Jan. 18, 2013

OREM, Utah -- Utah Valley University hits the road for the first time in Great West Conference play on Saturday at Texas-Pan American at 6 p.m. MT. The game can be heard on 960 AM the Zone.

The Wolverines (9-10, 1-1) picked up a pair of wins last week, including a 83-62 triumph over Houston Baptist for their first league win. The Broncs (9-10, 1-0) have also won two straight after opening their GWC schedule with a 70-60 road win, also against Houston Baptist.

"Texas-Pan American is playing its best basketball of the season right now and playing with great confidence," UVU head coach Dick Hunsaker said. "We know they'll be emotional and Coach (Ryan) Marks will have them well prepared on Saturday night."

In the win over HBU, Alfonzo Hubbard scored a career-high 24 points on his way to earning the Great West Player of the Week award. Ben Aird added 17, Holton Hunsaker scored 14 and Jason Johnson chipped in 10 points as Utah Valley shot 60 percent from the field for the second straight game.

Aird leads UVU and ranks fourth in the conference in scoring with 14.0 points per game. He leads the league in rebounding (8.3), field goal percentage (57.4) and blocks (2.1). Nick Thompson is first in the Great West with 4.5 assists per game and Hunsaker ranks first in the league and ninth nationally at 91.3 percent from the free throw line.

UTPA, which will join the UVU in the move to the Western Athletic Conference next year, is led by Brandon Provost's 14.8 points per game while Aaron Urbanus averages 11.9 per game. Both are preseason All-Great West selections.

Next week, Utah Valley travels to Chicago State for another road conference game at the site of the 2013 GWC Tournament. The Wolverines face the Cougars on Saturday, Jan. 26 at 3:30 p.m. MT.