CEDAR CITY, Utah. After sweeping a three-game homestand by a margin of 334-170, the Southern Utah men's basketball team faces much steeper competition with a road trip to Lawrence, Kan. to face the reigning national champion Kansas Jayhawks on Friday, Nov. 18 at 6 p.m. MT.
Head Coach Todd Simon Says...
Playing the defending National champions at historic Phog Allen Fieldhouse is the toughest challenge in college basketball. It will be an ultimate measuring stick for our growing program.
Game Info
Southern Utah vs. Kansas
Date: Friday, November 18
Tipoff: 6 p.m. MT
Broadcast: ESPN+
Preview
SOUTHERN UTAH (3-1)
T-Bird Tidbits
Southern Utah has outscored its opponents by an average of 39 points having produced 103.8 points per game against 64.8 for the competition so far this season.
SUU is outshooting its opponents 53.4 percent to 38.8 percent, while also bettering its competition from beyond the arc, 36.7 to 30.9 percent.
The 'Birds shoot nearly three more free throws per game than their competition, 13 versus 10.8 per game, while also outrebounding their foes, 46.3 to 34. The Thunderbirds also produce 11 more assists per game (21.3-10.3), while also inducing 10 more turnovers per contest (22.0-12.5)
Individual Leaders
Southern Utah's balanced scoring attack features five players averaging double digits in scoring. Tevian Jones leads the way with 18 points per game, while Jason Spurgin (10.5), Maizen Fausett (10.3), Harrison Butler (10.0) and Cameron Healy (10.0) also have cleared 10 points per game.
Fausett and Spurgin have been powerhouses on the glass as the top two rebounders on the team. Fausett averaged 6.8 rebounds a game, while Spurgin has corralled 5.3 rebounders per contest.
Drake Allen is the primary distributor on the team with 4.3 assists per game, while teaming up with Fausett to lead the squad with 2 steals per contest each.
Last Time Out
The Southern Utah men's basketball team swept its three-game homestand with a blistering 126-67 victory against Bethesda on Monday, Nov. 14 at the America First Event Center. The victory improved SUU's overall record to 3-1 on the season with Bethesda moving to 0-8. SUU now holds a 6-0 mark historically against the Flames, while completing a marathon stretch of three games in five nights heading into a showdown against reigning national champion Kansas on Friday, Nov. 18.
Team Notables
Southern Utah sizzled offensively, shooting nearly 60 percent with a 59.8-percent rate on 52-of-87 shooting. That's the third consecutive contest shooting more than 50 percent. SUU also had a night behind the arc, connecting on 11-of-31 three-pointers for a 35.5-percent rate.
The Thunderbirds owned the paint, winning the scoring battle inside 82-24, while also outrebounding Bethesda, 51-31.
Defensively, SUU held the Flames to just 38.6 percent shooting off a 27-of-70 effort. The 'Birds also converted 41 points off 23 turnovers.
For the second contest in a row, Southern Utah's bench outscored its opponent. SUU's bench put up 68 points against Bethesda's 67. This just two days after Southern Utah's bench (52) beat Saint Katherine's team (48).
Individual Leaders
The Thunderbirds scored nearly at will during the game with a stunning seven double-digit scorers. Sophomore center Jason Spurgin and senior guard Dee Barnes led the way with 16 points each. Both stand as season highs, while Barnes matched his career high 16 points against Saint Katherine a year ago.
Freshman guard Martel Williams (15), freshman center Parsa Fallah (14), senior forward Maizen Fausett (13), graduate student guard Cameron Healy (11) and senior guard Harrison Butler (11) also cleared the double-digit mark in scoring. Fallah, whose previous career high as a T-Bird was eight, nearly claimed SUU's first double-double of the season with nine rebounds.
Sophomore guard Drake Allen had an all-around amazing game with nine points, eight assists, six rebounds and five steals.
Near Records
Southern Utah fell just 17 points shy of the school record for points in a game. SUU put up 143 points against Westminster as part of a 143-106 victory on Feb. 17, 1970. SUU also missed the margin-of-victory school record by nine points. The 'Birds beat South Alabama by 68 (140-72) on Dec. 10, 1994. Additionally, the Thunderbirds turned in 29 assists, just seven helpers shy of a pair of 36-assist efforts by the 1994-95 (vs. South Alabama) and 1980-81 (vs. New Mexico Highlands) teams. Southern Utah also connected on 52 field goals, missing the school record of 58 in the 1994 South Alabama contest as well.
KANSAS (3-0)
The #6 Kansas Jayhawks head into the contest with SUU fresh off a 69-64 victory against #7 Duke on Wednesday, Nov. 15. Kansas is 3-0 this year with wins against Omaha (89-64) and North Dakota State (82-59).
Kansas is outshooting its opponents so far this season 49.0 (102-208) to 36.8 (67-182), while also clearing 30 percent with a 31.1 (19-61) effort from behind the arc. The Jayhawks, however, have struggled at the line, shooting 53.1 (17-32) from the charity stripe.
Kansas, meanwhile, holds a six-rebound advantage on the glass corrallilng 41.3 boards per game compared to their opponents' 35.3. Additionally, Kansas distributes the ball well with 22.3 assists per game against their opponents' 10.3 assist rate.
Jalen Wilson leads the way offensively for the Jawhawks. Wilson averages a double-double with 21.7 points per game and 10.3 rebounds per game. Meanwhile, Gradey Dick (16.3) and MJ Rice (10.0) each average double-digit scoring.
History
Southern Utah has never faced the Kansas Jayhawks.
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Tickets
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