The Southern Utah University men’s basketball team will take the 45-minute trip further south to St. George to face rival Utah Tech University on Saturday, Jan 24th. The Thunderbirds have found a rhythm after winning three straight conference games at home.
The game will be streamed live on ESPN+.
Southern Utah
The T-birds have fought to improve their record to 7-13. They are 3-4 against Western Athletic Conference opponents after starting 0-4. SUU currently ranks fifth overall in the WAC but can jump to fourth with a win.
The three straight home wins have changed the outlook of the season for Southern Utah, giving newfound hope after a seven-game losing streak. The Thunderbirds are hoping to use this momentum to get their second road win of the season.
In their last home game against Utah Valley University, the Thunderbirds shot an impressive 52% from beyond the arc for their best mark this year. Shooting from three-point range had been a looming issue for the team, but they’ve been steadily improving on that front.
UTU and SUU played once this season, with the Trailblazers getting the victory. The Thunderbirds shot 26% from three in that game. They are looking to use what they learned last game to reverse their fortunes this time.
Utah Tech
The Trailblazers currently have an overall record of 10-11 and a WAC record of 3-4. They hold the No. 4 spot in the conference and would switch rankings with SUU if the T-Birds win.
Utah Tech has lost four of their last five games. The one win came against an 11-9 Tarleton State University team that has lost five of their last six. This game will most likely be determined by momentum and who can make the fastest adjustments.
Ethan Potter still leads the way for Tech. He’s at the top of multiple categories for the Trailblazers, including points, rebounds, field goal percentage and starts while ranking second in blocks.
The Trailblazers are 6-2 when playing at home, and the Thunderbirds have only beaten them at home once in the team’s history. SUU will be seeking to further break that trend.
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Author: Andrew Streeter
Photographer: SUU Athletics
Editor: Payson Davis
