[PREVIEW] Storm vs. Grand Canyon #PacktheBurns

Geographic rivals meet for the final time in the Burns

Tweet #DSCmbb

Dixie State (9-4, 4-1 PWC) vs. Grand Canyon (14-2, 5-0 PWC)
Game Details	Thursday, Jan. 10 \| St. George, UT \| 7:30 p.m. MST Burns Arena
Game Coverage	TV: CEC-TV \| Radio: ESPN SportsRadio 1210AM and 107.3/102.3 FM Dixie State All Access: Audio and Video Live Stats: Dixie State Live Stats Twitter: @DixieAthletics #DSCmbb
Dixie State Links	Notes \| Roster \| Schedule
GCU Links	Notes \| Roster \| Schedule

RUNNING WITH THE LOPES: Dixie State College hosts the week's most intriguing matchup in the Pacific West

Conference on Thursday against the Lopes of Grand Canyon. DSC is 4-1 in league while GCU is undefeated (5-0) and carries a 13-game overall winning streak into the contest. Tip time is 7:30 p.m. inside the Burns Arena. Live audio/video coverage will be available through Dixie State All Access at DixieAthletics.com/Showcase.

STORM WATCH: DSC is 9-4 on the season after defeating California Baptist on the road last Saturday. Junior forward Dalton Groskreutz (Santa Clara, UT/Snow Canyon) leads four Storm players averaging in double figures with 13.4 PPG. Sophomore center Zach Robbins (Upland, CA/Upland) is second on the list at 12.8 PPG and leads the PacWest with 9.2 rebounds a game. The Red Storm are ranked second in the nation (D2) in 3-point percentage (46.3) and third in field goal percentage (52.6).

LAST TIME OUT: Dixie State College successfully mixed up its defensive looks and crashed the glass holding California Baptist to 28-percent in the second half en route to a convincing Pacific West Conference road victory, 69-57, at Van Dyne Gym.

Junior forward Dalton Groskreutz (Santa Clara, UT/Snow Canyon) (Santa Clara, UT/Snow Canyon) led five Red Storm (9-4, 4-1 PWC) players in double figures with 17 points. Zach Robbins (Upland, CA/Upland) (Upland, CA/Upland), playing a short distance from his hometown of Upland, posted his fourth double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds.

Adding to the solid team performance was a stellar effort from junior point guard Kimball Payne (Alpine, UT/Lone Peak) (Alpine, UT/Lone Peak). Evading pressure from the Lancers (7-4, 1-2 PWC) all night, the on-court general dished out six assists and notched 10 points.

Bench play proved critical against CBU. De'Quan Thompson scored in double figures for the third straight game with 11 points, including two 3-pointers without a miss. In 28 minutes, senior forward Derek Owen (St George, UT/Dixie) (St George, UT/Dixie) notched 10 points and pulled down seven boards.

The lead fluctuated eight times over the opening 20 minutes. CBU led by as many as five points behind 15 first-half points from junior guard Kevin Wong.

Momentum turned quickly with a 5-0 second half run by the Storm. Groskreutz hit a contested 3-pointer and Robbins added a jumper in the paint. CBU took possession later after a charge and sank two fouls shots to close within four at 49-45. Dixie State responded with a critical 6-0 run on consecutive lay-ups from Owen, Groskreutz and Massey. A subsequent 7-0 run highlighted by a Groskreutz three pushed the lead to 15.

Wong only scored two points in the second half, but led the Lancers with 17 points.

• GRAND CANYON ANTELOPES

> The Lopes are 14-2 overall and are knocking on the door of the NABC Top 25 after winning 13 consecutive games. GCU recently took both games of a Southern California road trip - defeating CBU in overtime and downing Point Loma.
> Division-I transfer point guard Joshua Lowery leads the Lopes in scoring (13.1) and assists (3.4). Killian Larson, a transfer from Dominican, averages 11.2 points and 7.9 rebounds per game.
> Russ Pennell is in his 4th year at the helm of the Lopes and will lead the program into the Division-I ranks next season when GCU joins the Western Athletic Conference. Pennell led the Arizona Wildcats to a Sweet 16 appearance in the season where legend Lute Olson stepped down due to health reasons (2008-09).

ALL-TIME VS. GCU: The Storm holds a 10-4 advantage against Grand Canyon, including an 8-3 mark in PWC games. Over the last two years, the teams have split. In 2011-12, the home team prevailed; during the season prior, the road team earned wins. Both of GCU's wins over the past two seasons have come on last-second 3-pointers (Morin in STG, 2011; Pickrel at GCU, 2012).

JUDKINS ON GCU: No doubt they are a very good team. They are a lot like last year, but they have a point guard that transferred from Pepperdine that is just as good or better than (Kyle) Speed. Larson transferred and gives them physicality, which will be a different test for our bigs. Offensively, they are running more motion; we have to be ready for that. We also need to handle their pressure and rebound. They had 20 offensive boards against Cal Baptist, another good rebounding team.

