If the Utah Valley State men's basketball team believes that Chicago State will lend a sympathetic ear for being in the middle of a two-week five-game road trip that includes stops in Alabama, Texas, Illinois, Louisiana and California, well think again.

When the Cougars host UVSC today at 3:30 p.m., it will mark just the team's third home game for the entire season.

Duke plays that many in a week.

Chicago State's schedule may be the biggest contributing factor to the team's 5-13 record, but the Cougars are hoping a homestand will help this team get on a roll. And if that's going to happen, it's likely David Holston, a 5-foot-8 junior guard, will have something to do with it.

Holston is Chicago State's Ryan Toolson. He is shooting .428 from the 3-point line. He's attempted 201 3-point shots. No other Cougar has more than 38 attempts. He is shooting .881 from the free throw line and leads the team in scoring with 23.1 points per game.

"He's (Holston) an efficient scorer who breaks down defenses with his dribbling and he's a very good 3-point shooter," said UVSC coach Dick Hunsaker. "He's (Holston) a young man who could play about anywhere in the country. All I know is who we're facing and we'll have our hands full.'

Even though the Wolverines are on the road for this game, at least the crowd shouldn't be a factor. The Cougars average just 318 fans per game.

It's probably because what fans there are forgot they had a team.

UVSC's perimeter defense could be Hunsaker's biggest concern. The Cougars are shooting .377 as a team from the 3-point line.

Speaking of 3-point shooting, Toolson broke his own school record as he hit eight 3-pointers as the junior guard scored a game-high 32 points in a 74-69 loss at Lamar on Tuesday.

"I was pleased with some individual efforts," Hunsaker said. "I thought we fought hard. Give Lamar credit. They turned it up when they needed to down the stretch."

UVSC shot a sizzling 67 percent from the field in the first half, with Toolson leading the Wolverines with 19 points to help UVSC take a seven-point lead at the half.

With the Wolverines lead 62-51, before the Cardinals went on a 18-2 run to take a 69-64 lead with 2:50 left in the game that finished off UVSC.

Today's game marks the first time this year UVSC has played another independent team. The two teams play again in Orem on Feb. 9.

• Utah Valley Open set for today: UVSC will host the first Utah Valley Wrestling Open today in the Shurian Family Activity Center. Matches will begin at 9 a.m.

The Wolverine wrestlers will compete unattached against wrestlers from several other schools including Boise State, Cal Poly and Western Wrestling Conference foes Wyoming and Northern Colorado.

Results will be posted throughout the day at www.WolverineGreen.com