Men's Basketball | 3/9/2025 7:30:00 PM

Game #32 - WAC TOURNAMENT OPENING ROUND
Who | No. 9 seed Utah Tech (6-25, 2-14 WAC) vs. No. 8 seed Southern Utah (12-18, 4-12 WAC)
When | Tuesday, March 11 – 2:30 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 THUNDERBIRDS
Southern Utah enters the WAC Tournament with a 12-18 overall record and finished in eighth place in the WAC with a 4-12 mark.

The Thunderbirds, who were only 4-11 away from home this season, earned wins on the road at San Diego, California Baptist and Utah Tech and defeated Idaho at a neutral site in San Diego.

Meeting twice this season, the Trailblazers fell 82-75 at home to the Thunderbirds on Feb. 27 and also met in Cedar City on Feb. 13 with SUU coming away with a narrow 76-74 win.

The first game saw SUU get a late tip-in layup in the final seconds by Jeffrey Langston Jr. for the victory while the second game saw a 24-point outing from Noa Gonsalves and a 14-point, eight rebound outing from Beon Riley.

The Thunderbirds rank second in the WAC in free throw percentage (73.5), check in third in three point percentage defense (31.7), blocks per game (4.4), rebounds per game (37.1) and are fourth in field goal percentage defense (43.8).

Individually, sophomore forward Brock Felder has been strong defensively topping the WAC in blocks (64) and blocks per game (2.13) ranking 20th nationally in each category.

Senior guard Jamir Simpson ranks second in the WAC averaging 16.2 points per game totaling 25 double-digit scoring games and had a season-high 28 at Loyola Chicago on Nov. 19. The Wisconsin Parkside transfer leads the WAC in free throw percentage (89.0), is fifth in minutes per game (31:45) and sixth in field goal percentage (41.7)

In total, SUU averages 69.9 points per game and is 11-6 when scoring 70 or more points.

In 16 WAC games, the Thunderbirds are averaging 63.75 points per game and have reached 64 or more points in seven games (3-5).

SERIES HISTORY VS. SOUTHERN UTAH
This will be Utah Tech's 11th meeting against Southern Utah and second at a neutral site with the Trailblazers winning at the 2023 WAC Tournament in Las Vegas.

The overall series goes in favor of Southern Utah leading 7-3.

Earning a 70-68 win at home over the Thunderbirds last season, Utah Tech also won contests at home on Feb. 4, 2023 (86-79) and Nov. 12, 2021 (83-76).

Noa Gonsalves has notched double figures in each of the his last four contests vs. SUU and overall in nine contests against SUU is averaging 10.7 points per game.

LAST TIME OUT
The Trailblazers closed out the regular season on Saturday evening falling in a nail-bitter to Seattle U, 70-65 on Senior Night at Burns Arena.

Utah Tech was led by a career-high 20 points from Samuel Ariyibi on 8-of-9 shooting from the field and he led the team with nine rebounds and four blocks.

Seniors Justin Bieker chipped in 12 points, Hakim Byrd added nine points and Noa Gonsalves tallied eight points.

Beon Riley tacked on six points and three rebounds as those four Trailblazers along with fellow seniors Sammy Howlin & Unisa Turay were honored prior to the start of the contest.

Even over the opening five minutes of action at seven apiece, the Trailblazers took a 16-15 lead halfway through the first half after a layup by Ariyibi.

A 12-4 run over next four minutes put the Redhawks ahead 27-20 and a three-pointer by SU with 4:13 to play pushed the visitors lead to 10 (32-22).

Back-to-back three-pointers, from Byrd and Bieker, brought the Trailblazers back within four at 32-28.

With Seattle U building back up a seven-point cushion at 39-32 with 1:33 to go, the final five points of the half belonged to the Trailblazers notching a three-point by Ariyibi and pair of free throws by Stone Hutchings.

Two free throws by Bieker five-plus minutes into the second half gave the Trailblazers their first lead since early in the first half jumping ahead, 43-42.

Tied at 49 apiece halfway through the second half, a layup by Riley gave UT a 55-53 lead with 8:25 to play.

Continuing to lead by one with five minutes to go at 59-58 after a pair of free throws by Byrd, the Trailblazers stayed in front leading, 63-61 after a tip-in layup by Ariyibi with 2:50 to play.

The Redhawks locked up the contest at 63 with a layup by Moncrieffe and went ahead by four with a layup and pair of free throws.

Two free throws by Gonsalves cut Seattle's lead to 67-65 with 19 seconds remaining, but three final throws for the Redhawks sealed the win as a late three-point attempt by Byrd that would have tied the game came up short.

TRAILBLAZERS HISTORY AT WAC TOURNAMENT
This will be Utah Tech's second trip to the WAC Tournament in program history as they were the No. 11 seed in 2023.