DOWNED AT THE BUZZER (LAST MEETING, 2012): With a five-point lead and 1:58 left in regulation, Dixie State College thought they had a good chance at securing the win in its regular season finale. A pair of 3-pointers, including a buzzer-beating corner shot from Braylon Pickrel, guided the host Lopes of Grand Canyon to a dramatic 73-72 win over the Red Storm on Saturday.

Dixie State dropped its final two games heading into the NCAA Tournament, finishing the regular season at 20-6, 15-3 in the Pacific West. Grand Canyon extended its winning streak to nine games and kept hopes alive for an at-large berth into the postseason (19-7, 13-5 PWC).

GCU connected on 10-of-26 shots from distance, five in each half. Dixie State outshot the Lopes on the night (45.6 percent to 43.9) from the floor, but could not build on a 72-67 advantage in the waning moments. A pair of late turnovers stymied the Red Storm's chances.

Dixie State trailed by three at the half, only after a Dalton Groskreutz (Santa Clara, UT/Snow Canyon) (St. George, UT/Snow Canyon) 3-pointer capped a closing 6-0 run. The Lopes pushed the lead to as many as seven points early in the second half before DSC reeled off a 9-0 run.

The lead flip-flopped eight times and was tied on 12 other occasions in the second stanza, culminating in the Storm's five-point cushion after a pair of Solomon Jensen (Centerville, UT/Viewmont) (Centerville, UT/Viewmont) free throws.

Kyle Speed nailed a triple in transition and Pickrel launched his game-winner from the right corner with a second left. The high-arcing shot ripped the net just after the horn sounded for the win.

Groskreutz led all DSC scorers with 13 points off the bench. Maurice Cole (Norwalk, CA/Santa Fe) added 12 points while McKay Massey (Payson, UT/Payson) had 11.

FANTASTIC 15 INCLUDES DALT AND ZACH: Week number nine in the schedule saw Dixie State men's basketball post team and individual records in a blowout of Pacifica and one of the most dominating defensive performances in a weekend road victory at California Baptist.

For those efforts, two Red Storm players earned return spots to the Pacific West Conference Fantastic 15 – forward Dalton Groskreutz (Santa Clara, UT/Snow Canyon) (Santa Clara, UT/Snow Canyon) and center Zach Robbins (Upland, CA/Upland) (Upland, CA/Upland).

Dalton Groskreutz (Santa Clara, UT/Snow Canyon) (Jr., 6-5, 195, F, Santa Clara, UT/Snow Canyon) – Dixie State – averaged 16.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per game in a 2-0 week for the Red Storm…shot 63.2% (12 for 19) from the field and was 5 for 5 at the foul line…tied for 11th in scoring, shooting and rebounding for the week in the PacWest.

Groskreutz was the steady hand over the week. He had 15 points and eight rebounds against the Gladiators. He led the squad in scoring with 17 points at California Baptist while pulling downs six boards.

It is the third Fantastic 15 honor for Groskreutz (weeks 1,2).

Zach Robbins (Upland, CA/Upland) (So., 6-10, 200, F/C, Upland, CA/Upland) – Dixie State – led Red Storm to a 2-0 week by averaging 13.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game…ranked fifth in rebounding for the week in the PacWest…also tied for eighth in shooting for the week…shot 66.7% (12 for 18) from the field.

In 19 minutes against Pacifica, Robbins hit five of six shots from the field for 12 points. He then dazzled a large group of fans from his hometown with his fourth double-double of the season – 15 points and 10 rebounds.

Robbins has been a steady figure in the PWC accolades. This Fantastic 15 is the third for the center (weeks 3, 6) and couples with a pair of back-to-back Player of the Week honors in November and December.

IN THE RECORD BOOKS: McKay Massey (Payson, UT/Payson) needs 80 points to pass Ben Hartman (763) for 3rd on the all-time scoring list, six 3-pointers to pass Donovan Plunkett (89) for 3rd place, 14 assists to pass Jeremiah Barnes (215) for 3rd place and 22 to pass Maurice Cole (Norwalk, CA/Santa Fe) (223) for 2nd. Zach Robbins (Upland, CA/Upland) needs 46 rebounds to pass Tom Whitehead (360) for 2nd on the career list and 16 blocks to pass Tom Whitehead (74) for 1st place. Derek Owen (St George, UT/Dixie) needs eight rebounds to pass Ben Hartman (277) for 5th place. Dalton Groskreutz (Santa Clara, UT/Snow Canyon) needs 43 points to pass Griffon Jones (Cheney, WA/Cheney) (616) for 6th, 20 3-pointers to pass Dan Stock (71) for 6th place and 21 shots to pass Ben Hartman (72) for 5th place.

Print Friendly Version