Utah Valley (10-5) vs. Cal State Fullerton (7-4) GAME INFORMATION
Live Video: WAC Digital Network (Brandon Crow/Holton Hunsaker)
Radio: ESPN 960 AM (Jim McCulloch)
Radio Webcast: espn960sports.com
Live Stats Link: UVU StatBroadcast
 

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OPENING TIP
Utah Valley won its third straight game with a 90-82 victory over UC Riverside on Thursday night at the UCCU Center. The game marked the opening of a five-game home stand for the Wolverines who will now wrap up non-conference play on Saturday night against Cal State Fullerton. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m.

Utah Valley knocked down 16 three-pointers and fought off a late run from UC Riverside to earn a 90-82 victory on Thursday night at the UCCU Center. The 16 made three-pointers ties the team for the second-highest total in school history. Brandon Randolph and Conner Toolson led the Wolverines with 20 points apiece, followed closely behind by Kenneth Ogbe with 19. Ben Nakwaasah gave the Wolverines a boost off the bench with 16 points and a team-high six assists.

All five of UVU's starters are averaging double figure scoring this season led by Akolda Manyang's 14.1 points per game. Kenneth Ogbe ranks second on the team at 13.5 points, while Jake Toolson is third at 12.1 points a contest. Conner Toolson and Brandon Randolph are each averaging 11.6 points a game.

Utah Valley graduate forward Zach Nelson is closing in on the 1,000-point mark. Nelson currently has 926 points and is just 74 points shy of reaching the milestone. Nelson will become just the seventh player in UVU history to reach the mark. Nelson will become the first player in UVU history to score 1,000 points, pull down 500 or more rebounds and dish out 200 or more assists.

Utah Valley has played four teams that won their conference tournaments last season and made trips to the NCAA Tournament, including Kentucky (SEC Tournament), Duke (ACC Tournament), UC Davis (Big West Tournament), and North Dakota (Big Sky Tournament). The Wolverines went 2-2 with wins over UC Davis and North Dakota.

UVU opened the season with what might just be the toughest 24 hours ever played in college basketball history as the Wolverines took on No. 4/5 Kentucky and No. 1 Duke on back-to-back nights to open the season. The Wolverines dropped a 73-63 decision at Kentucky before falling 99-69 at Duke. UVU has since won eight of its last 11 games.

BROADCAST INFORMATION
Saturday's game will be broadcast live on the WAC Digital Network at WACsports.com/live. Brandon Crow and former Wolverine Holton Hunsaker will be on the call. The game will also be available on the air waves at ESPN 960 AM radio with Jim McCulloch handling the play-by-play duties. A live audio stream of the radio broadcast will be available through ESPN960sports.com and also through the ESPN 960 app, which is available for both iPhone and Android.

ABOUT CAL STATE FULLERTON
Cal State Fullerton enters Saturday night's game at the UCCU Center with a 7-4 overall record. The team has won six of its last seven games with its only blemish being a 95-89 overtime loss at California on Dec. 16. The Titans hold a 2-3 record on the road this season with wins at Portland and Loyola Marymount. Fullerton most recently picked up an 88-80 win at Loyola Marymount on Dec. 22.  Senior forward Arkim Robertson had a caeer night in the win at LMU, posting career-highs in points (14), rebounds (13), assists (three) and he also had three blocks and a steal. Junior guard Kyle Allman, Jr. leads the team and ranks fourth in the Big West Conference in scoring at 16.7 on 49.2 percent shooting from the field. He's tied for second on the team in assists at 2.5 per game (28 total) and is first on the team in steals with 15 (1.4 per game). Allman has scored 20+ points four times this season and 30+ points on two occasions. The Brooklyn native has scored in double figures in six of the last seven games. The Titans have one of the best defenses in the Big West Conference and rank very well in statistical categories such as opponent field goal percentage (41.5 percent, No. 3 in BWC), opponent three-point field goal percentage (30.1 percent, No. 35 in the country, No. 2 in BWC) and points allowed per game (69.5, No. 3 in BWC).

SERIES HISTORY VS. CAL STATE FULLERTON, BIG WEST CONFERENCE
Its a revenge game for Utah Valley as Cal State Fullerton defeated the Wolverines, 91-83, in the team's first-ever meeting on Dec. 9 at Titan Gym in Fullerton, Calif. Saturday's game will mark Fullerton's first-ever trip to the UCCU Center. Utah Valley holds an all-time 5-9 record against teams from the Big West Conference.

All-Time Results vs. Cal State Fullerton (CSF leads 1-0)
Dec. 9, 2017    Cal State Fullerton def. Utah Valley, 91-83        Fullerton, Calif.

