CEDAR CITY, Utah -- The Thunderbird men's basketball team will be on the road for one contest this week, as they'll face off against the Idaho State Bengals at Reed Gym in Pocatello, Idaho.
Last Time Out
When the Thunderbirds were last on the floor, they topped the Montana State Bobcats 59-53.
Neither team was able to shoot the ball well in the opening half, as the T-Birds and Bobcats shot just 23 percent from the field for the first 20 minutes. The visiting team held a 21-17 advantage at the break.
Montana State started hot in the second half, and built up a 10 point advantage with 12:38 to play in the contest.
When adversity was highest, the T-Birds stepped up, and embarked on a 12-0 run to take a 41-37 lead.
The Thunderbirds continued to take advantage of their improved shooting, taking a six-point lead with just over three minutes on the clock.
SUU made big plays down the stretch, including a Maizen Fausett and-one that resulted in a three-point play, to put a lid on the contest and top the Bobcats.
The T-Birds shot 41 percent in the second half from the field, and hit 17-of-19 from the free throw line.
Stat Leaders
After 14 games, the Thunderbirds are led in scoring by two different players depending on your definition. Cameron Oluyitan leads the team in total points with 177 this season, while John Knight III leads the team in points per game average at 13.1. Olyitan has appeared in all 14 contest, while Knight III missed one game.
The duo also lead the team in assists with 32 apiece.
Harrison Butler leads the team in rebounding with an average of 7.9 per game. He's pulled down a total of 110 this season so far. He is currently second in the Big Sky in rebounding. Maizen Fausett is second on the team at 6.2 rpg and 87 total.
Fausett has recorded three-straight double-doubles for the Thunderbirds to open Big Sky play.
Oluyitan leads the team with 20 steals, while Daouda (David) N'Diaye leads the team in blocks with 16 total of 1.8 blocks per game.
By The Numbers
The Thunderbirds currently ranked 18th in the entire NCAA in terms of defensive rebounds per game, pulling in an average of 29.43. Tha also ranks them first in the Big Sky Conference.
Better yet, they rank 17th in the NCAA in rebounding margin at 8.4 which also puts them first in the Big Sky.
In terms of total rebounding, the T-Birds rank 40th.
The T-Birds also rank 28th in the NCAA in field-goal percentage defense, holding their opponents to 38.3 percent from the field.
Southern Utah also ranks 56th in blocked shots per game at 4.4.
Opponent Preview: Idaho State Bengals (5-7, 2-1 Big Sky)
The Bengals of Idaho State will enter the matchup against the Thunderbirds with a 2-1 Big Sky record, after knocking off Idaho and Eastern Washington before falling to Sacramento State.
Tarik Cool is the leading scorer for ISU, averaging 14.6 ppg so far this season. Both Chier Maker and Jared Stutzman are averaging double-digit points per game, at 12.2 and 10.2 respectively.
Head coach Ryan Looney is in his first season as the head coach of the Bengals.
The Thunderbirds hold a 19-12 all-time lead over the Bengals. SUU has won four of the last five contests against ISU, including Big Sky Tournament contests.
State of the Big Sky
With two weeks of Big Sky action in the books, the two-time defending champion Montana Grizzlies sit on top of the league standings with a 3-1 Big Sky record.
Four teams sit at 2-1, including the T-Birds. Eastern Washington, Northern Colorado and Idaho State all also sit at that mark.
Montana State is the lone team with a 2-2 Big Sky record.
Weber State's Jerrick Harding is the leading scorer in the Big Sky, averaging 19.9 ppg to this point of the season.
Words From Coach Simon
On their last home stand…
"We did a great job on the defensive end, which gave us a chance," SUU head coach Todd Simon said. "Against Montana when the shots weren't falling, which continued against Montana State, we played good enough defense to keep us in it until the offense came around. It was a good showing in that regard."
On Maizen Fausett's improved play since Big Sky games began…
"He brings it every night," Simon said. "We always know from an energy and effort level that he's going to be consistent, so for him to match his skill with his energy has given us quite a lift."
On the Big Sky as a whole…
"Everyone's got a loss, and everyone's got a win, so it's going to be a dog fight," he said. "Anybody can be anybody every night this year, and it's a good league, so we're going to have to be focused, protect our home floor and try to steal some on the road.
On the Bengals…
"They're a good team," he said. "They've got a few guys back from last year that are doing well for them, and it's hard to beat them there. They're playing in Reed Gym, which is a tough environment in terms of the size and feel, so we'll have to be focused and ready to win."
How To Watch / Listen / Follow Along
All Big Sky Conference games are available to stream on both the PlutoTV App and www.WatchBigSky.com.
A link to live stats, live video and any available radio feeds will be available on www.suutbirds.com prior to tipoff of each contest.
Follow Us
Follow the Thunderbirds all season @SUUBasketball on Twitter and Instagram and by liking the Southern Utah Basketball page on Facebook.
Read all about the Thunderbirds on www.suutbirds.com.
Ticket Information
Season Tickets for the 2019-20 season, as well as single game tickets, are available for purchase at the America First Event Center Ticket Office and online at www.tbirdtickets.com.
