Jan. 8, 2013

OREM, Utah -- After opening the Great West Conference schedule last weekend, Utah Valley University takes a quick break from league play to face UMKC of the Summit League on Wednesday. The game tips at 7 p.m. CT from the Swinney Recreation Center in Kansas City.

Wednesday night's contest is the seventh meeting all-time between the two programs. The Wolverines (7-10) have gone 4-2 in the series including a 58-54 win last season in Orem.

The `Roos (4-12), under sixth-year coach Matt Brown, are led in scoring by Thomas Staton's 14.0 points per game. UMKC is 1-4 in Summit League play and has played a non-conference schedule that includes road games at Ohio State, Louisville and Kansas State.

"UMKC is a team that executes very well offensively. They'll throw a variety of different looks at us defensively as well; some zone looks we haven't faced this season," UVU coach Dick Hunsaker said.

Utah Valley dropped its Great West opener last Saturday to NJIT, 57-52, but got a big performance from Ben Aird, who recorded the second triple-double in the school's NCAA Division I era, with both rarities coming in the last three games.

Aird matched his career-high with 26 points while hauling in 13 rebounds and blocking a school-record 10 shots. Nick Thompson was the other player to accomplish the feat, finishing with 13 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists on Dec. 28 vs. Austin Peay.

Aird leads the team in scoring with 13.6 per game with Holton Hunsaker right behind him at 13.1 ppg. Alfonzo Hubbard averages 10.5 and Thompson's 10.2 per night round out four Wolverines in double figures.

UVU will return to Great West play on Saturday at 7:05 p.m. MT against Houston Baptist in the UCCU Center.