UTAH VALLEY CONTINUES WAC PLAY IN TEXAS AGAINST SAM HOUSTON ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON

• Utah Valley continues WAC road in the Lone Star State as the Wolverines travel to Hunstville to take on WAC newcomer Sam Houston on Saturday afternoon at Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. (MT)
   
• Utah Valley saw its three-game winning streak come to an end as the Wolverines fell to Stephen F. Austin, 78-59, in Nacogdoches, Texas on Thursday night. The setback is the second-largest loss of the season. Fardaws Aimaq led the Wolverines with 12 points to go along with 10 rebounds for his nation-leading 18th double-double of the season. Connor Harding added 12 points and Darthard chipped in nine points. Jaden McClanahan finished with eight points and a pair of steals while Blaze Nield had a team-high four assists.
   
• Utah Valley started the season with a KenPom.com ranking of 221. Since then, the Wolverines have climbed 105 spots to 116 as of Feb. 4. It is the 10th-biggest jump in the country this season. It is the biggest jump in the WAC and biggest jump among Division I teams in the state of Utah.
   
• Fardaws Aimaq has earned multiple honors already this season. He already has three WAC Player of the Week honors, two Lute Olson National Player of the Week wards, and an ESPN Player of the Week award.
   
• Aimaq is the only player in the nation averaging at least 18 points and 13 rebounds per game.
   
• As of Feb. 4, Fardaws Big Maple Aimaq leads the nation in double-doubles (18) and defensive rebounds per game (10.24). Aimaq also ranks second in total rebounds (281) and rebounds per game (13.4). He is also 17th in free throw attempts (133), 31st in free throws made (95), 32nd in offensive rebounds per game (3.14), 36th in field goals made (145), and 46th in points per game (18.8).
   
• As a team, Utah Valley ranks ninth in the nation in defensive rebounds per game (29.00), ninth in rebound margin (8.4), 18th in rebounds per game (40.38), 33rd in field-goal percentage defense (39.8), 25th in three-point field goal percentage (29.2), and 29th in three-point field goal percentage (37.3).

BROADCAST INFORMATION
Saturday's game at Sam Houston 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 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 SAM HOUSTON
Sam Houston heads into Saturday's game against UVU with a 14-10 overall record and a 9-2 mark in WAC play. The Bearkats had won six straight games before falling 78-63 at WAC leader Seattle U on Jan. 29. The team then rebounded with a 77-53 route of Dixie State on Thursday night at home. Savion Flagg led the Sam Houston with a game-high 26 points, eight rebounds and six assists in the win over Dixie State. Demarkus Lampley also finished in double figures with 16 points to go along with seven rebounds. Flagg leads the WAC in scoring (20.0) and ranks third in rebounding (7.7). He ranks third in the nation in field goal attempts (374), sixth in total points (460), and 22nd in points per game (200). Lampley also averages double figures at 10.7 points a game. As a team, Sam Houston likes to shoot the three ball, ranking 10th nationally in three-point attempts (637) and 25th in three-point field goals per game at 9.5.

SERIES HISTORY VS. SAM HOUSTON
Utah Valley and Sam Houston will meet up on the basketball hardwood for the third time on Saturday afternoon. The Wolverines hold an all-time 2-0 lead in the series. Utah Valley defeated the Bearkats 85-79 in the last meeting between the two teams on Dec. 12, 2018 in Orem. UVU also defeated Sam Houston 75-64 in Huntsville on Dec. 22, 2017.

All-Time Results vs. Sam Houston (UVU leads 2-0)
Dec. 22, 2018    Utah Valley def. Sam Houston, 85-79        Orem, Utah
Dec. 22, 2017    Utah Valley def. Sam Houston, 75-64        Huntsville, Texas

LAST MEETING VS. SAM HOUSTON (Dec. 22, 2018 - Orem, Utah)
Jake Toolson scored 20 points on a perfect shooting night and Conner Toolson added 18, including his 1,000th point to lead the Utah Valley to its 20th straight win at home in an 85-79 win over Sam Houston State on Dec. 22, 2018 at the UCCU Center.