ST. GEORGE — The men’s basketball team from Utah Tech needs to do some soul searching.
The Trailblazers fell below .500 for the season (5-6) and dropped their second consecutive nonconference game at home on Saturday, falling 79-62 to the Fighting Hawks of North Dakota.
The game was never close as the Trailblazers came out a little flat in front of a small, silent crowd at Burns Arena. North Dakota led 40-21 at halftime and never looked back.
The Fighting Hawks raced out to their biggest lead of 29 points in the second half.
David Elliott came off the Utah Tech bench to lead the team in scoring with 11 points. Noa Gonsalves was next with 10 points and those were the only two Trailblazers in double-digit scoring.
Freshman Tennessee Rainwater saw a lot of minutes in the game and posted seven points. Hamed Olayinka scored nine for the Trailblazers in the setback.
Meanwhile Treysen Eaglestaff seemingly couldn’t miss for North Dakota, raining down a game-high 28 points for the winners. B.J. Omot did a lot of damage for the Fighting Hawks, posting 20 points.
Things don’t get any easier for coach Jon Judkins and his troops. Up next for the Trailblazers is a trip to Boulder, Colorado Thursday, Dec. 21 to face the PAC 12’s Colorado Buffaloes (8-2).
Utah Tech 110, Bethesda 35
The Trailblazers got back on track with a nonconference blowout in the women’s matinee game at Burns Arena.
The win snapped a two-game losing streak and Utah Tech improved to 6-4 overall, 1-1 in Western Athletic Conference action.
Bethesda managed just seven points in the second quarter, six in the third and seven more in the fourth in a game that was never close.
Utah Tech’s 75-point margin of victory broke a school record that stood for nearly 15 years.
The previous record was set when the Trailblazers rang in the New Year with a 95-36 (+59) home win over Chaminade on Jan. 3, 2009.
The Blazers also set another school record Saturday, holding Bethesda to just 16.5 percent shooting (13-of-79) from the floor.
The new shooting percentage standard broke the previous record set during the 2021-22 campaign when Utah Tech limited Antelope Valley to a 19 percent shooting effort Nov. 20, 2021.
Freshman Calyn Dallas continued to make a name for herself, leading Utah Tech’s scoring effort with 22 points. She also hauled in 15 rebounds for a double-double.
Senior Breaunna Gillen chipped in with 20 points and twin sisters Maddie Warren (20 points) and Macie Warren (14 points) contributed double-digit scoring to the winning cause.
Utah Tech next plays in the program’s first ever NCAA Division I multi-team event, the inaugural Utah Tech Trailblazer Classic, Tuesday through Thursday, Dec. 19-21 at Burns Arena.
The Trailblazers will play two Power-5 opponents over the first two days of the Classic, beginning with a match-up against PAC-12 power Oregon on Tuesday, Dec. 19 at 2 p.m.
Utah Tech will turn right back around on Wednesday, Dec. 20 to face Big-12 member Oklahoma State at 2 p.m.
Photo Gallery
Calyn Dallas scores for Utah Tech against Bethesda in a nonconference woman's basketball game, St. George, Utah, Dec. 16, 2023 | Photo by Ava Nash, Utah Tech Athletics Media Relations, St. George News
Utah Tech's Noa Gonsalves lines up a shot against North Dakota in a nonconference basketball game, St. George, Utah, Dec. 16, 2023 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News
Utah Tech's Jaylen Searles works against North Dakota in a nonconference basketball game, St. George, Utah, Dec. 16, 2023 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News
Utah Tech's Aric Demings scoops a shot against North Dakota in a nonconference basketball game, St. George, Utah, Dec. 16, 2023 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News
Utah Tech's Tanner Christensen works against North Dakota in a nonconference basketball game, St. George, Utah, Dec. 16, 2023 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News
Utah Tech's Noa Gonsalves works against North Dakota in a nonconference basketball game, St. George, Utah, Dec. 16, 2023 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News
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