[PREVIEW] NCAA Tournament opens for Storm with CSUSB

Friday forst round game held at Western Washington

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No. 4 Dixie State (22-6) vs. No. 5 CSU San Bernardino (19-8)
Game Details	Friday, March 15 \| Bellingham, WA \| 6 p.m. Mountain Sam Carver Gymnasium
Game Coverage	TV: None \| Radio: ESPN SportsRadio 1210AM and 107.3/102.3 FM Dixie State All Access: Audio Video/Live Stats: WWU Game Central Twitter: @DixieAthletics #DixieMBB
Dixie State Links	Roster \| Schedule
CSUSB Links	Roster \| Schedule

DSU TOURNAMENT NOTES
CSUSB TOURNAMENT NOTES

PACWEST CHAMPS DANCING FOR THE FOURTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR: Dixie State University – the Pacific West Conference regular season and tournament champions – are back in the NCAA Division II West Regionals for the fourth consecutive year. Friday night at 5 p.m. Pacific (6 p.m. Mountain), the Red Storm open play in the first round with the CSU San Bernardino Coyotes. The game will be played at Sam Carver Gymnasium on the campus of the region's top seed and defending NCAA National Champions, Western Washington University. Live audio coverage from Bellingham will be available through Dixie State All Access at DixieAthletics.com/showcase with John Potter (@PotterSez) on the play-by-play.

RANKED TO END REGULAR SEASON: The Red Storm return to the Top 25 in the final National Association of Basketball Coaches Division II poll released Tuesday. DSU is ranked No. 18 - its highest national spot in program history. Earlier in the year, the Red Storm debuted at No. 19, fell to No. 25 after a road loss to Dominican, and then fell out of the Top 25 losing at home to BYU-Hawaii. Three West teams highlight the Top 5 - No. 2 Seattle Pacific, No. 4 Western Washington, and No. 5 Cal Poly Pomona.

STORM WATCH: DSU has won four straight games prior to the West Regional in Bellingham. Two wins to close out the regular season claimed the Storm's second outright Pacific West regular season title and the top seed for the inaugural postseason tournament. Follow that with a pair of double-digit wins over BYU-Hawaii (71-59) and Chaminade (92-80) to win the inaugural PacWest Tournament, the Storm enters the NCAA Tournament with a 22-6 overall record. Sophomore center Zach Robbins (Upland, CA/Upland) leads the Storm at 13.1 PPG and paces the club with 8.7 rebounds a game. Junior center Steven Larson (South Jordan, UT/Copper Hills) follows in scoring at 12.7 points per game after recording his first DSU double-double in the PWC semis against BYUH. Junior forward Dalton Groskreutz (Santa Clara, UT/Snow Canyon) (12.0) and senior guard McKay Massey (Payson, UT/Payson) (11.6) rounds out a DSU quartet averaging double figures. As of Monday's national statistical report by the NCAA (March 10), the Red Storm are first in the nation (D2) in field goal percentage (52.4), 10th in field-goal percentage defense at 39.3 percent, and 12th in assists per game (17.3). Individually, Robbins ranks 10th with a 62.2 percent field goal percentage and 27th in blocked shots. Kimball Payne (Alpine, UT/Lone Peak), with an average of 5.0 assists per game, is 29th best in the NCAA.

LAST TIME OUT: Steven Larson (South Jordan, UT/Copper Hills) (South Jordan, UT/Copper Hills) amassed 22 points on 8 of 10 shooting from the field, while McKay Massey (Payson, UT/Payson) (Payson, UT/Payson) reeled off added 21 points as Dixie State outlasted Chaminade 92-80 in the inaugural Pacific West Conference Men's Basketball Tournament Championship on Saturday, March 9, in Azusa, Calif.

The Red Storm captured both the PacWest regular-season and tournament titles, and claimed the conference's automatic berth in the NCAA Division II National Championship Tournament. Dixie State will compete in the NCAA II West Regional next week at a site and date to be announced.

The NCAA Division II Men's Basketball National Championship Tournament Selection Show will air live on the Internet at 7:30 p.m. PST on Sunday evening, March 10. Chaminade, along with Grand Canyon, are candidates for at-large berths.

