Men's Basketball | 2/4/2025 1:30:00 PM

Game #23
Who | Abilene Christian (9-13, 1-6 WAC) at Utah Tech (6-16, 2-5 WAC)
When | Thursday, Feb. 6 – 7 p.m.
Where | Burns Arena – St. George, Utah
Broadcast | ESPN+ / 99.5 The Fan Sports Network
Social Media | Instagram + Twitter (X) + #UtahTechBlazers + #WACmbb

SCOUTING THE WILDCATS
Abilene Christian enters Thursday's game against the Trailblazers with a 9-13 overall record and a 1-6 mark in the WAC, sitting eighth in the WAC.

ACU, who is 2-9 on the road, earned its lone WAC win of the season at home over Tarleton State on Jan. 23.

Coming off a 83-60 setback at California Baptist on Jan. 30, the Wildcats earned non-conference wins over Howard Payne, McMurray, Texas State, Southern Miss, Omaha, New Mexico State, Hardin-Simmons & Texas Southern.

ACU went 16-18 in 2023-24 and went 10-10 in the WAC to finish in a tie for sixth advancing to the CIT Tournament going 1-1 in the postseason. 

The Wildcats check in second in steals per game (9.8) & turnovers forced per game (16.2) while ranking fourth in field goal percentage (44.4) & fifth in assists per game (13.0), scoring defense (71.3) and free throw percentage defense (33.5).

Individually, junior guard Quion Williams leads the team in points (14.2), rebounds (5.8), assists (2.8) & blocks (0.7) per game while checking in fifth in the WAC in field goal percentage (48.1).

Junior forward Leonardo Bettiol, an Italian native, ranks third in the WAC in field goal percentage (55.8) while averaging 14.0 points and four rebounds per game.

In total, ACU averages 70.1 points per game and is 7-2 when scoring 70 or more points. In seven WAC games, the Wildcats have only reached that mark in one game, a 79-76 loss at home in overtime to UT Arlington.

SERIES HISTORY VS. ABILENE CHRISTIAN
This will be Utah Tech's sixth meeting against Abilene Christian and third at home.

Falling to the Wildcats on Senior Day last season in St. George, the Trailblazers came up short, 86-79 while losing 82-60 at ACU earlier in the season.

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.

The two teams will meet later this season in Abilene on Feb. 22.

LAST TIME OUT
Despite a career-high 25 points from senior guard Noa Gonsalves, the Trailblazers were unable to hold onto a late lead falling 73-71 at UT Arlington on Saturday afternoon at College Park Center.

Gonsalves, who led the Trailblazers in scoring for a team-leading ninth time this season, finished 9-for-14 from the field and 5-for-9 from three-point range, and added four rebounds and two assists.

Fellow senior Hakim Byrd made it two 20-point scorers finishing with 20 points, including hitting 4-for-6 from behind the arc, and added four rebounds and three assists while playing all 40 minutes.

Freshman center Pavle Misic came off the bench for a season-high eight points and chipped in four rebounds and three assists.

A contest that saw 17 lead changes and eight ties, the Trailblazers used a 7-0 run to take a 20-14 lead after a layup by Tennessee Rainwater with 7:37 to play in the opening half.

A 14-6 run for the Mavericks put UTA ahead 28-26, but a layup by Riley tied the contest and back-to-back buckets by Misic gave the Trailblazers a 32-30 lead at halftime.

The opening six minutes of the second half saw the Mavericks race out of the gate on a 17-6 run for a 47-38 lead. A three-pointer by Gonsalves and a tip-in layup by Misic brought UT within four.

An 8-0 run for the Trailblazers midway through the second half saw UT turn a six-point deficit to a 53-51 lead and after the lead changed hands six more times, the Trailblazers held a 66-61 lead after a triple by Gonsalves with 3:05 left in regulation.

Nine straight points for the Mavs over the next two-plus minutes put UTA ahead 70-66, with the Trailblazers responding with a three-point play from Gonsalves to get within one with 20 seconds remaining.

After trading a pair of free throws, Ware made one of two final free throws with two seconds left as the Trailblazers were unable to get a shot attempted at the end.

WHERE THE BLAZERS RANK IN THE WAC/NCAA
Utah Tech checks in second in the WAC in three point attempts per game (22.8) & three pointers made (7.3) and is third in turnovers per game (12.0), assist/turnover ratio (1.11) & three point percentage defense (31.9).

The Trailblazers also rank fourth in assists per game (13.3) and three point percentage (32.1). 

Individually, Gonsalves ranks second in the WAC in three-pointers made (54) & three-pointers made per game (2.45) and third in minutes per game (34:08).

Riley ranks fifth in rebounds per game (7.9) & 13th in points per game (13.6).

Samuel Ariybi is sixth in blocks per game (1.33) & blocks (28).

GONSALVES SETS CAREER HIGH
Gonsalves set a career high on Saturday at UT Arlington scoring 25 points on 9-for-14 shooting from the field and went 5-for-9 from behind the arc to go along with four rebounds and two assists.

BYRD HEATING UP
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 his last four games and six of the last seven contests averaging 15.1 points per game.

In addition, he has dished out three or more assists in five contests and is 19-for-21 (90.5) from the free throw line during that stretch.

BENCH COMES UP BIG
For only the fifth time this season, the Trailblazer bench outscored their opponent on Saturday at UTA.

The Trailblazers are 3-2 when the bench outscores the opponent and UT scored a season-high 59 points over Whittier on Dec. 16.

LOCKING UP THE DEFENSE
The Trailblazers held Tarleton State to 39.1 percent from the field last Thursday night as the Texans connected on 18 field goals on 46 attempts as both were season lows by a Trailblazer opponent.

Overall on the season, UT has held five opponents under 40 percent and is 4-1 in such games.

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 1,095.         

Only 51 points shy of reaching the top five mark, if Gonsalves averages his scoring average of 14 points per game for the remainder of the season, he'll move up into third place (Hunter Schofield - 1,223).

In addition, Gonsalves ranks second in career games played (116), fourth in steals (117) & starts (82), fifth in field goal attempts (854) & field goals made (377) & seventh in free throw percentage (78.9).

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

They both have connected on 45-of-50 (90.0) from the line percent.

Gonsalves has hit his last 28 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.

The Trailblazers were only able to get to the free throw line a season-low six times on Saturday at UTA and are 0-3 when held under 10 free throw per game.

DOUBLE FIGURES 
Gonsalves has reached double figures in 17 of 22 contests, including nine of his last 11.

Riley (12), 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 199 made three-pointers on 524 attempts and is eighth in 3-point percentage at 38.0 percent.

Overall in 116 games played, Gonsalves has hit a three-pointer in 90 contests, including 48 out of 53 games over the last two seasons.

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

HOME COOKING
The Trailblazers are 170-58 (.746) 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 5-3 at home this season, including winning four of their last five, and are 35-29 (.547) at home in the Division I era.

SEASONED VETERAN
Head coach Jon Judkins is in his 20th season at Utah Tech this season sporting a 337-219 (.606) overall record and a 317-207 (.605) 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).

WHAT'S NEXT
The Trailblazers head back on the road next week traveling to Southern Utah (9-13, 1-7 WAC) on Feb. 13 and California Baptist (11-10, 4-3 WAC) on Feb. 15.