Know thy enemy: A preview of the week in UVU sports
With just one sporting event on campus this week, there will be plenty to keep updated on as the Wolverines will be hitting the road for both wrestling and men’s basketball. The wrestling team is of particular interest this week, as they will face off in dual meets with two top-25 teams featuring several nationally ranked wrestlers.
After hosting Wyoming its last time out, the wrestling team will be on the road this week as it continues its conference dual meet schedule with trips to both North Dakota State and South Dakota State. The Wolverines will take on No. 23 North Dakota State at 6 p.m. Friday in Fargo, N.D. before making the short trip to Brookings, S.D. to face No. 19 South Dakota State at 6 p.m. Saturday. North Dakota State has two dual meet wins over ranked opponents this year as it took down No. 14 Iowa State and No. 24 Virginia. Five Bison wrestlers are ranked in the top 25 nationally, including two in the top 10.
The Wolverines will be looking to avenge last season’s home loss when they face off against South Dakota State. The Jackrabbits also boast five top-25 wrestlers this season. One bout to keep an eye on will be the 197-pound match which could potentially feature No. 8 Nate Rotert against UVU’s Tanner Orndorff, who also finds himself ranked this season. Ultimately, the Wolverines will have no shortage of upset opportunities this weekend as they take on two quality wrestling programs.
After a two-game home stand last week, the men’s basketball team will be traveling to Seattle University to take on the Redhawks at 8 p.m. Saturday. Seattle got off on a slow start to Western Athletic Conference play, winning just one of its first four conference games. The Redhawks average nearly 72 points per game while shooting 43 percent from the field, including 33 percent from the 3-point line. Shouldering the bulk of the scoring load are Brendan Westendorf, Aaron Menzies and William Powell, who average 15, 12 and 10 points, respectively. Menzies also leads the team in field goal percentage, shooting 53 percent.
The women’s basketball team will welcome Seattle to the UCCU Events Center at 2 p.m. Saturday. Despite finishing nonconference play just 3-12 with only one win on the road, Seattle started WAC play with a four-game win streak to prove it can still be a force in the conference. Senior leadership is the key for the Redhawks with forwards Alexis Montgomery and Kaylee Best leading in scoring with 16.2 and 13.3 points per game, respectively. A key stat for the Redhawks is that they average the most points in the fourth quarter, meaning the Wolverines may need to build a little cushion to hold off a last-minute surge if they are to win this game.
Reporting by: Devin Olsen, Kaleb Searle, Ryan Willie