Chaminade held a slim 38-35 lead at the half, but the Red Storm shot 60.0% (18 for 30) from the field in the second half and went 20 for 22 (90.9%) from the line following intermission to outscore the Silverswords 57-42 in the final 20 minutes.

Zach Robbins (Upland, CA/Upland) (Upland, CA/Upland) finished the game with a double-double, recording 14 points and 11 rebounds, while Kimball Payne (Alpine, UT/Lone Peak) (Alpine, UT/Lone Peak) added 10 points and six assists.

Bennie Murray led all scorers with 27 points, while De'Andre Haskins posted 14 points and seven rebounds. Lee Bailey tallied 13 points and Waly Coulibaly totaled 12.

Larson was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament and was one of three Dixie State players on the All-Tournament Team. Robbins and Massey earned also made the squad.

ROBBINS, JUDKINS HIGHLIGHT RED STORM LEAGUE HONORS: Four members of the Dixie State University men's basketball team earned All-Pacific West Conference honors Thursday as announced on the league's radio show in Arizona. Head coach Jon Judkins further cemented his DSU legacy with another prestigious honor.

Sophomore forward Zach Robbins (Upland, CA/Upland) (Upland, CA/Upland) was named to the First Team, junior forward Dalton Groskreutz (Santa Clara, UT/Snow Canyon) (Santa Clara, UT/Snow Canyon) made the Second Team, while senior guard McKay Massey (Payson, UT/Payson) (Payson, UT/Payson) and junior center Steven Larson (South Jordan, UT/Copper Hills) (South Jordan, UT/Copper Hills) both earned spots on the Third Team.

Judkins, in his eighth year at Dixie State, was named PacWest Co-Coach of the year with Booker T. Harris of Dominican. For the coach, it is his fifth consecutive Coach of the Year award helping the Storm win the league title for the fourth straight year.

“I am honored to win Coach of the Year again,” Judkins said. “I could not do it without my great assistants (Jake Schroeder and Ryan Sanchez) and players.”

The coach has led DSU to four consecutive 20-win season and the verge of a fourth consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

Robbins, the 6-foot-10 post, returned from his church mission last summer and slotted back into the Red Storm lineup without missing a beat. He led Dixie State this season in points (13.3), rebounds (8.6), blocked shots (1.8), and field goals made (5.7) a game. A consistent threat in scoring and rebounding, Robbins tallied 21 games scoring in double figures that included a 10-game string in PacWest play from Jan. 12 through Feb. 23. He posted one of seven season double-doubles with 26 points and 18 rebounds – both career highs - in a road test against Fresno Pacific on Dec. 8.

Groskreutz excelled in his first year in the role as starting small forward for the Red Storm. He began this season with his first career double-double; an excellent 21 point, 11 rebound effort at home against UC San Diego. During the regular season, Groskreutz averaged 12.3 points and 4.3 rebounds per game while shooting 48 percent from the field. He ranked third on the team in free throw percentage at 80.9 percent

Massey closes out his stellar DSU career at the tops of the record book in assists while holding the single-season free throw percentage mark at 96 percent. This season, he has started every single game for DSU. Massey averaged 11.1 points and 4.5 rebounds from the shooting guard position. He was one of the sharpest shooter from distance hitting 44-of-105 (41.9 percent) shots from behind the arc. He led DSU in averaging 32.6 minutes played a game and paced the squad with 36 steals.

Larson posted five games this season over 20 points including a DSU single-game best of 33 points at Notre Dame de Namur on Feb. 16. The junior cracked the starting lineup in his second year with the Red Storm and posted three strings of games scoring in double figures. He closed the year strong with five straight games scoring at least 14 points. Larson finished the regular season tied for second in scoring at 12.3 points per game. He raised his rebound average to nearly four rebounds a game by pulling down eight or more boards in three of his last five contests.

PREVIOUSLY… IN THE POSTSEASON: Heading to the Apple State for the NCAA Tournament is nothing new for the Red Storm. Over the past three seasons, Dixie State has traveled to Bellingham twice (2010, 2012) and Ellensburg once (2011). Overall, DSU is 2-3 in the NCAA Tournament. In two trips to Sam Carver Gym, the Storm has dropped a pair of opening round games. In 2010, Cal Poly Pomona defeated Dixie State by nine on the their path to the National Championship. Last year, DSU fell down early, 20-2, to Seattle Pacific, but clawed back before losing by two (70-68). During the 2011 tournament, Dixie State defeated Chaminade (91-82) in the opening round game held at Central Washington. Thanks to an 8-seed over top seed upset (SPU d. CWU), the Red Storm advanced to the West Region final beating the Falcons by two, 75-73. The final featured an all PacWest affair that saw BYU-Hawaii advance to the Elite 8 with a 79-73 win over Dixie State.

