UTAH VALLEY HOSTS GRAND CANYON ON THURSDAY NIGHT AT UCCU CENTER

• After picking up a road win at Sam Houston on Saturday, Utah Valley returns to Orem to host WAC rival Grand Canyon on Thursday night at the UCCU Center. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m.
   
• Justin Harmon hit the go-ahead layup with 58 seconds remaining as Utah Valley came from behind to knock off Sam Houston 57-54 on Saturday afternoon in Hunstsville, Texas. Harmon and Fardaws Aimaq scored the final eight points of the game as UVU held the Bearkats scoreless over the final 3:38 to secure the win. Aimaq led the Wolverines with 24 points on 8-14 shooting from the field and 7-of-9 from the foul line, to go along with 10 rebounds. Harmon finished with 10 points off the bench and Harding added eight points on 2-of-3 shooting from downtown.
   
• Utah Valley started the season with a KenPom.com ranking of 221. Since then, the Wolverines have climbed 109 spots to 112 as of Feb. 9. It is the ninth 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 19 points and 13 rebounds per game.
   
• As of Feb. 9, Fardaws Big Maple Aimaq leads the nation in double-doubles (19) and defensive rebounds per game (10.23). Aimaq also ranks second in rebounds per game (13.2) and third in total rebounds (291). He is also 17th in free throw attempts (142), 29th in free throws made (102), 40th in field goals made (153), 43rd in offensive rebounds per game (3.00),  and 45th in points per game (19.0).
   
• As a team, Utah Valley ranks sixth in the nation in rebound margin (8.5), seventh in defensive rebounds per game (29.23), 17th in rebounds per game (40.36), 16th in three-point field goal percentage defense (28.8), 27th in three-point field goal percentage (37.4), and 29th in field-goal percentage defense (39.6).

BROADCAST INFORMATION
Thursday night's game against Grand Canyon 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 GRAND CANYON
Grand Canyon heads into Thursday's game against UVU with a 16-5 overall record and a 7-3 mark in WAC play. After dropping three straight games in WAC play, the 'Lopes rebounded with a pair of home wins last week over Seattle U and California Baptist. GCU defeated CBU 56-50 on Saturday night despite shooting just 31.7 percent from the field. GCU and CBU were tied with just 1:35 to play, but the 'Lopes scored eight of the game's final 10 points to secure the 56-50 win. Jovan Blacksher Jr. led GCU with 13 points in the win, while Holland Woods and Gave McGlothan were also in double figures with 11 and 10 points, respectively. Blacksher Jr. leads Grand Canyon in scoring at 17.0 points a game, followed by Woods at 13.3 points a contest. McGlothan fronts the 'Lopes on the glass, pulling down 6.4 rebounds a game. As a team, GCU averages 71.6 points a game while limiting opponents to a 60.5 points per game average. The team ranks second nationally in three-point field goal percentage defense, limiting opponents to a 26 percent mark from long range.

SERIES HISTORY VS. GRAND CANYON
Utah Valley and Grand Canyon will meet up on the basketball hardwood for the 20th time on Thursday night. It will be the first game between the two teams in nearly two years. The 'Lopes hold an all-time 11-8 advantage in the series. Utah Valley has won three of the last four games and four of the last six meetings against GCU and split a two-game series in Phoenix last season that secured the Wolverines a share of the WAC regular season title. UVU holds an all-time 5-3 record against GCU at the UCCU Center. The Wolverines have won three-straight games over GCU in Orem. The two teams last met in Orem on Feb. 22, 2020 with UVU taking a 92-80 win.

Last Five Results vs. Grand Canyon (GCU leads All-Time Series 11-8)
March 6, 2021    Grand Canyon def. Utah Valley, 74-64    Phoenix, Arizona
March 5, 2021    Utah Valley def. Grand Canyon, 59-55    Phoenix, Arizona
Feb. 22, 2020    Utah Valley def. Grand Canyon, 92-80    Orem, Utah
Jan. 25, 2020    Utah Valley def. Grand Canyon, 73-69    Phoenix, Arizona
March 15, 2019    Grand Canyon def. Utah Valley, 78-74    Las Vegas, Nevada

LAST MEETING VS. GRAND CANYON (March 6, 2022 - Phoenix, Ariz.)
Utah Valley dropped its 2020-21 regular season finale at Grand Canyon, 74-64, on the road in GCU Arena in Phoenix on March 6, 2021. The Wolverines and 'Lopes finished the season as co-champions in the Western Athletic Conference. With the loss, UVU finished the regular season with an 11-10 record, including a 9-4 record in WAC play. GCU wrapped up its year at 15-6 and 9-3 in conference play.

AIMAQ IS THE ONLY PLAYER IN THE COUNTRY TO AVERAGE AT LEAST 19 POINTS AND 13 REBOUNDS PER GAME
Fardaws Aimaq is the only player in the nation averaging at least 19 points and 13 rebounds per game. Big Maple leads UVU in scoring at 19.0 points and rebounding at 13.2 rebounds per game. He ranks second nationally in rebounding and is 45th in scoring.

WOLVERINES BECOME ONE OF ONLY TWO TEAMS TO DEFEAT SAM HOUSTON AT HOME
Justin Harmon hit the go-ahead layup with 58 seconds remaining as Utah Valley came from behind to knock off Sam Houston 57-54 on Saturday, becoming just one of two teams to defeat the Bearkats at home this season. Harmon and Fardaws Aimaq scored the final eight points of the game as UVU held the Bearkats scoreless over the final 3:38 to secure the win. Missouri State is the only other team to beat the Bearkats at home.

HISTORIC SHOOTING NIGHT IN THE WINDY CITY, EIGHTH-BEST MARK IN THE NATION THIS SEASON
Utah Valley shot 69.1 percent (38-55) from the field in a win at Chicago State on Jan. 27, its best percentage since the 2013-14 season. The mark is the eighth-best shooting percentage game in the nation this season. The Wolverines also shot a 72.7 percent (8-11) mark from long range, its best clip since 2007. UVU also connected on an impressive 17 of 19 shots from the free throw line, an 89.5 percent mark. The 69.1 percent from the field is the third-best single-game team field goal percentage in UVU history. The 38 field goals made are the most sixth most in UVU single game history.