UTAH VALLEY HOSTS CALIFORNIA BAPTIST ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT AT THE UCCU CENTER
- Utah Valley returns to Orem for a two-game home stand this week at the UCCU Center. The Wolverines will host California Baptist on Wednesday night before taking on in-state rival Southern Utah on Saturday night. Both games will tip off at 6 p.m.
- Utah Valley’s game against California Baptist on Wednesday night will be Salute to Service Night at the UCCU Center. Those that come to the game wearing the UVU T-Shirt they created at the T-Shirt Bar in the UVU science atrium earlier in the week will get into Wednesday night’s game for free. A limited edition t-shirt from UVU’s Veteran Success Center will be given out to students that attend the game (while supplies last). UVU student Nolan Hicken, a Marine Officer Candidate, will also be honored. Hicken was the top graduate in his class at the Marine Corps Officer Candidate School this past summer.
- Le’Tre Darthard scored a season-high 26 points and Aziz Bandaogo recorded his 13th double-double of the season with 15 points and 12 rebounds to lead Utah Valley to a 76-69 road win over Utah Tech last Thursday in the Old Hammer Rivalry at Burns Arena. Justin Harmon was also in double figures with 12 points to go along with eight rebounds, three assists, and a steal. Trey Woodbury scored nine points with eight rebounds.
 - Utah Valley has won 15 of its last 17 games over a two-month period. During that stretch, Utah Valley rattled off 11 straight wins that began with an 88-78 win over Long Beach State on Dec. 3 and ended in an 85-80 loss to Seattle U on Jan. 14. The 11-game streak is the second longest streak in program history behind the 2011-12 team, which won 13 straight.
- Utah Valley had a streak of seven straight road wins come to an end at Southern Utah on Jan. 26. The streak was tied for the third-longest road win streak in the nation at the time. Prior to the loss at SUU, the Wolverines had not lost a road game since falling at Boise State on Nov. 26. UVU’s seven-game road win streak included wins at BYU, Northern Arizona, Oregon, UT Arlington, UTRGV, California Baptist, and Grand Canyon. The Wolverines have now won seven of their last eight road games.
- Utah Valley is the top shot blocking team in the nation with 154 blocks and a 6.4 blocks per game average. The Wolverines sit ahead of Iona (6.3), Florida (6.0), and Illinois (5.9). Utah Valley also ranks third nationally in defensive rebounds per game (29.79) and sixth in rebounds per game (40.21).
- Aziz Bandaogo ranks in the top-10 nationally in six statistical categories. He ranks fourth in blocks (68), sixth in rebounds (259), sixth in blocks per game (2.83), seventh in defensive rebounds per game (7.83), eighth in double-doubles (13), and 10th in rebounds per game (10.8).
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Wednesday’s game against California Baptist will be broadcast live on the ESPN+, which is available on the ESPN+ app and at ESPNplus.com. The game will also be broadcast over the Utah County airwaves on ESPN 960 AM with Jim McCulloch on the call.
ABOUT CALIFORNIA BAPTIST
California Baptist enters Wednesday’s game with a 13-11 overall record and a 5-6 mark in WAC play. The Lancers hold a 4-4 road record this season. CBU has lost three straight, including a pair of games at home last week to Southern Utah (72-71) and Abilene Christian (87-71). In the loss to ACU on Saturday, Taran Armstrong led the tea with 14 points. Reed Nottage and Riley Battin were also in double figures against the Wildcats with 13 and 10 points, respectively. Teran Armstrong leads the team in scoring this season at 12.1 points a game. He also fronts the team in assists at 4.8 a contest, which leads the WAC. CBU ranks 38th nationally in bench points per game at 25.71. The team also ranks 52nd in the country and leads the WAC in three-point percentage defense at 31 percent.
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE LANCERS
Utah Valley and California Baptist will meet for the 10th time on the basketball hardwood on Wednesday. The Wolverines hold an all-time 6-3 advantage in the series. UVU has won four of the last five meetings against the Lancers, including a 71-67 win in Riverside earlier this year on Jan. 11. The two teams split last season’s two-game series with each team winning on its home floor. The Wolverines took a 63-54 win over the Lancers in the last game played between the two teams in Orem. UVU holds an all-time 4-1 record against CBU in games played at the UCCU Center.
All-Time Results vs. CBU (UVU Leads Series, 6-3)
Jan. 11, 2023 Utah Valley def. California Baptist, 71-67 Riverside, California
Feb. 26, 2022 Utah Valley def. California Baptist, 63-54 Orem, Utah
Jan. 15, 2022 California Baptist def. Utah Valley, 75-73 Riverside, California
Jan. 09, 2021 Utah Valley def. California Baptist, 81-77 Orem, Utah
Jan. 08, 2021 Utah Valley def. California Baptist, 77-50 Orem, Utah
Feb. 26, 2020 California Baptist def. Utah Valley, 73-66 Riverside, California
Jan. 29, 2020 California Baptist def. Utah Valley, 65-61 Orem, Utah
March 02, 2019 Utah Valley def. California Baptist, 64-63 Riverside, California
Jan. 30, 2019 Utah Valley def. California Baptist, 79-62 Orem, Utah
LAST TIME vs. CBU: Utah Valley 71, California Baptist 67 (January 11, 2023 – Riverside)
Trailing by two points, 66-64, Trey Woodbury knocked down a three with 13 seconds left on the clock that gave Utah Valley a lead it would not relinquish in a 71-67 road win over California Baptist on Jan. 11 at the CBU Events Center.
SWAT VALLEY
Utah Valley is the top shot blocking team in the nation with 154 blocks and a 6.4 blocks per game average. The Wolverines sit ahead of Iona (6.3), Florida (6.0), and Illinois (5.9).Â
UTAH VALLEY REGAINS TOP SPOT IN WAC RESUME SEEDING SYSTEM, SITS ATOP LEAGUE STANDINGS
Utah Valley is back on top in the latest WAC resume seeding system standings and holds the best record in the WAC standings. The WAC will be seeding its teams at the WAC Tournament based on an algorithm that will rate performance against all teams faced in the regular season, not just conference play, that will rank teams for the conference postseason tournament. Using this resume seeding system, teams will receive more credit by playing stronger opponents than if they play weaker opponents. WAC Commissioner Brian Thornton and WAC Associate Commissioner of Basketball Drew Speraw worked with Ken Pomeroy of kenpom.com to put together this formula.