IN THE RECORD BOOKS: McKay Massey (Payson, UT/Payson) needs 192 points to pass Tom Whitehead (1,038) for 2nd on the all-time scoring list, 37 3-pointers to pass Tom Whitehead (145) for 1st place. Zach Robbins (Upland, CA/Upland) became the school's all-time blocks leader with seven huge swats against BYUH. He needs 37 rebounds to pass Ryan Sanchez (474) for 1st on the career list. Derek Owen (St George, UT/Dixie) needs 22 rebounds to pass Tom Whitehead (360) for 3rd place. Dalton Groskreutz (Santa Clara, UT/Snow Canyon) needs 40 points to pass Ben Hartman (763) for 4th, 10 3-pointers to pass Dan Stock (71) for 6th place and 11 shots to pass Ben Hartman (72) for 5th place. Groskreutz also need six rebounds to move into ninth place ahead of Andy Palmer (254).

• CSU SAN BERNARDINO COYOTES

> The Coyotes enter their 12th NCAA Tournament after a second place in the CCAA regular season race. CSUSB received the No. 5 seed as an at-large after losing to Chico State in the CCAA Tournament Semifinals, 80-73.
> CSUSB is led in scoring by a trio in double figures. CCAA First-Team forward Kwame Alexander is the league's leading scorer (16.3) and rebounder (8.6). Fellow First-Team guard Brian Goins scores 15.7 points per game and nabbed the CCAA Newcomer of the Year. Second team guard Lacy Haddock leads the CCAA in minutes played (37.2) and assists (4.9) while scoring 12.1 points.
> Jeff Oliver leads his eighth team into the tourney in 11 seasons at the helm of the Coyotes. He is a former two-time West Region Coach of the Year.

LAST TIME VS. CSUSB, 2011: Senior guard Maurice Cole (Norwalk, CA/Santa Fe) (Norwalk, CA/Santa Fe) poured in 22 points, his DSC career high, leading the Red Storm to a 76-65 victory over Cal State San Bernardino in opening day action of the GCU Holiday Classic.

Cole (8-13 FG, 4-5 FT) lead four players in double figures for Dixie State, which improved its season record to 5-3. Griffon Jones (Cheney, WA/Cheney) (Cheney, WA/Cheney) had 11 of his 14 points in the second half and pulled down nine rebounds. Junior guards McKay Massey (Payson, UT/Payson) (Payson, UT/Payson) with 12 points and Landon Clegg (Cedar Hills, UT/Lone Peak) (Cedar Hills, UT/Lone Peak) with 11 points rounded out the scoring quartet.

The teams traded the lead early, as both shot over 60 percent from the floor. Cole's triple with 6:02 left in the first half gave the Red Storm a 22-20 advantage – a lead they would never relinquish.

Dixie State shot 14-of-31 over the first 20 minutes while holding the Coyotes (4-1) to 27 percent. The Storm took a 38-29 score into the locker room at half using an 8-3 run over the final two minutes.

CSUSB trimmed the lead to five on consecutive bucket from Theron Laudermill (19 points, 10 rebounds). Massey then went to work, hitting a pair of 3-point shots and sparking a bucket by Dalton Groskreutz (Santa Clara, UT/Snow Canyon) (St. George, UT/Snow Canyon) with a steal to give Dixie State its first double-digit lead at 46-36.

DSC saw the lead trimmed to six points on a couple of occasion, including at 50-44 after a CSUSB six-point string. Jones and Cole took the reins of the offense and combined to the game's next eight points for a 14-point lead under the nine-minute mark.

Massey and Cole iced the game down the stretch with six free throws. Dixie State shot 45.8 percent from the floor, 47.1 percent (8-17) from distance and 82.4 percent (14-of-17) from the charity stripe.

CSUSB swatted away nine shots defensively, but finished well below its season field goal average making 18-of-56 shots (32.1%), half of them from behind the arc.

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