OPENING TIP: Dixie State (10-8/7-5 PacWest) continues its five-game Pacific West Conference homestand this Saturday night as the Storm hosts California Baptist (18-5/9-4 PacWest) in a key conference battle inside the Burns Arena at 7:30 p.m. DSU, which has won six of its last nine games, begins the final month of the regular season alone in sixth place in the PacWest Conference standings, 1.0 game (two in win column) behind fifth-place BYU-Hawai'i (9-6), and 1.5 games back of CBU, Azusa Pacific and Hawai'i Pacific, all of whom are tied for second (9-4) behind league-leading Concordia (12-2).

LAST TIME OUT: Dixie State closed the Hawaiian portion of its 2015-16 regular season schedule with a convincing 84-63 home victory over HPU last Saturday night in the Burns Arena. Meanwhile, CBU is coming off a hard-fought 97-90 home win vs. BYU-H this past Wednesday night in Riverside.

DIXIE STATE ON THE AIR: All Dixie State home and away games will be broadcast live on ESPN Radio 97.7 FM, with DSU Assistant Media Relations Coordinator Keric Seegmiller calling the play-by-play action, along with Devin Dixon providing color analysis for all home games. All DSU home games are also televised live on KCEC-TV (TDS Cable Channel 22) with a simulcast feed from ESPN Radio, and tape-delay rebroadcasts air throughout the following week. In addition, live-streaming audio and video (home games only - fee required) are available on the internet at www.southernutahlive.com.

THE SERIES: Dixie State holds a 6-3 edge in its series vs. California Baptist, though the Lancers have won three of the last five meetings overall after DSU won the first four games between the two programs. All three of CBU's wins in the series have come at home, including an 88-77 decision in Riverside this past Dec. 3.

COACHING STAFF: Five-time PacWest Conference Coach of the Year Jon Judkins (Utah State, 1988; 478-227 career record) is his 11th season on the Dixie State bench, where he has compiled a 194-99 overall record, including a 174-88 mark during DSU's NCAA Division II era, and a 114-36 record in PacWest play. Last season Judkins led the Storm to a 20-8 record and the program's fifth Pacific West title in six years with a 17-3 league mark. In addition, he guided DSU to its sixth-consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament.

Prior to his arrival at Dixie State, Judkins served as head coach at Snow College for 12 season and posted a 284-128 overall record. He led the Badgers to a pair of Scenic West Athletic Conference titles in 1999 and 2000, which earned him SWAC Coach of the Year honors. Judkins played for one season at Dixie State before transferring to Utah State, where he became the first (and only) Aggie to post a triple-double. During the 1987-88 season, he helped lead the Aggies to the PCAA title and an NCAA Tournament bid.

Judkins is joined on the DSU bench by Kasey Winters (Dixie State, 2008), who is in his third season as assistant coach, and Kevin Williamson (University of Great Falls, 2007) who is in his first season on the Storm sideline.

JUDKINS INCHES CLOSER TO MORE CAREER MILESTONES: As each game passes, Head Coach Jon Judkins inches closer to a pair of career coaching milestones. He enters Saturday's game vs. CBU six wins shy of 200 career victories at Dixie State. He is also seven games away from reaching 300 career games on the DSU bench, a feat he should reach in the Storm's road finale at Fresno Pacific this Feb. 24.

Coach Judkins was on the bench for his 700th-career game as a head coach in DSU's win over Notre Dame de Namur back on Jan. 14. Judkins has now officially coached in 293 games in his DSU tenure, and in another 412 games in his 12 seasons at Snow College.

STORM PICKED THIRD IN THE PACWEST: Dixie State was picked to finish third in the 2015-16 Pacific West Conference preseason coaches' poll. California Baptist received 13 first place votes and 195 total points in being tabbed as the PacWest preseason favorite. BYU-Hawai'i picked up one first place vote to narrowly edge Dixie State for second, 169-166, followed by Azusa Pacific (146) in fourth, Chaminade (130) in fifth, Hawai'i Pacific in sixth (123) and Point Loma (120) in seventh to round out the top-half of the poll.

Dixie State senior point guard Mason Sawyer (West Jordan, Utah/West Jordan HS) was named to the PacWest Preseason all-Conference team, while CBU senior guard Gelaun Wheelwright was named the PacWest Preseason Player of the Year.

