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GAME INFORMATION
TV: BYUtv (Spencer Linton / Blaine Fowler / Lauren Francom)
Radio: ESPN 960 AM (Jim McCulloch / Matt Peterson)
VIdeo Webcast: BYUtv.org
Radio Webcast: espn960sports.com
Live Stats Link: BYUcougars.com
Tickets: www.BYUtickets.com

UTAH VALLEY OPENS 2015-16 SEASON AT BYU FRIDAY NIGHT
The Mark Pope era of UVU basketball officially begins on Friday when the Wolverines travel down University Parkway to play Brigham Young in the 2015-16 season opener. Friday's game will tip-off at 7 p.m. and will broadcast live on BYUtv.

"We're excited to play this game," said Utah Valley head coach Mark Pope. "BYU is one of the top programs in the country and they have been for a long time. We know we have a lot of growing to do this year and and in the coming few years. I love the fact that we are going to play some of the toughest programs in the country this year. These type of games are going to tell us exactly where we are as a program. They are going to expose every single weakness that we potentially have. It's a painful way to grow but its the right way to grow and its the fastest way to grow."

The Wolverines head into Friday's game fresh off a 97-52 win over Western State in the team's lone exhibition contest of the season. Jaden Jackson scored a game-high 25 points in the victory, while Andrew Bastien came up just short of a triple-double with nine blocks, 10 rebounds and seven points.
 
The Wolverines returns one starter and six letterwinners from last year's squad. UVU went 11-18 overall and finished sixth in the WAC with a 5-9 record last season. Utah Valley welcomes 10 newcomers to this year's team, including seven whom will be eligible to play this year.
 
Marcel Davis returns as the lone starter from last year. Davis led the WAC in assists at 4.1 per game and ranked fourth on the team in scoring at 8.4 points a contest. Jackson returns for his season year after averaging 5.4 points and 1.5 rebounds per game during the 2014-15 season.

ABOUT THE COUGARS
Head coach Dave Rose returns four starters and six letterwinners from a team that went 25-10 last season and made its eighth trip to the NCAA Tournament in the past 10 seasons. Kyle Collinswoth returns for his senior season after averaging 13.8 points, 8.7 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game last year. The senior guard posted six triple-doubles to set the NCAA single-season record. Coach Rose enters his 11th season at the helm of the program. He has led the Cougars to 10-straight 20-win seasons and 10-straight postseason appearances.

SERIES HISTORY VS. BYU
Although the two schools are separated by only about 4.6 miles, Utah Valley and BYU have met just one time with the Cougars owning a 1-0 all-time advantage over the Wolverines. BYU took an 84-65 win in Provo on Nov. 29, 2003.

UTAH VALLEY DEFEATS WESTERN STATE 97-52 IN LONE EXHIBITION CONTEST
Jaden Jackson scored a game-high 25 points and Andrew Bastien fell just short of a triple-double to lead Utah Valley to a 97-52 exhibition win over Western State Monday night at the UCCU Center. Jackson connected on 9-of-15 shots from the field, including five shots from beyond the arc. The senior guard also went a perfect 2-for-2 at the free throw line.  Marcel Davis hit 5-of-10 shots on the night and went 4-for-5 at the charity stripe. Davis also dished out five assists and pulled down five boards. Bastien just missed a triple-double with 10 rebounds, nine blocks and seven points. The junior forward knocked down 3-of-3 shots from the field registered a pair of steals in the win. The Wolverines shot 53.8 percent from the field while holding the Mountaineers to a 23.9 percent clip. UVU knocked down 12 shots from beyond the arc.

WOLVERINES RANK SIXTH IN WAC PRESEASON POLLS
Utah Valley was picked to finish sixth by both the coaches and media this season. The preseason poll was released Oct. 14 at the annual WAC Preview and Media Day at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, site of the 2016 WAC Basketball Tournament. New Mexico State was picked to win the league in both polls. The Aggies received 13 of the 14 available first place votes from the media and seven first place votes from the coaches. In the coaches' poll, Grand Canyon was picked to finish second with CSU Bakersfield third and Missouri-Kansas City fourth. Seattle U was selected fifth followed by Utah Valley in sixth. UT Rio Grande Valley was picked seventh and Chicago State rounded out the poll in eighth. On the media side, Grand Canyon was picked second and UMKC was third. CSU Bakersfield was selected fourth and Seattle U was fifth. Utah Valley was picked to finish sixth, followed by UTRGV in seventh and Chicago State in eighth.
 
UTAH VALLEY TO APPEAR ON TELEVISION EIGHT TIMES THIS SEASON
Utah Valley will appear on television eight times this season. Four of UVU's home games will be broadcast locally on UVU TV, which also streams live on the web. The Wolverines will also appear twice on the American Sports Network (ASN), with one game at home against New Mexico State and the other on the road at CSU Bakersfield. Utah Valley's matchup at BYU will be broadcast on BYUtv, while the game at Louisville on Dec. 23 will be broadcast live on ESPNU.