Game Notes: DIXIE STATE - PDF | PLNU
Audio/Video: ESPN Sports Radio 97.7 / Dixie State YouTube
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Twitter: @DixieAthletics | @DIXIESTATEBBALL | #BlazeForward | #PacWestMBB

OPENING TIP: After a 12-day layoff for the Christmas Holiday break, Dixie State (6-5/3-1 PacWest) returns to action this Saturday, Dec. 30, with a crucial Pacific West Conference match-up vs. Point Loma (8-5/2-2 PacWest) in the Burns Arena. Tip-off is slated for 3:30 p.m., following the DSU/PLNU women's game.
    Saturday's game is also a start to the Trailblazers' season-long four-game homestand, which will see DSU play all four games in a span of 10 days.

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. In addition, live streaming video of all DSU home games can be found on DSU Athletics' official YouTube channel at youtube.com/DixieStateAthletics.

THE SERIES: Dixie State is 7-4 all-time against Point Loma, though the Sea Lions won two of the three meetings between the two sides last season. DSU claimed an 83-80 overtime win in first meeting last year (12/19/16), but PLNU came back to take the last two in San Diego (68-64; 1/14/17) and in the PacWest tourney quarterfinal in Irvine (71-69; 3/2/17).

WEEK IN REVIEW: Dixie State opened the road portion of its 2017-18 PacWest slate with a split of two game in southern California before the Christmas break. The Trailblazers succumbed to a late California Baptist rally in bowing to the Lancers, 93-82 (12/16), before bouncing back with a hard-fought 87-82 triumph at Concordia-Irvine (12/18).

REGIONAL/NATIONAL RANKINGS: Dixie State is not ranked in either national poll this week, though the Trailblazers are listed among those receiving votes in the latest D2SIDA West Region Top-10 poll (12/20). Three PacWest schools are ranked in the regional poll, including California Baptist (No. 3-overall), Concordia-Irvine (No. 7) and Azusa Pacific (No. 8).
    No PacWest schools are ranked in the top-25 nationally, though CBU (NABC and D2SIDA) received votes in both national polls this past week.

COACHING STAFF: Five-time PacWest Conference Coach of the Year Jon Judkins (Utah State, 1988; 511-243 career record) is in his 13th season on the Dixie State bench, where he has compiled a 227-115 overall record, including a 207-103 mark during DSU's NCAA Division II era, and a 141-41 record in PacWest play.
    Last season, Judkins led Dixie State to a 19-9 overall record, which included a 16-4 (3rd place) mark in Pacific West Conference play, and an appearance in the 2017 NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Tournament. In 2015-16, Judkins led Dixie State to an 18-9 overall record and a 15-5 PacWest mark, which was good for a t-first place finish in the league standings.
    Overall, Judkins has led the Trailblazers to nine-straight winning seasons with six 20-win campaigns, which includes a school-record 22 victories in the 2010-11 and 2012-13 seasons. He has also guided them to five Pacific West Conference championships, including four-straight titles from 2009-13 and another crown in 2014-15, along with a PacWest Tournament title in 2013. In addition, Judkins has led Dixie State to seven trips to the NCAA Tournament in the last eight seasons overall from 2010-17, advancing all the way to the "Sweet 16" in the 2011 West Regional final.
    Prior to his arrival at Dixie State, Judkins served as head coach at Snow College for 12 full seasons 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 bench this season by former DSU player and fifth-year assistant coach Kasey Winters (Dixie State, 2008), along with former DSU standout guard Jeremiah Barnes (Dixie State, 2011), who is in his first season on the DSU sideline, and first-year volunteer assistant coach David Foster (Utah, 2013).

511 AND COUNTING: Head Coach Jon Judkins became the first men's basketball coach in Utah collegiate basketball history to reach the 500-win plateau when Dixie State defeated Hawai'i Hilo (81-72) back on January 28, 2017.
    Coach Judkins is currently ranked second all-time in coaching victories in Utah college basketball history behind legendary University of Utah head women's coach Elaine Elliott, who amassed 582 career wins (582-234) in 27 seasons on the Utes' sideline.

