• Utah Valley opens WAC play with three straight home games, beginning Saturday afternoon against Abilene Christian. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. MT at the UCCU Center in Orem, Utah. 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).
   
• Saturday's game against Abilene Christian will be Utah Valley's annual Hoop.Camp Game. Hoop.Camp, founded in 1994, is a nonprofit organization designed to provide sports opportunities for individuals with a wide range of special needs. The camp uses a "unified" format, inviting athletes of all abilities to participate, creating an inclusive and rewarding experience. Hoop.Camp participants will be in attendance at Saturday's game and will take part in the team's starting lineups. Additionally, they will showcase their skills in a halftime game. Hoop.Camp is entirely volunteer-based, offering free sports camps for those in need and promoting inclusivity in athletics.
   
• Utah Valley wrapped up non-conference play with three straight wins, including a record-setting 119-59 victory over Bethesda last Saturday at the UCCU Center. Tanner Toolson led the Wolverines with 21 points as UVU set program records for points scored in the UCCU Center (119) and made field goals in a game (49). Prior to that, UVU picked up back-to-back road wins over Big Sky opponents, defeating Idaho State 70-56 on Dec. 18, led by Carter Welling's career-high 23 points and nine rebounds, and edging Weber State 64-62 on Dec. 21 behind Welling's 22 points, six rebounds, and five blocks. The Wolverines enter WAC play with momentum and an 8-6 overall record.
   
• Utah Valley holds an impressive 83-20 (80.6%) home record since March 4, 2017, and an all-time 233-66 (77.9%) mark at the UCCU Center as they compete in their 22nd season. The Wolverines are a perfect 4-0 at home this season and have won 30 of their last 34 games on their home court. UVU's 14 home wins in 2022-23 tied the program record, and the team boasts the 71st-best home court advantage in the nation, according to KenPom.com.
   
• 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 have played 10 of their 14 non-conference games on the road, traveling a total of 15,180 miles during this stretch. Key stops included Murray, Kentucky; Birmingham, Alabama; Stanford, California; Harrisonburg, Virginia; Jacksonville, Alabama; Pocatello, Idaho; and Ogden, Utah.

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

ABOUT ABILENE CHRISTIAN
Abilene Christian enters Saturday's WAC opener with an 8-7 overall record, including a 2-5 mark in true road games. The Wildcats are coming off a narrow 62-57 home loss to Stephen F. Austin, despite junior forward Leonardo Bettiol scoring a career-high 27 points on 10-of-14 shooting. Bettiol leads ACU with 15.9 points per game on 61.2% shooting, while Quion Williams adds 14.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, and a team-best 3.2 assists per game. The Wildcats excel defensively, ranking second in the WAC with 10.0 steals per game. However, they have struggled from beyond the arc, shooting just 29.6% from deep this season.

SERIES HISTORY VS. THE WILDCATS
Utah Valley and Abilene Christian will meet for the seventh time on the basketball hardwood, with UVU leading the series 4-2. The Wolverines have won four straight games over the Wildcats, including a season sweep last year. UVU defeated ACU 74-45 in Orem on Feb. 10, 2024, and followed it up with a 74-67 victory in Abilene on March 9, 2024. Saturday's game will mark the fifth contest between the two teams in Orem, where UVU holds a 3-1 advantage.

LAST TIME VS. ACU: Utah Valley 74, Abilene Christian 67 (3/9/24 - Abilene, TX)
Tanner Toolson scored 17 points and Drake Allen scored 13 points in the second half to lead Utah Valley to a 74-67 road win over Abilene Christian on March 9 ,2024 at Moody Coliseum, snapping the Wildcats' then seven-game win streak.

Toolson scored his 17 points on a 5 of 12 clip from the field, including a 3 of 7 mark from long range. He was a perfect 4 for 4 from the free throw line He also dished out a pair of assists and had two steals. Caleb Stone-Carrawell scored 15 points off the bench on 6 of 13 shooting. He hit one shot from beyond the arc and was a perfect 2 of 2 from the charity stripe. 

Ethan Potter was also in double figures with 10 points and just missed a second straight double-double with nine rebounds. 

Utah Valley shot 48.3% (29-60) from the field with a 50% (7-14) clip from long range. UVU was 64.3% (9-14) from the free throw line. Abilene Christian shot 48% (24-50) from the floor with a 27.3% (3-11) mark from beyond the arc.  UVU outrebounded ACU 36-29 and outscored the Wildcats 38-36 in the paint.  Allen scored all 13 of his points in the second half, knocking down 6 of 12 shots from the floor, including a shot from 3-point range. Allen also had five assists, three rebounds, and a steal.