New Mexico State at Utah Valley
Thursday, Feb. 19, 2015, 7:05 p.m. MT
UCCU Center | Orem, UtahRadio/Live Audio: ESPN 960 AM / WolverineGreen.com (Jim McCulloch / Matt Peterson)
Live Video Stream: WAC Digital Network (www.WACSports.com/Watch)Live Video | Live Audio | Live Stats
OREM, Utah—The Utah Valley University men's basketball team hosts WAC leader New Mexico State Thursday night at the UCCU Center. Tip-off is set for 7:05 p.m. (MT).
New Mexico State brings a 17-10 overall record into the UCCU Center. The team sits atop the WAC standings with a 9-1 mark. Thursday's game against Utah Valley will mark the start of a three-game road swing for the Aggies. The team won their seventh straight game on Saturday night, defeating Bakersfield 74-58 at home. The Aggies have won 12 of their last 13 games and 13 of their last 15 contests.
Redshirt freshman Pascal Siakam leads the Aggies in scoring at 13.5 points per game and rebounding at 7.5 boards per game. He has recorded four double-doubles this season. He also fronts the team and leads the WAC in field goal percentage (57.8 percent) and in blocks (1.7 per game). Siakam picked up his second WAC Player of the Week honor on Monday after averaging 22.0 points and 7.0 rebounds in a pair of home wins over Seattle U and Bakersfield last week. Senior Remi Barry is second on the team in scoring at 13.4 points a contest. Preseason WAC Player of the Year Daniel Mullings is also averaging double figures at 13.1 points a contest.
The Aggies won their second back-to-back WAC Tournament championship in 2013 and 2014. NMSU also won the tournament in 2001 and 2002. Last year's WAC Tournament title was NM State's fourth championship in five years.
"New Mexico State is playing with a lot of confidence," said Utah Valley head coach Dick Hunsaker. "They have played well on the road in conference play. They are as healthy as they have been all season. Coach Menzies has done a great job in utilizing his personnel's strengths."
Utah Valley enters Thursday's matchup with a 9-15 overall record. The team is 3-6 in WAC play with wins over Seattle U, Texas-Pan American and Chicago State. The Wolverines own a 6-4 mark at home this season.
UVU most recently dropped an 83-57 decision at Grand Canyon on Saturday
Zach Nelson led the Wolverines with a team-high 17 points, all of which came in the first half. Nelson connected on 6-of-12 shots from the field, including a career-high five makes from beyond the arc. Senior forward
Mitch Bruneel helped with 13 points and seven rebounds, while junior guard
Donte Williams reached double figures with 10 points. Grand Canyon shot a season-high 61.8 percent (34-55) from the field, including a blistering 72.0 percent clip in the first half. Utah Valley connected on 38.9 percent (21-54) of its shots from the field.
Bruneel leads the Wolverines in scoring at 12.8 points per contest and in rebounding at 6.1 per game. Nelson and Williams are also averaging double figure scoring at 10.8 and 10.3 points per game, respectively. Davis leads the squad in assists, dishing out a WAC-best 4.17 per game.
Thursday's game will be a Black Out in the UCCU Center as fans are encouraged to wear black in support of the Wolverines. The first 1,000 fans through the door will receive a black UVU t-shirt. The game will tip-off at 7:05 p.m. (MT) and will be broadcast live on the WAC Digital Network (WACSports.com/Watch). A radio broadcast will also be available on ESPN 960 AM.