All-Time Results vs. Big West (5-9)
Dec. 28, 2017    Utah Valley def. UC Riverside, 90-82        Orem, Utah
Dec. 17, 2017    Hawaii def. Utah Valley, 70-69        Honolulu, Hawaii
Dec. 09, 2018    Cal State Fullerton def. Utah Valley, 91-83        Fullerton, Calif.
Nov. 18, 2017    Utah Valley def. UC Davis, 80-71        Orem, Utah
Dec. 31, 2016    UC Davis def. Utah Valley, 83-69        Davis, Calif.
Dec. 28, 2016    Utah Valley def. UC Riverside, 73-64        Riverside, Calif.
Nov. 28, 2015    UC Davis def. Utah Valley, 82-70        Orem, Utah
Nov. 29, 2014    UC Davis def. Utah Valley, 64-43        Davis, Calif.
Dec. 04, 2008    UC Santa Barbara def. Utah Valley, 62-57        Orem, Utah
Dec. 28, 2007    Cal State Northridge def. Utah Valley, 73-65    Orem, Utah
Dec. 07, 2007    UC Santa Barbara def. Utah Valley, 81-61        Santa Barbara, Calif.
Dec. 05, 2007    Cal State Northridge def. Utah Valley, 76-64    Northridge, Calif.
Feb. 06, 2007    Utah Valley def. UC Davis, 88-59        Orem, Utah
Jan. 06, 2007    Utah Valley def. UC Davis, 57-38        Davis, Calif.

LAST TIME VS. CAL STATE FULLERTON (12/9/17)
In a tightly-contested game that saw the score stay within roughly five points for the majority of the contest, Cal State Fullerton pulled away late to defeat Utah Valley, 91-83, on Dec. 9, 2017 at Titan Gym.
 
Utah Valley fell to 6-4 with the loss and Cal State Fullerton improved to 6-3. The Wolverines outshot the opposition on the night behind a 55.6 percent clip from the field, and won the rebounding battle 34-32. Utah Valley had four more transition points than Fullerton, and points in the paint were even at 36 apiece.
 
After a 5-0 start from the Titans, Kenneth Ogbe got UVU's offense going by hitting a corner three and then driving for an easy layup on the next possession. Cal State Fullerton worked its lead up to eight early on, but Utah Valley fought its way back and went on a 7-0 run to take is first lead of the game, 17-16, into the first media timeout.
 
The next stretch of the contest featured both teams hitting multiple shots from three-point range, though neither side was able to pull away. Altogether, both squads combined to knock down 11 threes in the opening half of play.
 
With Fullerton up six and threatening to pull ahead, Brandon Randolph hit a floater in the lane and Ben Nakwaasah grabbed a steal which led to a layup on the other end to pull the Wolverines back within two. Moments later, Akolda Manyang hit a layup to even the game and Jake Toolson hit a free throw to give UVU the lead. Both teams traded leads for the remainder of the half, and the Titans took a 41-40 advantage into the break.
 
The second half opened and both teams continued to trade baskets. Neither team could go up by more than four until the Titans went on a 6-0 run to take a 62-56 lead with just under 11 minutes remaining in the game. UVU answered with a 7-0 run of its own, sparked by a Zach Nelson three-point play, to go up by one.
 
Cal State Fullerton slowly rebuilt its advantage, and went up by nine with under five minutes to play. Ogbe and Manyang kept the Wolverines close by hitting jumpers and free throws, but the Titans had an answer for every Utah Valley score and rode their hot shooting to the eight-point victory.
 
 All five UVU starters finished the game in double-digit scoring. Ogbe led the way with 17 while Jake Toolson and Manyang finished with 15 points each. Manyang also led the Wolverines in rebounding with nine for the night.
 
Randolph contributed in all areas of the stat sheet with 12 points, five rebounds and five assists. Conner Toolson scored 11 while grabbing five rebounds.

HOT THREE-POINT SHOOTING LIFTS UTAH VALLEY OVER UC RIVERSIDE, 90-82
Utah Valley knocked down 16 three-pointers and fought off a late run from UC Riverside to earn a 90-82 victory on Thursday night at the UCCU Center.
 
The win improves UVU's overall record to 10-5 and its home record to an impressive 7-1. Utah Valley is now on a three-game winning streak. The 16 made three-pointers is the second-highest total in school history.

The Utah Valley offense got off to a quick start as it opened the game on 10-2 run. A three from Kenneth Ogbe sparked the run for the Wolverines, and Akolda Manyang tacked on six quick points. UVU shot the ball from three-point range early and often as it connected on seven threes midway through the first half, four of which came from Brandon Randolph. By the end of the half, Utah Valley had knocked down 13 three-pointers--the most threes ever recorded by UVU in a half, breaking the previous record of 12 set in the win at BYU last season.
 
