Cougars Start WAC Weekend Road Trip Out West Thursday at Utah Valley

Chicago State (4-14, 0-2) at Utah Valley (8-8, 0-1)
Date	Thursday, Jan. 12, 2017
Time	8 p.m.
Location	UCCU Center - Orem, Utah
Video	ESPN3
Radio	http://espn960sports.com/
Live Stats	UVU Live Stats
Social Media	@WolverineGreen (Twitter)

UVU Game Notes

CHICAGO -

OPENING TIP – Chicago State men's basketball hits the road this week as it travels to the Northwest for a pair of Western Athletic Conference games beginning Thursday night in Utah against rival Utah Valley at the UCCU Center in a live broadcast on ESPN3 with a start time of 8 p.m.

SCOUTING CSU – CSU heads into Orem with a record of 4-14 this season that includes a 0-2 mark against WAC opponents after dropping a 78-62 decision at home last Saturday to league-leading New Mexico State. Sophomore guard Fred Sims, Jr. (Chicago, Ill./North Lawndale) leads the Cougars in scoring with an average of 18.2 points per game to rank third among the WAC leaders in that category in addition to connecting on 78 percent from the free throw line. Senior guard/forward Trayvon Palmer (Milwaukee, Wis./Brown Deer) ranks first on the team in rebounds (9.5 rpg), steals (1.2 spg), blocked shots (13) and double-doubles (eight) to go along with averaging 15 points a game. Palmer is also shooting 50 percent from the field and 37 percent from three-point range on the year, and senior guard Clemmye Owens V (Toledo, Ohio/Rogers) is producing 9.3 points per game this season.

SCOUTING UVU – Utah Valley, winners of three out of its last five games since Dec. 23, brings a season record of 8-8 into this week's action after falling at Grand Canyon last Saturday in its conference opener by a score of 82-72. Leading the Wolverines, who have three players averaging double figure scoring averages, is sophomore guard Conner Toolson at 14.7 points and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 46 percent from the field. Redshirt junior forward Isaac Neilson has produced WAC-leading totals of 9.9 rebounds and 1.6 blocked shots a game while scoring 12.7 points a game and shooting a team-best 60 percent from the field. The final UVU player averaging double figures is redshirt junior guard Kenneth Ogbe with an average of 11.3 points per contest and has connected on 49 percent from three-point range to lead the WAC.

SERIES HISTORY – Utah Valley currently holds a 13-4 lead in the all-time series with Chicago State while posting wins in six of the teams' last seven games. The Wolverines swept last season's series via a pair of close margins that included a 74-72 win at the UCCU Center on Feb. 18, 2016 with Sims, Jr. leading three CSU players in double figures with 18 points.

OWENS TIES CAREER HIGH VS. NMSU – Owens V equaled a career high for assists last Saturday when he dished out six helpers against New Mexico State. It marked the seventh time this season that he has recorded at least three assists in a game.

SCORING SIMS – Sims, Jr. has continued his torrid scoring pace over the last five games for the Cougars by averaging 20.6 points per game while producing three games with 20-plus points. He tallied 26 points, including 20 first-half points, in last Saturday's contest against NM State.

STRIVING FOR NO. 1 – Palmer is on pace to put his name as one of the school's best rebounders in the program's D-I era as he currently ranks second on CSU's career offensive rebounds list as he has produced 205 o-boards to rank behind former Cougar Carl Montgomery's total of 214.

UP NEXT – CSU closes out its weekend road trip in Phoenix Saturday night when it takes on WAC rival Grand Canyon at GCU Arena beginning at 8 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

#2 Clemmye Owens V: G; 6' 2"; Senior

#15 Trayvon Palmer: G/F; 6' 6"; Senior

#14 Fred Sims, Jr.: G; 6' 4"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

#2 Clemmye Owens V
: 6' 2"; Senior
: G

#15 Trayvon Palmer
: 6' 6"; Senior
: G/F

#14 Fred Sims, Jr.
: 6' 4"; Sophomore
: G

Scoreboard

Players Mentioned

#2 Clemmye Owens V

#15 Trayvon Palmer

#14 Fred Sims, Jr.

Players Mentioned

#2 Clemmye Owens V

#15 Trayvon Palmer

#14 Fred Sims, Jr.