ST. GEORGE, Utah (Interstat) — A tightly contested Western Athletic Conference race brings a rematch to the desert Thursday as Utah Tech hosts Texas-Arlington in a key men’s basketball clash at Burns Arena. The Trailblazers (13-11, 4-5 WAC) seek redemption after a 56-52 loss to the Mavericks in St. George just three weeks ago on Jan. 15. Utah Tech has since found momentum, winning three of its last four, including a 65-59 road victory at Tarleton State on Saturday. Texas-Arlington (14-7, 5-3), however, aims to steady itself after a taxing 87-77 overtime home loss to California Baptist on Saturday. That defeat snapped a three-game winning streak for the Mavericks, who sit a game and a half behind first-place Tarleton State in the conference standings. The matchup features two of the WAC’s premier guards. Utah Tech is led by Noah Bolanga, who is coming off a 23-point performance in the win over Tarleton State. He has averaged 16.3 points over his last six games. For the Mavericks, Marcell McCreary is a dynamic all-around threat. He nearly posted a triple-double in the overtime loss to Cal Baptist, finishing with 19 points, six rebounds and five assists in 39 minutes. In the Jan. 15 win over Utah Tech, McCreary contributed seven points in 24 minutes. Utah Tech’s offense has surged recently, scoring 102 points in a win over Southern Utah on Jan. 24. The Trailblazers will test a Texas-Arlington defense that has been inconsistent in conference play, allowing an average of 74.3 points in its last three WAC games. The Mavericks have relied on a balanced attack and defensive pressure, holding Utah Tech to a season-low 52 points in the first meeting. Replicating that defensive effort on the road will be critical. Thursday’s result will carry significant weight for postseason seeding, with the teams scheduled for a second rematch in Arlington just two weeks later on Feb. 19. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. MST at Burns Arena.