including a 15.3 ppg (5th in the WAC) clip in conference play.
* - Isaacson has scored in double figures in 16 of her 25 starts to this point of the year, including a team-high 22 points with six 3-pointers last Saturday vs. Abilene Christian, and a co-game high 19 points on 8-of-13 shooting (3-of-6 3FG) earlier this month at ACU (2/6). 
* - Prior to her day at Tarleton State, Isaacson enjoyed arguably her finest game in a Trailblazer uniform in the win over Weber State (11/16), against which she poured in 20 points on 7-of-9 shooting, including 6-of-7 from the perimeter, along with six boards, three assists and four steals, highlighted by the game-saving steal on the Wildcats' final possession.
* - Saturday's 22-point effort by Isaacson was the senior fourth 20-point game of the season and the 13th of her stories career. 
* - Taylor has been on quite the scoring tear of late, having led the team in scoring in five of her last 11 games ... the freshman's current stretch includes a game-high 21 points (one point off of her career high) in the SUU home loss (2/13), and 15 points, four boards, three assists, two steals and one block vs. CBU (2/15).
* - Following her career day at Tarleton State (1/11), Taylor returned to the starting line-up in win over Seattle U (1/16) and responded by scoring 12 of her team-high 18 points in the first quarter ... the freshman went 6-of-12 from the floor with a career-high tying four 3-pointers and a career-best six steals.
* - Taylor is averaging 12.8 ppg since returning to the starting line-up, and she is now averaging 9.8 ppg overall ... the freshman has scored at least 12 points in eight of her last 11 games, and has reached double figures in points 13 times overall this season, including a game-high 19 points at Grand Canyon (1/25). 
* - Redshirt junior guard Brie Crittendon has scored in double figures eight times this season, including a 12-point night with a pair of 3-pointers and four rebounds at Abilene Christian (2/6) ... she just missed her double-digit ninth outing vs. CBU (2/15), against which the junior went for eight points and team highs of four assists and four steals.  
* - Crittendon poured in a Utah Tech career high 16 points on 5-of-11 shooting with three 3-pointers vs. Pittsburgh (12/21) ... Crittendon also led the Blazers with five rebounds and three steals in a season-high 38 minutes of action. 
* - After just missing her first collegiate double-double at UT Arlington (8p/9r; 1/9), Crittendon finally picked one up in the Seattle U win (1/16), against which she poured in 13 points and grabbed a game and career-high 11 rebounds.
* - Including Hartley's double-double vs. Seattle U (1/16), the last time two Trailblazers posted double-doubles in the same game was in last season's regular season finale vs. Stephen F. Austin (3/9/24), against which Calyn Dallas (19p/10r) and Gillen (16p/13r) turned the trick to lead the Blazers to the home victory.
* - Redshirt freshman Kastyn Young shot out right out of the gate with a pair of 17-point games off the bench against both Northern New Mexico (11/4) and Stonehill (11/13).
* - In all, the Trailblazer bench accounted for 45 of the team's 86 points vs. Stonehill on Nov. 13 ... the 45 bench points scored were a program Division I era high, and were the most bench points scored since the 2021-22 season, when the Blazer reserves tallied 40 points in a home win over Simpson (12/11/21).
* - Utah Tech has scored 40-plus bench points in 25 of its 498 NCAA-era games since the program transitioned from junior college to four-year competition in 2006-07 ... 23 of those occasions came during the Division II era, including five 50-plus point games, highlighted by a school record 59 points from Utah Tech reserves in a 93-54 road win at Chaminade (2/4/09) during the 2008-09 season.
* - The Trailblazer bench just missed making it 26 games in the Westcliff win (11/30) as six reserves combined for 36 points.
* - Sophomore forward Nicole Willardson poured in a season-high 10 points on 3-of-6 shooting with a pair of 3-pointers and led Utah Tech with eight rebounds at Rice (12/4) ... her 10 points were two shy of her career high of 12 set in last year's win vs. Oregon (12/19/23).
* - Willardson also tied her career high with three blocked shots at Rice, which matched the number of shots she swatted away vs. Westcliff (11/30). 
* - Willardson led the Trailblazers' rebounding effort with a career-high nine caroms and hit on 2-of-7 from the floor for four points vs. NNMC (11/4) ... Willardson also picked off a career-high four steals and had two points, three boards and a block in a season-high 27 minutes in the Weber State win (11/16).
* - Freshman guard Mylee Graham was once again solid off the bench at UVU (2/19) last week, against which she posted career highs of nine points and three steals, to go along with five rebounds and one assist in a season high 29-plus minutes of action.
* - Reserve guard Makeili Ika also enjoyed a fine performance in the SUU loss (2/13), hitting on 2-of-3 from beyond the arc for a career high six points to go with one assist in 12-plus minutes off the bench. 

ABOUT THE SOUTHERN UTAH "THUNDERBIRDS": Southern Utah enters Thursday night's game on a three-game win streak, which started with the Thunderbirds' 69-66 win at Utah Tech two weeks ago. SUU followed that up with a road victory at Utah Valley (72-63; 2/15) and a 49-46 home result vs. ACU (2/19) last week. 
            SUU currently has two players averaging double figures, led by fifth-year guard Daylani Ballena (5-8) at 11.5 ppg on 40.8 percent shooting. Ballena also leads the T-Birds in assists (2.8 apg) and steals (31; 1.2 spg), while sophomore forward Ava Uhrich (6-0) is averaging 11.2 ppg on an even 50.0 percent shooting and 4.5 rpg. 

NEXT UP FOR THE TRAILBLAZERS: Including Thursday's game at SUU, Utah Tech will play three of its final four regular season games on the road.                    
            That stretch continues this Saturday when the Blazers head down to Riverside to play at California Baptist. Tip-off inside the CBU Fowler Events Center is set for 2 p.m. (MT).