• Utah Valley hits the road for a Saturday afternoon matchup at Jacksonville State. Tipoff is set for 3 p.m. MT at Pete Mathews Coliseum. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+ and over the airwaves on the Wolverine Sports Network (960 AM/103.9 FM in Utah County, 98.3 FM/101.5 HD2 in Salt Lake County).
   
• Utah Valley snapped a four-game losing streak with a commanding 80-57 victory over North Dakota in its return to the UCCU Center on Wednesday night. The Wolverines opened the second half with a blistering 20-3 run to build a 21-point lead and never looked back. Carter Welling led UVU with 19 points, while Dominick Nelson added 15. Trevan Leonhardt nearly recorded a triple-double with nine points, nine rebounds, and six assists. The Wolverines shot 51.7% from the field.
   
• After opening the season with two games at home, Utah Valley spent over a month on the road with seven straight road games, culminating in a setback at James Madison on Dec. 7. The Wolverines will play 10 of their 14 non-conference games on the road, traveling a total of 15,180 miles during this stretch. Key stops include Murray, Kentucky; Birmingham, Alabama; Stanford, California; Harrisonburg, Virginia; Jacksonville, Alabama; Pocatello, Idaho; and Ogden, Utah.

BROADCAST INFORMATION
Saturday's game at Jax State will be broadcast live on ESPN+, which is available on the ESPN app and at ESPNplus.com. Eli Gold and Mickey Shadrix will be on the call for the ESPN+ broadcast. The game will also be broadcast over the air waves on the Wolverine Sports Network with Jim McCulloch on the call. The radio broadcast will be aired live on ESPN 960 AM/103.9 FM radio in Utah County and 98.3 FM/105.1 (HD2) in Salt Lake City with a live stream available at ESPN960sports.com. Brice Larson will host the pregame/halftime/postgame show for the game.

ABOUT JAX STATE
Jacksonville State (5-4) welcomes Utah Valley to Pete Mathews Coliseum, where the Gamecocks hold a perfect 3-0 record this season. Jax State is coming off a narrow 76-74 road loss at South Alabama, where the Gamecocks rallied from a 16-point deficit to take a late lead before falling short in the final minutes. The team is led by Jaron Pierre Jr., who averages 22.9 points per game, ranking sixth nationally, and recently surpassed 1,000 career points. Jao Ituka has also stepped up with back-to-back 20-point performances, including five three-pointers in each of his last two outings. Jax State ranks fourth nationally in defensive rebounds per game (32.4) and boasts a disciplined defense, ranking sixth in the nation in fouls per game (12.7). The Gamecocks have been dominant at home, averaging 89.3 points per game while out-rebounding opponents by a significant margin.

SERIES HISTORY VS. THE GAMECOCKS
Utah Valley and Jacksonville State will meet up on the basketball hardwood for the first time on Saturday.

LAST TIME OUT: Utah Valley 80, North Dakota 57 (12/11/24 - Orem)
Carter Welling scored 19 points and Dominick Nelson added 15 to lead Utah Valley to a commanding 80-57 win, snapping a four-game losing streak in the Wolverines' return to the UCCU Center on Wednesday night.

CONFERENCE USA/WAC SCHEDULING INITIATIVE
Utah Valley's 89-60 win over UTEP on Nov. 9 marked the first of two matchups this season for UVU as part of the Conference USA/WAC scheduling initiative. The Wolverines will now conclude the initiative with a trip to Alabama to face Jacksonville State on Saturday, Dec. 14. Now in its second season, the initiative saw UVU go 1-1 against CUSA opponents last year, with a 79-73 road win at Sam Houston and a 73-69 home loss to Liberty.

ROAD WARRIORS
After opening the season with two games at home, Utah Valley endured an extensive stretch on the road, playing seven straight road games that concluded with a loss at James Madison on Dec. 7. The Wolverines will play 10 of their 14 non-conference games on the road, covering a grueling 15,180 miles during this stretch. Notable stops include Murray, Kentucky; Birmingham, Alabama; Stanford, California; Harrisonburg, Virginia; Jacksonville, Alabama; Pocatello, Idaho; Ogden, Utah; and the nation's capital, Washington, D.C.

BLOCK PARTY IN OREM
Utah Valley ranks 21st in the nation in blocks per game, averaging an impressive 5.3 swats per contest. Nine different Wolverines have recorded a block this season. Carter Welling leads the team with 14 blocks, followed by Cory Wells with 11. Carter Welling's 1.6 blocks per game ranks him 88th nationally.