MBB: Utah Tech Trailblazers 2024-25 Team Preview
New faces mixed with returners and the Trailblazers are now full Division I members. Could the Burns be rocking again?
The NIL era is here to stay. Okay, let’s be honest…the NIL era has been around for quite some time, just now it is legal and won’t bring about NCAA penalties.
For smaller schools, NIL could cause some problems. Just ask the Utah Tech Trailblazers.
In the first season of eligibility for the NCAA Tournament, the Trailblazers will have a batch of fresh new faces…for the second year in a row.
Beon Riley and Noa Gonsalves both return for Jon Judkins. Tennessee Rainwater, Stone Hutchings and Unisa Turay also return for the Trailblazers.
But, there will be a lot of new faces after the majority of the scoring departed either in the transfer portal or due to eligibility following the 2023-24 season.
So, will this equate to wins? Well, in the first four years of the Division I era, Utah Tech is 46-70 overall and 22-48 in WAC play. The Trailblazers have yet to have a winning season since making the jump from the Division II ranks in 2020.
Jon Judkins has won over 600 games in his career. Does the old ball coach have some magic up his sleeve heading into the 2024-25 season?
Let’s take a look at the Trailblazers.
Head Coach:
Jon Judkins, 20th season at Utah Tech (331-203 overall, 22-48 in WAC)
Overall record: 615-331
2023-24:
Finished 11-20 overall, 7-13 in WAC
Missed WAC Tournament
Key Losses:
Tanner Christensen - Transferred to Hawaii
Jaylen Searles - Transferred to Nicholls State
Aric Demings - Transferred to Monmouth
Hamed Olayinka - Transferred to Monmouth
Key Returners:
Beon Riley
Noa Gonsalves
Tennessee Rainwater
Unisa Turay
Stone Hutchings
Newcomers:
Dallin Grant - Utah State
Hakim Bird - Marist
Justin Bieker - San Francisco
Britton Berrett - JUCO
Samuel Ariyibi - Washington
Who will replace the production of Tanner Christensen? The two-year starter was a dominant force in the paint for the Trailblazers after he transferred to Utah Tech from Idaho.
Now, Christensen has moved on. A lot of the athleticism the Trailblazers had in 2023-24 is gone with Jaylen Searles and Hamed Olayinka moving on.
But, Jon Judkins loves his team. Judkins said on the Straight Outta WAC podcast that he feels this team wants it a little more, is more about the team, and works together much better than the 2023-24 squad.
Perhaps that is because you have Noa Gonsalves who has been with the program for three years. Or Beon Riley and his work ethic and leadership.
When you take pride in your work, it can establish a resiliency to get better.
Projected Starting Lineup:
G - Hakim Byrd
G - Noa Gonsalves
G - Beon Riley
F - Samuel Ariyibi
C - Sammy Howlin
Everyone knows that a healthy Beon Riley is exciting to watch. Riley can score in a variety of ways, and just outworks opponents despite his size disadvantage most nights.
Noa Gonsalves is another player who has been a mainstay in Jon Judkins’ starting lineup. The sharpshooter is now in his fourth season in St. George, having started all 31 games in 2023-24.
Outside of those two, the rest of the starting lineup is up for grabs. Jon Judkins may even go with Beon Riley at the one, and put Utah State transfer Dallin Grant at the three.
There is some depth along the guard line for the Trailblazers. So, the Utah Tech staff has some decisions to make.
Scheduling News:
The Trailblazers have a rather interesting non-conference schedule. Outside of an exhibition home game, plus hosting New Mexico State, and a non-Division I opponent, the Trailblazers are going to be road warriors for the first month of the season.
At Oregon State, at Wyoming, at Utah, an MTE at Montana, followed by trips to Portland State, Boise State, and Utah State. Yep, Jon Judkins is taking his team to his old stomping grounds in Logan again.
Following that brutal road stretch, the Trailblazers finish the non-conference slate with three of their final four games at Burns Arena followed by a pair of home games to start WAC play.
Outlook:
Per most media outlets, the outlook on the 2024-25 season is not favorable to the Trailblazers.
Why should it be? Utah Tech has yet to have a winning record since making the jump to Division I just four years ago. And the Trailblazers haven’t had a winning record…or even a .500 record in WAC play in that time.
Losing one of your best players over the past two years doesn’t help.
No matter what way you slice it, the Trailblazers have struggled in the past four years. Will the fact that they are eligible for the NCAA Tournament change that?
Over the past four seasons, the Trailblazers have played spoiler at times. There was a win at Utah Valley in 2020-21 that kept the Wolverines from winning an outright regular season title. Three years ago, the Trailblazers beat GCU to keep them from earning a share of the regular season crown with Seattle, SFA, and New Mexico State.
There was the big win in the 2023 WAC tournament over SFA.
But, the regular season has not been friendly to the Trailblazers.
Health will be a big thing to keep an eye on. As will the chemistry. Jon Judkins said on the Straight Outta WAC podcast that he loves this team’s chemistry, and said it will be a key factor in Utah Tech’s success.
Beon Riley. Remember that name. There were moments of greatness in 2023-24. And Riley will be relied upon even more from both a leadership and scoring standpoint.
Don’t necessarily count out the Trailblazers. But, also don’t necessarily count on them to finish at the top of the WAC.