TRAILBLAZERS PICKED SECOND IN THE PACWEST: Dixie State was picked to finish second in the 2017-18 Pacific West Conference preseason coaches' poll released on Oct. 26. California Baptist received 10 of a possible 14 first place votes and 178 total points to be tabbed as the PacWest preseason favorite.
    DSU, which is in its last season of PacWest play before the program moves on to the RMAC next season, collected two first place votes and 169 points to claim the second spot, while Point Loma picked up the final two first place votes and 161 points to take the third slot in the poll. Concordia-Irvine (154 points) was voted to finish fourth, followed by Azusa Pacific (142) in fifth, Chaminade (132) in sixth, and defending PacWest champion Hawai'i Pacific (121) rounded out the top-half of the poll in seventh.
    For the second-consecutive season, Dixie State senior guard Trevor Hill (Sandy, Utah/Alta HS) was named to the PacWest Preseason all-Conference team, while CBU senior center Kalidou Diouf was named the PacWest Preseason Player of the Year.

HOME SWEET HOME: Since becoming an NCAA Division II program in 2006-07, Dixie State has played to a 105-22 (.827) overall record inside the Burns Arena under Head Coach Jon Judkins, and has posted seven 10-plus win seasons over that span, including a perfect 12-0 record in 2009-10, and 11-1 records in the 2015-16 and 2016-17 campaigns. Last season, Dixie State recorded its 10th-straight home winning season record with its 11-1 mark inside the Burns Arena.
    In addition, the Trailblazers are just as dominant in PacWest action, playing to an 80-11 (.879) record at home through 10-plus seasons of conference play.

HOME SWEET HOME, PART 2: For the seventh-straight year, Dixie State finished ranked in the top-six nationally at the NCAA Division II level in attendance for the 2016-17 season.
    The Trailblazers finished with the fourth-highest total attendance number in the country at 31,925 fans for their 12 home dates, which was also tops in the Pacific West Conference and the West Region. In addition, DSU finished third-nationally in season attendance average at 2,660 fans per game, which was up from 2,190 per game over 12 home dates a season ago (26,284 total attendance).
    Since the 2008-09 season, Dixie State has been annually ranked in the top-15 in Division II in attendance, including second-overall in 2012-13 and 2013-14, and third in the country in 2010-11 and 2011-12 campaigns. DSU was also ranked fifth-overall in 2014-15, sixth in 2015-16, ninth in 2009-10, and 14th in 2008-09.
    Dixie State also finished sixth among Utah's eight NCAA member institutions in average attendance in 2016-17, behind Brigham Young (260,569/14,476 per game), Utah (216,914/12,051), Utah State (103,082/6.872), Weber State (89,298/6,869) and Utah Valley (38,218/2,940). DSU did finish well ahead of Southern Utah (23,999/1,846) and Westminster College (4,654/423).

HOW ABOUT WHEN THE BAGS ARE PACKED?: It took five tries but Dixie State finally recorded its first true road victory of the 2017-18 season with its 87-82 win at Concordia-Irvine (12/18). The Trailblazers are a combined 4-5 away from the Burns Arena this season, including a 3-1 mark in neutral-site games to go with a 1-4 road mark.
    Dixie State is 103-82 (.556) away from home in its Division II era under Head Coach Jon Judkins, including an 8-8 record last season (8-5 road/0-3 neutral), and a 9-6 mark in 2015-16. Overall, the Trailblazers have played to a 80-62 record (.563) in true road games, and a 23-20 mark (.535) in neutral site games during Judkins' tenure.
    DSU has won eight or more games away from home in eight-straight seasons, and in nine of its 11 D-II campaigns overall, including a program-best 15-5 record (10-2 in road contests) in 2010-11.
    Dixie State also owns a 61-30 (.670) road record in its 10-plus seasons of PacWest league membership (7-3 last season). Overall, the Trailblazers have posted a winning conference road mark in eight-straight seasons and have reached the seven-win plateau in six of their last seven league campaigns overall.