THE "ROAD TO IRVINE": Parody is the name of the game as the road to the 2016 PacWest Tournament on the men's side begins to wind through the final month of the regular season. Concordia, which is ineligible for postseason play, sits atop the league standings at 12-2, better than two full games ahead of a three-way second-place tie between Azusa Pacific, CBU and HPU all of which are at 9-4. BYU-H currently stands in fifth at 9-6, followed by DSU at 7-5, which is just ahead of a four-team traffic jam featuring Dominican and Chaminade at 7-6, Point Loma at 6-6 and Fresno Pacific at 6-7.

The top-six teams will advance to the PacWest Tournament, which will be held this March 3-5, in Irvine, Calif. The winner of the tourney will earn the PacWest's automatic bid to the NCAA West Regionals, which will be held March 11-14 (site TBD).

HOME SWEET HOME: Since becoming an NCAA Division II program in 2006-07, Dixie State has played to an 87-21 (.805) record inside the Burns Arena under Head Coach Jon Judkins, including an uncharacteristic 4-3 mark this season. The Storm has posted six 10-plus win seasons over that span, including a perfect 12-0 record in 2009-10, and an 11-1 mark last season.

HOME SWEET HOME, PART 2: For the fifth-straight year, Dixie State finished a season ranked in the top-five nationally in home attendance. In 2014-15, DSU recorded the fifth-highest home attendance average in Division II at 2,607 fans per game for 12 home dates last season. In all, a total of 31,286 fans attended a DSU game in the Burns Arena.

Since the 2008-09 season, Dixie State has been ranked in the top-15 in Division II in attendance, including being ranked #2-overall in 2012-13 and 2013-14, and #3 in the country after the 2010-11 and 2011-12 campaigns. DSU was also ranked ninth in 2009-10, and 14th in 2008-09.

Dixie State also finished fifth among Utah's other NCAA (Division I) members in attendance in 2014-15, ranking only behind Brigham Young (16,125), Utah (12,101), Utah State (9,158) and Weber State (6,829) in average attendance.

HOW ABOUT WHEN THE BAGS ARE PACKED?: Dixie State is 88-68 (.564) away from home in its Division II era under Head Coach Jon Judkins, including a 6-5 mark this season. Overall, the Storm has played to a 68-53 record (.562) in true road games, and a 20-15 mark (.571) in neutral site games over Judkins' tenure. DSU has won eight or more games away from home in six-straight seasons, and in seven of its nine previous campaigns, including a program-best 15-5 record (10-2 in road contests) in 2010-11.

After taking two of three on last month's Hawaiian road trip, Dixie State owns a 50-26 (.658) road record in its eight-plus seasons of league membership. The Storm has posted a winning conference road mark in six-straight seasons and has reached the seven-win plateau in four of their last five campaigns overall.

DEFENSE (CLAP CLAP) DEFENSE: Dixie State recorded one of its most dominant defensive efforts in the program's NCAA Division II history in the Storm's win over Notre Dame de Namur Jan. 14. DSU held the Argonauts to just 48 total points (W, 70-48), which is tied for the fifth-lowest opponent point total in school history (48 vs. Hawai'i Hilo - 3/4/10). The all-time record for fewest points allowed in a game is 40 set in an 84-40 win vs. Dominican (2/10/11) during the 2010-11 season.
What is more impressive about the Storm defense in the win is that for the just the third time in the program's D-II history, Dixie State held an opponent without a double-digit scorer. NDNU did have 11 total players score at least one point in the contest, but no Argonaut scored more than eight points.

The first time DSU accomplished that feat was in its first season of four-year competition at home vs. Texas A&M International (W, 67-51) on Dec, 18, 2006. The Storm also did it on the road in a win at Grand Canyon during the 2008-09 season (W, 68-59; 1/22/09).

FREE BASKETBALL: DSU's overtime win at Chaminade (1/23) marked the third time Dixie State has played an OT game this season and its the 19th overtime game in DSU's near 10 years of Division II competition (263 games). The win moved the Storm to 2-1 in overtime games this season and 11-8 all-time. DSU has won seven of its last eight OT games overall dating back to the 2013-14 season, when DSU went 4-0 in overtime affairs.

