UTAH VALLEY CONTINUES OLD HAMMER RIVALRY AT DIXIE STATE ON SATURDAY NIGHT

• Utah Valley continues Western Athletic Conference play on the road against in-state foe Dixie State in the Old Hammer Rivalry game on Saturday night Burns Arena in St. George. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.
   
• Fardaws Aimaq scored 22 points with 20 rebounds for his nation-leading 22nd double-double of the season to lead the Utah Valley University men's basketball team to a 69-56 road win over Tarleton on Wednesday night in front of a raucous crowd at Wisdom Gymnasium in Stephenville, Texas. Aimaq also had three blocks with two assists and a steal. Blaze Nield and Tim Fuller were also in double figures with 12 and 10 points, respectively. Jaden McClanahan scored nine points with  four assists and a steal.
   
• With his 22-point, 20-rebound performance in Wednesday night's win at Tarleton, Aimaq became the only the second player in the country with multiple 20/20 games this season. Aimaq is also the only player in the nation averaging at least 19 points and 13 rebounds per game.
   
• Utah Valley is one of only two teams in the country this season to rank in the top-20 nationally in both three-point field goal percentage and three-point field goal percentage defense. The Wolverines rank 17th nationally in three-point percentage at 38.18 and are ninth in the nation in three-point percentage defense, holding opponents to a 28.5 percent clip.
   
• Fardaws Aimaq was named the TicketSmarter Western Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Week for February 7 through February 13. It is his fourth WAC Player of the Week honor of the season and the seventh of his career. Aimaq has earned multiple honors already this season. He has four WAC Player of the Week honors, two Lute Olson National Player of the Week wards, and an ESPN Player of the Week award.
   
• As of Feb. 17 Fardaws Big Maple Aimaq leads the nation in double-doubles (22) and defensive rebounds per game (10.28). Aimaq also ranks second in rebounds per game (13.4) and second in total rebounds (335). He is also 20th in free throw attempts (158), 25th in free throws made (115), 26th in field goals made (175), 34th in offensive rebounds per game (3.12), and 39th in points per game (19.2).
   
• As a team, Utah Valley ranks sixth in the country in rebound margin (8.3), seventh in defensive rebounds per game (28.96), ninth in three-point field goal percentage defense (28.5), 17th in rebounds per game (40.24), and 17th in three-point field goal percentage (38.2).

BROADCAST INFORMATION
Saturday night's game against Dixie State will be broadcast live on ESPN+, which is available on the ESPN app and at ESPNplus.com. The game will also be broadcast over the air waves in Utah County with Jim McCulloch on the call. 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 DIXIE STATE
Dixie State heads into Saturday night's game against UVU with an 12-14 overall record and a 5-8 WAC mark. The Trailblazers have dropped four of their last five games, including a 75-64 setback at New Mexico State on Wednesday night. DSU defeated Grand Canyon 61-60 in the team's last home game on Feb. 12. In Wednesday's loss at NM State, Hunter Schofield led the Trailblazers with 14 points, nine of which came in the second half. Dancell Leter helped with 13 points, while Frank Staine and Trey Edmonds were also in double figures with 11 and 10 points, respectively. Schofield leads the team in scoring this season at 14.3 points a game. Cameron Gooden averages 12.2, while Leter also averages double digits at 10.5 points a contest. Schofield also leads the team on the boards, pulling down 5.9 a game. As a team, DSU averages 74.0 points a game while allowing opponents a 74.1 points per game average.

SERIES HISTORY VS. DIXIE STATE
Utah Valley and Dixie State will meet for just the fourth time as NCAA Division I programs. The two teams split their first-ever matchups last season with Utah Valley taking an 87-72 win (2/12/21) before falling 93-89 (2/13/21) on back-to-back nights in Orem last year. UVU took a 79-71 win over the Trailblazers in the first game between the two teams this season on Jan. 8 in Orem. Saturday's game marks the first time the two teams have met as Division I teams in St. George. The two programs first played during the 1972-73 season and played each season in the Scenic West Athletic Conference/NJCAA Region 18 until 2002-03, which was Utah Valley's final season of JUCO before moving into the NCAA Division I ranks during the 2003-04 season.

All-Time Results vs. Dixie State (2-1)
Jan. 08, 2022    Utah Valley def. Dixie State, 79-71    Orem, Utah
Feb. 13, 2021    Dixie State def. Utah Valley, 93-89    Orem, Utah
Feb. 12, 2021    Utah Valley def. Dixie State, 87-72    Orem, Utah

LAST MEETING vs. Dixie State (Jan. 8, 2022 - Orem, UT)
Fardaws Aimaq recorded a double double with 20 points and 17 rebounds to lead Utah Valley to a 79-71 win over in-state foe Dixie State on Jan. 8 in the Old Hammer Rivalry game at the UCCU Center. Aimaq led four other Wolverines in double figures with 20 points. Connor Harding had 14 points, Blaze Nield tallied 13, Tim Fuller had 12, and Asa McCord scored a career-high 11 points.

HAMMER TIME
Utah Valley University and Dixie State University announced last season the renewal of an old rivalry between the two schools that dates back 49 years. The Old Hammer Rivalry will continue the tradition that was formed during their junior college days and now to present day with both schools holding NCAA Division I status and sharing membership in the Western Athletic Conference.

AIMAQ'S 22 POINTS AND 20 REBOUNDS LEADS UTAH VALLEY TO 69-56 WIN AT TARLETON
Fardaws Aimaq scored 22 points with 20 rebounds for his nation-leading 22nd double-double of the season to lead the Utah Valley University men's basketball team to a 69-56 road win over Tarleton on Wednesday night in front of a raucous crowd at Wisdom Gymnasium. The 22-point, 20-rebound performance is Aimaq's second game this season with at least 20 points and 20 rebounds this season. The sophomore center scored his 22 points on 9 of 14 shooting from the field and a 4 of 5 mark from the free throw line. He also had three blocks with two assists and a steal.