The Southern Utah University men’s basketball team is set to resume play in the Western Athletic Conference. They will face Grand Canyon University at home on Thursday, Jan. 4, at 6:30 p.m., followed by an away matchup with in-state opponent Utah Valley University on Saturday, Jan. 6, at 2 p.m. Both games can be streamed on ESPN+.
Grand Canyon
Grand Canyon University enters this matchup with a 12-1 record overall and is 2-0 in conference play. The defending WAC champs are on a nine-game winning streak and show no signs of slowing down. GCU ranks first in the WAC in scoring with 82.6 points per game, field goal percentage with 48.2% shooting from the field and rebounding with 39.7 rebounds per game.
Grand Canyon is led by senior guard Tyon Grant-Foster. He leads the WAC in scoring, averaging 20.3 points per game on 46% shooting from the field. Along with Grant-Foster, GCU has a pair of preseason All-WAC players in junior guard Rayshon Harrison and redshirt senior Gabe McGlothan that have impressed. Harrison leads the team in assists with 47, while McGlothan leads the team in rebounding, averaging 8.1 per game.
Utah Valley
Utah Valley University enters this week sitting in the middle of the conference pack with a 6-7 overall record and a 1-1 conference record. Former Southern Utah University guard Drake Allen will face his former team for the first time since transferring. Allen is second on the team in scoring, averaging 10.9 points per game, and is also second in assists with 35.
Unlike Grand Canyon, Utah Valley struggles to score, ranking last in the WAC in scoring with 67.7 points per game, three-point percentage with 26.2% and rebounding with only 33.5 rebounds per game. On the bright side, UVU excels in moving the ball, ranking third in the conference in assists, averaging 14.1 per game, and first in assist/turnover ratio at 1.1.
Southern Utah
Southern Utah University will get their first chance at revenge when they get a rematch of the WAC Championship against Grand Canyon where they lost 84-66. The Thunderbirds are one of the more balanced teams in the conference. SUU has five players that average double figures. Junior shooting guard Dominique Ford leads the team in scoring, averaging 15.6 points per game.
Although SUU has no problem scoring, holding their opponents back has been an issue. Southern Utah ranks last in the WAC in opponents’ points per game at 77.3 points. With that being said, sophomore guard Braden Housley ranks second in the WAC in steals with 27.
Southern Utah University is 0-2 all-time against Grand Canyon University and 7-5 against Utah Valley University.
Author: Jack Paul
Photographer: Anden Garfield
Editor: Anden Garfield
sports@suunews.net