Earlier this season, DSU needed double-overtime to knock off Concordia in Irvine, 81-80. Previous to that win, DSU had played in only two double-overtime games in its four-year era, both of which also came on the road and in consecutive PacWest games at BYU-Hawai'i (W, 99-96 – 2/26/11) and at Hawai'i Pacific (L, 88-93 – 2/28/11) during the 2010-11 season. DSU also played a home overtime affair vs. Point Loma back on Jan. 18, a game that the Sea Lions claimed by a 76-72 count.

FROM WAY DOWN TOWN....BANG!: Dixie State has hit at least one 3-pointer in 44-straight games, including all 18 games this season, and in 167 of its last 168 games overall. In fact in DSU's Division II era, the Storm has recorded at least one 3-pointer in 261 of the program's 264 games since the beginning of the 2006-07 season.

Last season the Storm saw its program-best 127-game streak halted at home vs. Western Oregon (11/25/14) in the second game of the year. That streak encompassed four full seasons and the final 13 games of the 2009-10 campaign. The other two times DSU failed to connect from the perimeter happened on the road at Academy of Art (1/16/10), and at Notre Dame de Namur (2/2/08) during the program's first year of PacWest play.

Dixie State has also reached double-figures in made 3-pointers 12 times, including a season-high 10 treys at Chaminade (1/23), and a school-record 13 3-pointers at Carroll College on Nov. 11, 2008. Prior to last Saturday, the last time Dixie State hit for 10 or more 3-pointers was at home vs. BYU-Hawai'i on Feb. 11, 2014.

DOUBLE YOUR PLEASURE: Dixie State has had four or more players score in double figures in 10 of 18 games this season, including wins at Hilo and Chaminade (five players overall). However the Storm has only played to a 6-4 record when four or more players score at least 10 points in a game.

ROLLING DOUBLES: Senior forward Mark Ogden Jr. (Spring Valley, Calif./Steele Canyon HS) recorded his team-leading sixth double-double of the year with game-highs of 26 points and 13 rebounds in the win vs. HPU last Saturday. Ogden Jr. connected on 12-of-17 from the floor, while five of his 13 rebounds came on the offensive glass, which led to him scoring eight second-chance points.
His 26 points was one off of his career-high of 27 points, which he scored in the 2OT win at Concordia (1/9), to go with a game-high 15 rebounds. Over his last nine games, Ogden Jr. has averaged nearly a double-double at 15.5 points and 9.3 rebounds per outing.

Ogden Jr. has scored in double figures in 12 of 18 games this season and has scored 20 or more points four times, including a 21-point effort in the win at Hilo (1/21). In addition, he has recorded 10 or more rebounds in eight games overall, including a career-high 17 boards in the win at Point Loma (12/5). Ogden Jr.'s 13 boards vs. HPU also vaulted him into fourth-place on DSU's career rebounding list (353), and he needs just eight caroms to pass former DSU player Tom Whitehead (360; 2008-11) for third all-time, while his 7.7 career rpg average is currently third-best all-time in DSU's NCAA era. In addition, his 9.1 RPG this season is currently the third-highest single-season average in school history.

ROLLING DOUBLES x 2: In all three Storm players have posted double-doubles, with junior forward Josh Fuller (Rexburg, Idaho/Madison HS) recording the feat with 14 points and 12 rebounds at Point Loma (12/5), and senior guard Mason Sawyer (West Jordan, Utah/West Jordan HS) tallied 10 points and a career-high tying 10 assists vs. APU (12/19).

ROLLING DOUBLES x 3: Not to be outdone, sophomore guard Trevor Hill (Sandy, Utah/Alta HS) has scored in double figures in a team-high 16 of 18 games this season and has tallied 20 or more points a team-best five times, including 21 points at Chaminade (1/23) and a game-high tying (with Ogden Jr.) 27 points at Concordia (1/9). Hill, who also scored a career-best 28 points in DSU's win at MSU Billings back in November, is the team's top scorer at 16.8 ppg, which is currently the second-highest season PPG average in school history (#1 - Kasey Winters, 17.9; 2007-08). Hill has led or co-led the team in scoring in seven of 17 games this year, including an 18-point effort on 6-of-9 shooting in the win over NDNU (1/14). He followed that up with 19 points, including 11-of-13 from the line, in the loss to PLNU (1/18). Hill also averaged nearly 18 points on DSU's Hawaiian road swing, including a 17-point effort at BYU-H (1/26).

