UTAH VALLEY CONTINUES ROAD PLAY AT WYOMING ON SATURDAY NIGHT

• Utah Valley continues road play as the team travels to Laramie to play Wyoming on Saturday night at Arena-Auditorium. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. (MT).
   
• UVU had its seven-game win streak snapped on Wednesday night. The seven games is the longest streak since the 2018-19 season (7 games) and is the longest of the Mark Madsen era. The seven games was the fourth-longest win streak in the nation at the time.  The longest win streak in UVU history is 13 games, which the team set during the 2011-12 season.
   
• Fardaws Aimaq earned multiple awards this week as he brought in his third straight WAC Player of the Week honor, a second Lute Olson National Player of the Week honor, and the ESPN Player of the Week award.
   
• For the first time in team history, Utah Valley is receiving votes in the USA Today Coaches Top-25 poll. Utah Valley also debuted at No. 41 in the first NCAA Net Rankings that were released on Monday. It is the second-best ranking in the WAC and UVU's best NET ranking in team history.
   
• Fardaws Aimaq recorded his eighth straight double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds in Utah Valley's 60-56 loss at in-state rival and future WAC foe Southern Utah Wednesday night in Cedar City. Connor Harding added 15 points to go along with a season-high seven rebounds while Tim Fuller chipped in eight points and five rebounds.  
   
• As of Dec. 9, Fardaws Big Maple Aimaq leads the nation in double-doubles (8) and defensive rebounds per game (10.33). He also ranks second nationally in rebounds per game (14.2) and total rebounds (128). Aimaq also ranks sixth in the country in offensive rebounds per game (3.89), eighth in total field goals made (71), 21st in points per game (20.4), 21st in total points (184), 21st in free throw attempts (59), 30th in total field goal attempts (138), and 43rd in minutes per game (35:29). He is the only player in the country averaging 20 ore more points and 12 or more rebounds per game.
   
• The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced that Utah Valley center Fardaws Aimaq has been named to the 2022 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award Watch List. Named after Class of 1995 Hall of Famer and three-time NCAA Champion Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the annual honor in its eighth year recognizes the top centers in men's college basketball.
   
• Utah Valley won the SoCal Challenge championship in Orange County over Thanksgiving break, defeating Idaho, 83-45, before downing Nicholls State, 74-63, in the title game to claim the championship skimboard trophy. Fardaws Aimaq was named the SoCal Challenge MVP and Connor Harding was named to the all-tournament team. Aimaq averaged a double-double over the two games at 12.0 points and 16.0 rebounds per game.

BROADCAST INFORMATION
Saturday night's game at Wyoming will be broadcast live on the Mountain West Network, which is available at TheMW.com/Watch. The game will also be broadcast over the air waves in Utah County game as Jim McCulloch, the radio Voice of the Wolverines, is in his 12th season with the team. The radio broadcast will be aired live on ESPN 960AM radio. A live stream of the radio broadcast will also be available at ESPN960sports.com.

ABOUT WYOMING
Wyoming enters Saturday's game against Utah Valley with an 8-1 overall record. The team had its eight game win streak snapped in a 94-65 loss at No. 8 Arizona on Wednesday night. Prior to Wednesday's loss to the Wildcats, Wyoming was one of just 12 undefeated teams in the country. Guard Xavier DuSell led Wyoming against Arizona with a career-high 22 points with six shots from long range. Forward Graham Ike added 17 points. Graham, who has scored in double figures in every game this season, leads Wyoming in scoring at 20.3 points a game. Graham ranks 10th nationally in free throw attempts (63) and 11th in field goals made (70). He 24th in the country in scoring (20.3). Wyoming guard Drake Jeffries is shooting a 53.6 clip from long range, which is the fifth-best mark in the nation. Jeffries has knocked down 30 of the 56 threes he has taken this season. Hunter Maldonado ranks second on the team in scoring at 17.6 points a game, followed by three others in double digits. Graham also leads the team in rebounding, pulling down 8.4 boards a contest. Wyoming ranks 17th nationally in defensive rebounds per game (30.11) and is 21st in the country in scoring margin at 17.4.

SERIES HISTORY VS. WYOMING
Saturday's matchup at Wyoming will mark sixth time the two teams have met on the basketball hardwood. The series, which dates back to the 2011-12 season, is in favor of Wyoming, 4-1. The two teams met last season in Orem with Wyoming taking a 93-88 win. The last time the teams met in Laramie, Utah Valley edged the Pokes, 69-67, in the final seconds on Dec. 18, 2019 in UVU's lone win in the series. Wyoming holds a 3-1 mark against UVU in games played in Laramie.

All-Time Results vs. Wyoming (1-4)
Dec. 12, 2020    Wyoming def. Utah Valley, 93-88    Orem, Utah
Dec. 18, 2019    Utah Valley def. Wyoming, 69-67    Laramie, Wyoming
March 22, 2017    Wyoming def. Utah Valley, 74-68    Laramie, Wyoming
Jan. 03, 2012    Wyoming def. Utah Valley, 76-60    Orem, Utah
Nov. 30, 2011    Wyoming def. Utah Valley, 74-41    Laramie, Wyoming