Wildcats began WAC play in Utah

ABILENE, Texas - Abilene Christian heads into their inaugural season of WAC competition on Thursday night in Orem, Utah. The Wildcats closed out their non-conference season with an impressive win over Longwood and will head into conference play with a 9-2 record. ACU has a tough schedule to open conference play and will test their nationally-ranked defense against Utah Valley and preseason WAC Player of the Year, Fardaws Aimaq, on Thursday. Their trip doesn't get any easier as they will make the four-hour drive down to St. George to close the trip with a game against Dixie State on Saturday night. 

FOLLOW THE GAME

SERIES HISTORY

VS UTAH VALLEY

• ALL-TIME | 1st meeting 
• LAST MEETING | N/A
• STREAK | N/A
• IN ABILENE | 0-0
• IN OREM | 0-0

VS DIXIE STATE

• ALL-TIME | 1st meeting 
• LAST MEETING | N/A
• STREAK | N/A
• IN ABILENE | 0-0
• IN ST. GEORGE | 0-0

ACU Storylines

• The Wildcats have won nine-straight games with their last eight played at home. This will be the Wildcats first road trip since making the short trip to UT Arlington back on Nov. 16.
• Coryon Mason continues to lead the Wildcats with 12.3 points per game while Mahki Morris is the only other double-digit scorer averaging 11.3 points per game. The team has nine different players averaging five or more points per game.
• ACU's defense continues to be their calling card as they are currently ranked first in the nation for turnover margin (+10.4) and turnovers forced (23.82). The team is also ranked third for steals per game averaging 12.4 per contest.
• This is a start of a tough stretch for the Wildcats as they begin conference play against three of the top four teams in the WAC over the first three weekends. They will play Utah Valley, Grand Canyon, and NM State all on the road within the first three weekends.
• As a team, ACU has forced 20 or more turnovers in all but two games this season while notching double-digit steals in all but three contests. 

Scouting the Wolverines

• Utah Valley is off to their best start of their DI era, matching the 9-3 record to begin their season in 2003-04, their first year at the Division I level. 
• The Wolverines are anchored by center Fardaws Aimaq who is arguably one of the top big men in the country. Aimaq is averaging 19.4 points and 13.7 rebounds per game and leads the country in double-doubles with 10. 
• UVU currently sits with the highest NET rating of any WAC program at 78 and is one of four conference program ranked in the top-100 of the NET.
• The Wolverines have had two marquee victories on the season with a win over then-No. 12 BYU at home and going on the road to earn a P6 win over Washington in their last game on Dec. 21. 

Scouting the Trailblazers

• Dixie State finished non-conference play with a 7-6 record despite playing one of the toughest early schedules in the WAC. The Trailblazers dropped games to Gonzaga to open the season and also fell to No. 24 USC on Nov. 22. 
• The Trailblazers played a home-and-home with future WAC member Southern Utah and split the season series. DSU earned the seven-point win at home in their second game of the season before losing by 18 on the road in their non-conference finale.
• Cameron Gooden and Hunter Schofield lead the Trailblazers in scoring averaging 14.5 and 13.6 points per game, respectively. 
• DSU has a deep bench and has had 15 different players see the court at some point this season. Nine players have seen action in all of their games with eight averaging five or more points per game. 

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