FULLER FILLING IT UP: Speaking of Fuller, he averaged 21.0 points and 7.3 rebounds and shot a whopping 72.9% (27-of-37) from the floor in DSU's three-game Hawaiian road trip. Fuller scored 13 of his team-high 22 points in the second half at Hilo (1/21), including nine of DSU's first 15 points of the frame as DSU pulled away for the 18-point win. He hit 10 of his 12 shot attempts and pulled down a game-high eight rebounds to go with blocked two shots. He followed that up with a 16-point, six-rebound effort in DSU's dramatic 103-100 overtime win at Chaminade (1/23). He went 7-of-10 from the floor and tallied 10 of his 16 points after halftime to help keep DSU in the game.

Then at BYU-H (1/26), Fuller scored 17 of his career-high tying 25 points in the second half and pulled down a game-high eight boards to help lead the Storm comeback. Fuller hit 10-of-15 from the floor and connected on all five of his free throw attempts.
Fuller has scored in double figures in 10 of 18 games, including 25 points vs. APU (12/19), and is fourth on the club in scoring at 11.4 ppg.

SIMPLY SIMISTER: After missing DSU's last two games of the 2015 calendar year (at PLNU/vs. APU) due to injury, sophomore guard Brandon Simister (St. George, Utah/Desert Hills HS) has averaged 12.2 ppg off the bench in his last nine games since his return to action, including 13 points in the win vs. HPU last Saturday, and a career-high 24 points with a career-best five 3-pointers in the OT win at Chaminade (1/23).

Simister scored 19 of his 24 points in the second half and the overtime session, but none of his points were bigger than the off-balanced 3-pointer he hit with two seconds left in regulation to tie the score at 89-89 to force the extra frame. He hit on 6-of-10 of his shots, 5-of-8 from downtown, and was 7-of-8 from the line. His 24 points eclipsed his previous career-high of 23 set earlier this season in a win vs. Alaska (11/27). Simister has scored in double figures in eight of 16 games and he is third on the team in scoring at 12.0 ppg.

TODAY'S MASON SAWYER MEAN MEAN SHOOTER: Senior guard Mason Sawyer (West Jordan, Utah/West Jordan HS) moved into third place on DSU's career 3-pointers made list after going 4-of-8 from the perimeter as part of a 16-point night in the win vs. HPU last Saturday. Sawyer (113 3FGM) now stands 18 treys shy of passing former DSU stand-out DeQuan Thompson (Las Vegas, NV/Lake Mead Christian Academy) (130; 2011-15) for second on the all-time list.

Sawyer enters the final month of the regular season second all-time in career 3FG attempts (300), seventh in career 3FG% (.377) and career FG attempts (241) and eighth in career FG made (241). Sawyer is also eighth on DSU's career scoring list with 748 points, needing 16 points to pass former Storm player Ben Hartman (763; 2006-09) for seventh all-time, and he is third in career assists (244), sixth in steals (74) and ninth in career FT% (.739).

TEAM NOTES: For just the second time this season DSU shot better than 50% from the floor as the Storm went 50.8% (30-of-59) as a team in the win over HPU ... DSU was bolstered by a 56.7 % clip (17-of-30) in the first half as Dixie raced out to a 20-point halftime lead ... The Storm also shot a season-best 54.3 percent (38-of-70) from the floor in the win at Hilo ... The Storm's 38 field goals made were also a season high, as were the team's 19 assists, including six dimes from Sawyer ... With the win over HPU last Saturday, DSU finished the Hawai'i portion of its 2015-16 schedule at 3-1, and in the process, improved to 49-23 all-time vs. the PacWest Hawai'i schools.

UP NEXT: Dixie State wraps up its homestand with a three-game in five-day stretch next week, beginning with a match-up against Academy of Art on Thursday, Feb. 11. DSU will also play host to Fresno Pacific on Saturday, Feb. 13, followed the homestand finale vs. Holy Names on President's Day Monday, Feb. 15. All three games will tip at 7:30 p.m.