The Trailblazers went 1-1 in that tournament defeating No. 6 seed Stephen F. Austin, 80-76 in overtime before falling two days later to No. 3 seed Southern Utah, 76-75.

Gonsalves came off the bench in both contests scoring three points and grabbing five rebounds against SFA and added eight points & three assists vs. Southern Utah.

WHERE THE BLAZERS RANK IN THE WAC/NCAA
Utah Tech checks in second in the WAC in three point attempts per game (22.5) and three pointers made per game (7.4).

The Trailblazers also rank third in three point percentage (33.0), check in fourth in turnovers per game (12.8) and are fifth in assists per game (12.7), assist/turnover ratio (0.99) & blocks per game (3.3).

Individually, Gonsalves ranks second in the the WAC in three-pointers made (69), three-pointers made per game (2.23), third in minutes per game (34:36) and eighth in points per game (14.0).

Riley ranks third in double-doubles (9) and is fifth in rebounds per game (7.6).

Samuel Ariybi is fourth in blocks (42) and fifth in blocks per game (1.56).

HITTING FROM DOWNTOWN
On the season, the Trailblazers are 230-of-697 (.330) from behind the arc which currently ranks second all-time in three-pointer made behind 285 made in 2022-23 and third in attempts (two behind second place, 698, 2021-22).

GET THAT OUT OF HERE
Adding five blocks on Saturday on Senior Night against Seattle U, the Trailblazers passed 100 blocks on the season sitting at 102 total blocks, good for fourth-most in a single season in the NCAA era while the 3.3 blocks per game are tied for sixth-most in a single season.

Samuel Ariyibi leads the way with 42 blocks, which is the sixth-most in a single season in program history.

WE'LL TAKE THAT
The Trailblazers have nabbed 199 steals this season, good for the seventh-most in a season and are six away from matching last season.

Gonsalves leads the way with 33 steals with Riley (31) and Ariyibi (28) closely following.

OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS
Surpassing 1,000 rebounds as a team on Saturday, now sitting at 1,028 this season, the Trailblazers have grabbed 316 offensive rebounds which ranks seventh-most in a single season.

FALLING IN CLOSE CONTESTS
Utah Tech has been on the wrong end of close contests all season sitting 2-9 in games decided by five points or less.

UT has dropped their last six games decided by five points or less after their last narrow win came at home over Tarleton State on Jan. 11 (58-54).

RILEY CLOSING OUT STRONG SEASON
Riley's average of 7.6 rebounds per game is sixth all-time in a single season.

He is also sixth all-time in career rebounds per game averaging 6.6 boards per game.

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

He has scored in double digits in eight of the last nine games & 12 times overall in WAC play and has notched double-doubles in four WAC contests and nine overall.

GONSALVES CONTINUES ASCENT UP CAREER TOP 10 MARKS
Gonsalves heads into the WAC Tournament on Tuesday afternoon sitting eight points shy of moving into third place on the all-time scoring list, currently held by Hunter Schofield (2019-22, 1,223 pts.).

In addition, Gonsalves became the program's all-time leader in career games played on March 1 against California Baptist appearing in his 123rd contest moving past Jacob Nicolds (2018-23, 122).

He is also tied for second in starts (91), fourth in steals (124), field goals made (416) & field goal attempts (950) & seventh in free throw percentage (80.2).

DOUBLE FIGURES 
Gonsalves has reached double figures in 24 of 31 contests this season, including 16 of his last 20.    

Riley (20), Ariyibi (11), Justin Bieker (9), Byrd (8), Owona (5), Britton Berrett (3), , Tennessee Rainwater (3) & Stone Hutchings (2) have also recorded multiple double digit contests this season.

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

Byrd has connected on 54-of-59 (91.5) from the line while Gonsalves is 73-of-82 (89.0) to rank first and third, respectively in program history in a single season in free throw percentage.

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 214 made three-pointers on 576 attempts and is ninth in 3-point percentage at 37.2 percent.

On the season, he is 69-of-195 (.354) from behind the arc as both his three pointers made and attempts are now the most in a single season.

Overall in 125 games played, Gonsalves has hit a three-pointer in 98 contests, including 55 out of 62 games over the last two seasons.

He has hit multiple triples in 21 games this season and 61 career games.

SEASONED VETERAN
Head coach Jon Judkins is in his 20th season at Utah Tech this season sporting a 337-227 (.598) overall record and a 317-216 (.595) 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).

TOP SEED AHEAD WITH A WIN
With a win over the Thunderbirds on Tuesday, the Trailblazers will go on to play top seed Utah Valley (23-7, 15-1 WAC) on Wednesday at 7 p.m. MT at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.