A 17-3 run by the Wolverines extended their lead to 20 with just under seven minutes to play in the opening half. Back-to-back threes from Obge and Ben Nakwaasah capped the run for UVU.
 
UC Riverside made up a little ground with a short 7-2 run, but three-pointers from Conner Toolson on back-to-back possessions pushed Utah Valley's lead to 21 and forced a timeout from the Highlanders. The hot shooting from long distance continued for UVU, and the Wolverines took a 54-36 lead into halftime.
 
Fifteen points from Randolph led the way for Utah Valley in the first half, and Ogbe joined him in double-digit scoring with 11. Conner Toolson finished the half with nine points while Manyang and Nakwaasah had eight apiece. Manyang's five rebounds led UVU on the glass and Isaac Neilson dished out five assists.
 
The Highlanders opened the second half on a 10-4 run to cut the deficit to 12, but consecutive buckets which included a three from Conner Toolson put the margin back to 17. Moments later, Riverside cut the lead down to 11 and Ogbe responded with a big dunk for UVU.
 
With Utah Valley struggling from the floor, Nakwaasah knocked down four free throws and a three but Riverside rattled off a 13-2 run and cut the lead down to five. The Highlanders got as close as four before a layup from Ogbe and dunk by Neilson gave UVU some breathing room. The Wolverines hit their free-throws down the stretch and a dunk from Randolph capped off the win for Utah Valley.
 
Randolph and Conner Toolson shared the team-high in scoring with 20 apiece, and were followed closely behind by Ogbe with 19. Nakwaasah gave the Wolverines a boost off the bench with 16 points and a team-high six assists.

UVU RECORDS BEST NON-CONFERENCE RECORD IN SCHOOL HISTORY
Utah Valley has already secured its best non-conference record since the team entered the Great West Conference in 2008. The Wolverines played independently as a provision Division I member from 2003 to 2008 and were not affiliated with a conference. UVU opened the 2003-04 season with a 11-5 record through its first 16 games but 10 of the 11 wins were over non-Division I members. A win over Cal State Fullerton on Saturday would match that mark.

Best Non-Conference records since joining WAC (2013-14 season)
1.    10-5    2017-18 season
2.    8-7    2016-17 season
3.    6-7    2013-14 season
4.    6-9    2015-16 season
5.    5-9    2014-15 season

Best 16-game start to a season
1.    11-5    2003-04 season
2.    10-6    2006-07 season
3.    9-7    2013-14 season
4.    8-8    2008-09 season
    8-8    2010-11 season
    8-8    2016-17 season

UVU ONE OF JUST TWO TEAMS IN THE COUNTRY TO HAVE ALL FIVE STARTERS AVERAGE DOUBLE DIGIT SCORING
Utah Valley is one of just two teams in the nation to have all five of its starters averaging double figure scoring this season. Akolda Manyang leads the way at 14.1 points a game, followed by Kenneth Ogbe at 13.5 points, Jake Toolson at 12.1 points, Conner Toolson at 11.6 points, and Brandon Randolph at 11.6 points a contest. The five starters average a combined 62.9 points per game. As a team, UVU averages 80.8 points per game. The five starters are responsible for 78 percent of the team's points.

LOVING THE LONG BALL
Utah Valley his 16 three-point field goals in its 90-82 win over UC Riverside on Dec. 28. The 16 threes ties the team for the second most in school history with the 2008-09 team which also knocked down 16 threes against NJIT on Feb. 28, 2009. UVU broke the three-point field goals made record in a win at BYU last season as the team knocked down 18 treys en route to its 114-101 win at the Marriott Center last season. UVU did connect on a school-record 13 threes in the first half of the win over UC Riverside on Dec. 28. The 13 threes are the most ever recorded in a single half by a UVU team.

THREE-POINT STREAKING
Utah Valley has now hit a three-point field goal in 113 straight games. The last time UVU played in a game without hitting a shot from beyond the arc was on Feb. 27, 2014 against New Mexico State.

HOME SWEET UCCU CENTER
Utah Valley holds an all-time 158-46 (77.4 percent) record in 12 seasons at the UCCU Center. The Wolverines are averaging 12.5 wins a season at the UCCU Center. UVU finished play at home last season with an 8-5 record. UVU is 7-1 at home this season. UVU's game against BYU on Nov. 29 was the team's first-ever sellout since joining the Division I ranks in 2003. 7,574 fans attended the game on Wednesday night, breaking the previous attendance record of 7,124 set against Utah State on Dec. 18, 2010.