ST. GEORGE — The Trailblazers will tangle with the Antelopes tonight in Burns Arena and in Phoenix, Arizona.
The Utah Tech women’s basketball team takes on Grand Canyon tonight at 7 in Burns Arena in a critical regular season Western Athletic Conference matchup.
Utah Tech (14-10 overall, 8-5 WAC) is currently fourth in the WAC women’s standings while Grand Canyon (20-4, 12-1) is in first place.
Utah Tech is one game back of third-place Stephen F. Austin (15-9, 9-4 WAC), and one game ahead of fifth-place UT Arlington (11-12, 7-6 WAC).
The Trailblazers will host both SFA (March 9) and UTA (Feb. 24) in the coming weeks with a chance at clinching a first-round bye in the 2024 WAC Tournament in March in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Tonight’s contest against the Lopes pits two of the WAC’s top offensive and defensive teams.
Utah Tech currently leads the WAC in field goal percentage (.447) and 3-point field goal percentage (.350) and is second in scoring in the conference (74.8 points per game).
Meanwhile, Grand Canyon is first in scoring defense (54.7 points per game).
Utah Tech will seek to contain Lopes junior guard Trinity San Antonio, who averages 11.3 points per game. Naudia Evans averages 11 points per game and is Grand Canyon’s top 3-point shooter at 39.2 percent.
Utah Tech’s Hamed Olaynika, here in a file photo, and the Trailblazers will play WAC-leading Grand Canyon tonight at 7 p.m., Phoenix, Arizona, Feb. 15, 2024 | Photo by Stan Plewe, Utah Tech Athletics Media Relations, St. George News
Meanwhile in Phoenix, Arizona, at 7 p.m. (MT) the Utah Tech men’s team takes on the WAC-leading Lopes (22-2, 12-1 WAC).
The Trailblazers currently sit at 10-14 overall and are 6-7 in WAC play, good for a seventh-place standing in the 11-team conference.
Utah Tech’s Jaylen Searles will look to continue his hot streak against the Lopes. The junior earned WAC recognition as Player of the Week and Newcomer of the Week on Monday after his two big games in wins last week.
Grand Canyon is coming off an appearance in the NCAA tournament last year. The Lopes are unbeaten at home and have the top-scoring offense in the WAC, averaging 81 points per game.
Senior guard Tyon Grant-Foster is the WAC’s second-leading scorer at 19 points per game. Senior Gabe McGlothan is the WAC’s sixth-leading scorer (16.2 points per game) and fifth-leading rebounder (7.4 boards per game).
Grand Canyon beat Utah Tech 75-65 in the first matchup between these teams on Jan. 6 in St. George.
Listen to the live broadcast of the men’s game by the Voice of the Trailblazers Rod Zundel on The Fan Sports Network.
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