Dixie State College of Utah opens the 2009-2010 Basketball Season on Saturday hosting the Toros of Cal State University, Dominguez Hills. Tip is scheduled for 7:30pm inside the Burns Arena. This will mark the first D-II meeting between the schools and the first of two games scheduled this year.
THE RECORDS: The Red Storm are playing their first regular season game after winning two of three games in preseason exhibitions. CSU Dominguez Hills (0-1) dropped their season opener Tuesday night to Grand Canyon at home 67-57.
BROADCAST INFORMATION: Dixie State College basketball games, both home and away, can be heard live on KXDS 91.3 FM and Network1Sports.com with the voice of the Red Storm, John Potter. Home games can be seen live online at B2LiveTV.com and on tape delay on DTV. All access video passes for Dixie State can be purchased on the B2 Networks site.
RED STORM WATCH: Dixie State College is trying to build off the most successful season since transitioning from a junior college to Division-II institution. DSC finished 2nd in Pacific West Conference last season with an overall record of 16-11, 8-4 in the league. The Storm were denied a bid to the NCAA Tournament in their first year of eligibility. The club returns a pair of starters – Andy Palmer (St. George. UT/Pine View) and Nick Howard (Sandy. UT/Jordan). Palmer was a second-team all-league selection last year and was the only DSC hoopster on this year's Pac West Preseason All-Conference Team. Added to the team are two other returning players (Tom Whitehead (St. George, UT/Dixie) and Kevin Lindquist (Gilbert. AZ/Lone Peak)), four junior college transfers, one returning redshirt freshman and four true-freshmen. Jon Judkins, the Pac West Coach of the Year in 2008-09, returns to the bench for a fifth season. Judkins is 61-51 over his first four years and guided the Storm to their highest conference finish a year ago.
STORM FAST BREAK TIDBITS:
- Dixie State is 2-2 in season openers under Coach Judkins. Last year, the Storm lost to Western Oregon 79-71. The last season opening win was on Nov. 4, 2005 in a 100-54 victory over the CEU All-Stars.
- DSC protected their home court last year very well. In 13 games inside the Burns Arena, Dixie State was 11-2. The blemishes were against BYU-Hawaii (77-92) and Fort Lewis (78-90).
- Career Scoring Ranks: #8 Andy Palmer (St. George. UT/Pine View) (237; 25 points behind #7 Johnny Little (Murray. UT/Murray HS)), #9 Kevin Linquist (222), #10 Tom Whitehead (St. George, UT/Dixie) (215)
SCOUTING CSU-DOMINGUEZ HILLS: Cal State Dominguez Hills is coming off a season in which they made the D-II Tournament with a 22-8 mark and a conference-best 15-5 in the CCAA. The Toros lost in the First Round of the tournament to BYU-Hawaii 84-71 in Laie, HI. Including last year,CSUDH has made four appearances in the D-II tourney - their last appearance before that was in 1989. They enter this season projected to finish fourth in the CCAA according to the preseason coaches' poll. The team returns two starters – senior guards Jamel Ward and Tim McGrath. Head coach Damaine Powell is in his sixth season at the helm of the Toro program. He has compiled a 69-70 record, one regular-season conference championship and one trip to the D-II dance.
DSC MEDIA RELEASE VS. CSUDH (PDF)
