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Idaho State at Utah Valley  | Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2014, 7:05 p.m. MT
Live Stream: WAC Digital Network (Jim McCulloch, Matt Peterson)
Radio: 960 AM The Zone (Jim McCulloch, Matt Peterson)
Live Video  |  Live Audio  |  Live Stats

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OREM, Utah—The Utah Valley University men's basketball team will host Idaho State Tuesday night at the UCCU Center. Tip-off is set for 7:05 p.m. MT. The game will be just the third home game of the season for the Wolverines, who have played eight of its first 10 games on the road.
 
Idaho State is 3-8 heading into Tuesday's contest with the Wolverines. The Bengals recently dropped three straight games at the World Vision Classic in Logan last week. The team opened the tournament with a 75-72 overtime loss to South Dakota State. The Bengals then dropped a 69-56 decision to Utah State before falling to Bakersfield, 59-50, in the final game of the tournament. Like Utah Valley, Idaho State has had a tough road schedule as the Bengals have played seven of its 11 games away from home.
 
Senior guard/forward Chris Hansen leads the team in scoring at 16.4 points per game. Hansen ranks third all time in Idaho State history for three-pointers made and attempted. He also recently became the 20^th Bengal in Idaho State history to reach the 1,000-point career mark.
 
"Our second time around with Idaho State we've got to be very concerned with their zone defense and the variety of looks they give us on the defensive end," said Utah Valley head coach Dick Hunsaker. "We will have to do a solid job defensively as Idaho State is a very good perimeter team. We'll also have to work hard on the offensive boards."
 
Tuesday night's meeting between Utah Valley and Idaho State marks the seventh time the two schools have met on the hardwood. The Bengals own a 4-2 overall series lead over the Wolverines. Tuesday's matchup marks the second time the two schools have met this season as Utah Valley took a 60-57 victory in Pocatello on Nov. 26. Utah Valley's only other win in the series came on Jan. 25, 2005 when the Wolverines took a 52-45 victory in Orem.
 
Utah Valley enters Tuesday's game with a 3-7 overall record. The team has played eight of its 10 games on the road. The team has dropped six straight games dating back to Nov. 29. The team returns home where the Wolverines hold a 1-1 record this season.
 
UVU most recently dropped a 73-61 decision at Weber State on Saturday night. Senior forward Mitch Bruneel was just one rebound shy of a double-double with 21 points and nine rebounds against the Wildcats. Weber State led by as many as 14 points in the first half but an 11-3 Wolverine run to close the half cut the WSU lead to just three points, 31-28, at the break. Utah Valley battled back in the second half to cut a 14-point second half Wildcat lead to just seven points with 4:41 remaining. WSU then used a 13-8 run to close out the game and preserve the victory. Bruneel scored his team-high 21 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the field. He also connected on 9-of-11 free throws. The senior forward also tallied an assist and a steal in the loss.
 
Through 10 games this season, Bruneel leads the Wolverines in scoring at 12.4 points per contest and rebounding at 6.4 boards a game. Zach Nelson averages 9.2 points per game. Marcel Davis fronts the team in assists at 3.9 per game.
 
Tuesday's game will tip off at 7:05 p.m. (MT) and will be broadcast live on KJZZ TV. A radio broadcast will also be available on 960 AM The Zone.