ST. George — The Trail Blazers split Western Athletic Conference basketball against the Mavericks on Saturday.
At Barnes Arena in St. George's Utah Tech players It was an 87-66 beatdown by the University of Texas at Arlington, which trailed from the opening tipoff until the final buzzer.
The Mavericks had a top gun with all five UTA starters scoring in double figures. Shemar Wilson led the way with 16 points in the game.
Phillip Russell and Dajuan Gordon each scored 15 points, while Makai Williams had 14 points and Aaron Cash had 10 points for the visitors.
UTA had a 47-33 advantage at halftime and the game was never in doubt. During the 40-minute game, the Mavericks held the lead for 39 minutes, 41 seconds.
Utah Tech committed 18 turnovers and scored 22 UTA points. The visiting team outscored the Trail Blazers 38-24 from the paint, scoring 23 points off the fast break, while Utah Tech scored his 6 points off the break.
Gordon threw a whopping 17 boards for the Mavericks, and the home team outrebounded UTA 46-32. Also, UTA had his nine steals, while the Trail Blazers had his four.
Utah Tech missed 12 free throws (19 of 31) and UTA missed four from the charity stripe (16 of 20).
Jalen Searles sank two 3-pointers and led Utah Tech with 15 points. Noah Gonsalves scored 14 points and Tanner Christensen scored 11 points for the Trail Blazers.
The Trail Blazers are 8-14 overall and 4-7 in WAC action, ranking seventh in the WAC standings.
Utah Tech will look to get back on track when it takes on in-state rival Southern Utah in a game Thursday, Feb. 8, at 7 p.m. at Barnes Arena.
Also on Saturday in Arlington, Texas. Women at Utah Tech WAC continued their heated game by defeating the Mavericks 72-60.
In the win, four of Utah Tech's five starters scored in double figures, with Maddie Warren scoring a game-high 25 points.
Macy Warren and Breonna Guillen each scored 14 points, and freshman Karin Dallas added 11 points in the win.
Guillen grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds and dished out a game-high 11 assists, earning him a preseason WAC Player of the Year triple-double.
Utah Tech dominated the second quarter, and the game was tied 34-34 at halftime.
The home team, the Mavericks, then took a narrow lead, 48-47, heading into the final frame.
Utah Tech led 25-12 in the fourth quarter, securing the victory on the road.
The win was crucial for the WAC standings, as it gave Utah Tech the sole fourth place in the conference (13-9, 7-4 WAC).
The Trail Blazers will look for their fifth straight win when they take on rival Southern Utah on Thursday, February 8th in Cedar City. The game is scheduled to tip off at 6:30 p.m. at America First Events Center.
Photo gallery
Utah Tech's Tanner Christensen fights for a loose ball during the WAC men's basketball game against UT Arlington, St. George, Utah, February 3, 2024 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News
Utah Tech's Caleb Stearman (20) plays against UT Arlington in a WAC men's basketball game, St. George, Utah, February 3, 2024 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News
Utah Tech's Tennessee Rainwater goes to the basket in a WAC men's basketball game against UT Arlington, St. George, Utah, February 3, 2024 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News
Utah Tech's Noah Gonsalves goes to the basket during the WAC men's basketball game against UT Arlington, St. George, Utah, February 3, 2024 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News
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