Runnin' Utes Kick Off Ft. Myers Tip-Off with Sam Houston Thursday Night

SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah men's basketball team will kick off its participation in the Ft. Myers Tip-Off this Thursday, Nov. 17, when it entertains Sam Houston as part of the campus game inside the Jon M. Huntsman Center.
 
Krista Blunk will have the call alongside Dan Belluomini as the Runnin' Utes and Bearkats face off on Pac-12 Mountain at 7 p.m. Thursday evening – which will serve as the first meeting between the two programs.
 
IN THE NATION
Through games on Nov. 14, here's how some of the Utes stack up against other players nationally.
 

 
20 POINT SCORERS
Through games on Nov. 14, Utah is 1-of-7 schools from a major conference to have had a player score 20-plus points in three different games so far this season per Stats Perform.
 
Arizona State
Baylor
DePaul
Illinois
Utah
Virginia Tech
Washington
 
SCOUTING THE BEARKATS
Sam Houston heads into Thursday's match-up 3-0 just like the Utes. The Bearkats opened the season with a signature win for the program, narrowly edging Oklahoma 52-51 on the road for its first win over a Power 5 program since knocking off Auburn in 2009 and first for head coach Jason Hooten. It is also the first time SHSU has started a season 3-0 since 2013-14.
 
Lamar Wilkerson leads the trio of players averaging in double-digits for Sam Houston with 11.7 points per game to go with a .583 clip and team-high seven 3-pointers (7-of-14). Giovanni Emejuru is right behind averaging 10.5 points with a team-high 6.5 rebounds per game and .692 shooting clip. Qua Grant rounds out the list averaging 10.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists with a .448 shooting percentage. Kaosi Ezeagu isn't far off from the trio averaging 8.7 points and 5.7 rebounds while also shooting 60-percent from the field. Of the four, Emejuru is the only player that isn't transfer.
 
The Bearkats have been dominating their opponents in the paint, scoring 65.6-percent of their points inside the paint. They've also been big on the glass, out-rebounding foes 153-94 through three games this season. However, Sam Houston has struggled at the line, hitting just 50-percent of its shots (18-for-36).
 
Nationally, SHSU is second in defensive field-goal percentage (.269), bench points per game (50.33); third in scoring defense (44), rebounds per game (51.0), offensive rebounds per game (18.33); fourth in turnover margin (11.3); sixth in scoring margin (41.3); seventh in rebounding margin (19.7); 14th in turnovers forced per game (22.33); 19th in assists/turnover ratio (1.88); 21st in defensive rebounds per game (32.67) and 22nd in assists per game (20.7).
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Utah men's basketball team had its hands full on Monday against Idaho State, but was able to pull away in the final 9:39 minutes of play after the Bengals brought it within one. The 17-6 run by Utah in those final minutes led by 11 from senior Branden Carlson put away any hope the Bengals had of an upset. Carlson finished with a career-high 26 points on nine rebounds with four blocks while Gabe Madsen added eight points and a career-high eight rebounds. Mike Saunders Jr. chipped in with nine points off the bench in the victory.
 
Freshman Luka Tarlac made his collegiate debut finally against the Bengals after missing the first two games due to an injury and recorded eight points on 4-of-4 shooting with four rebounds.
 
UP NEXT
The Runnin' Utes will leave its homecourt for the first time this season as they head to Ft. Myers, Fla., for the Ft. Myers Tip-Off event. Utah opens up the Multi-Team Event (MTE) with Georgia Tech on Monday, Nov. 21, at 4 p.m. (MT) before facing either Marquette or Mississippi State on Wednesday, Nov. 23, at 4 or 6 p.m. (MT). Both games for Utah will air on FS1 with Brandon Gaudin and Bill Raftery on the call.
 
LOOKING AHEAD
Utah will have a short turnaround when it returns to SLC as it plays host to St. Thomas on Saturday, Nov. 26. The Tommies are entering their second year in Division I after years of success at the DII level. St. Thomas is currently 2-1 on the year after giving preseason #9 Creighton a run for its money on opening night before falling 72-60. That game between the Utes and Tommies is scheduled to tip-off at 6 p.m. on Pac-12 Networks with Jacob Tobey and Dan Belluomini on the call.
 
For the latest news and information on the Runnin' Utes men's basketball program, fans can stay connected online at www.UtahUtes.com and on social media by following @UtahMBB on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
 
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