FREE BASKETBALL: After playing in a school-record five overtime games last season, the Trailblazers have begun the 2017-18 campaign with two overtime games through its first 11 outings overall.
    Dixie State dropped a 79-75 2OT decision in the season opener at Cal Poly Pomona (11/10), then followed that up with a 99-89 come-from-behind OT victory vs. ENMU (11/17).
    DSU went 3-2 in overtime games last season, 2-1 in PacWest play, including a 104-103 loss at APU (12/10/16), and the Trailblazers' 82-76 overtime home win over Concordia-Irvine (12/3/16).
    DSU also split a pair of overtime games at the Seattle Pacific tournament (11/18-19), which marked just the second time in the program's NCAA Division II era that the Trailblazers needed overtime in consecutive games to decide the outcome, though it was the first time in 10-plus seasons that DSU played two overtime games on back-to-back nights.
    In the 2010-11 season, DSU played consecutive overtime games, both of which were double-overtime affairs, at BYU-Hawaii (W, 99-96 - 2/26/11) and at Hawai'i Pacific (L, 88-93 - 2/28/11), however there was a day off between those contests.
    Dixie State's five overtime games last year eclipsed the previous program-high of four set twice, the first time in the 2013-14 season, and tied in the 2015-16 campaign.
    In all, Dixie State has played in just 27 overtime games (16-11 overall) in 312 total contests in the program's NCAA Division II era. Four of those 26 games have gone to double-overtime (2-2), including the two Hawaiian results in 2010-11, and an 81-80 2OT victory at Concordia-Irvine in the 2015-16 season (1/9/16).

FROM WAY DOWNTOWN....BANG: Dating back to late last season, Dixie State has hit at least one 3-pointer in 15-straight games, including a season-high eight treys at Western Oregon (11/18) and seven more vs. Dickinson State (11/25).
    Last season, the Trailblazers saw their streak of hitting at least one 3-pointer halted at 76 games after an 0-of-7 night from beyond the arc in a win at BYU-Hawaii (2/18).
    Prior to the BYU-H game, the last time Dixie State went without hitting a 3-pointer was at home vs. WOU (11/25/14) in the second game of the 2014-15 season, which snapped a program-best 127-game streak that 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.
    In all, Dixie State has hit at least one three pointer in 214 of its last 216 games overall, and in 308 of the program's 312 games NCAA-era games since the beginning of the 2006-07 season.
    Dixie State has reached double-figures in made 3-pointers 12 times, the last being a 10-trifecta night at Chaminade (1/23/16), and a school-record 13 3-pointers at Carroll College on Nov. 11, 2008.

30 FOR 30: Senior guard Trevor Hill (Sandy, Utah/Alta HS) became the first Trailblazer in the program's NCAA era to posted consecutive 30-point games, doing so in both starts at the Western Oregon-hosted D2 Shootout Nov. 17-18.   
    Hill poured in a career-high and DSU single-game record 35 points, 23 of which came after halftime, in the Trailblazers 99-89 come-from-behind overtime victory vs. Eastern New Mexico (11/17). He then followed that up the next day with 30 points in the road loss at WOU (11/18). Hill's efforts also earned him PacWest Player of the Week honors (11/20).
    In addition, Hill is just the second player in the program's four-year history to record multiple 30-point outings in a single season, joining former DSU player and assistant coach Ryan Sanchez, who achieved the feat twice during in the 2007-08 season. Sanchez scored 32 points on two separate occasions that season, the first came in a 107-83 home win over Colorado-Colorado Springs (12/1/07), and again in a 74-72 triumph at Notre Dame de Namur (2/1/08).
    In all, five DSU players have reached or surpassed the 30-point plateau in the program's 11-plus years of NCAA play, the last being former DSU forward Josh Fuller, who tallied 30 points in a 78-73 home win over WOU last season (11/26/16). Former DSU guard Donovan Plunkett also scored 30 points in a game at Grand Canyon (1/30/10), and former DSU forward Steven Larson held the previous DSU single-game record with 33 points in a 66-61 road win at Notre Dame de Namur on Feb. 16, 2013. Additionally, Dixie State is 5-2 all-time in games when a DSU player scores 30 or more points.

CLIMBING THE RANKS: Trevor Hill (Sandy, Utah/Alta HS) moved into second place on DSU's career scoring list, and did so with a highlight reel dunk just six minutes into the first half in the win at Concordia-Irvine (12/18). Hill passed former DSU stand-out DeQuan Thompson, who scored 1,185 over his four-year career (2011-15).
    Hill (1,198) enters this Saturday's game needing two more points reach the 1,200 point plateau. In addition, he now only trails former DSU great Zach Robbins (2009-2015), who stands atop DSU's career scoring list with 1,470 points.
     In all, Hill is ranked in DSU's career top-10 in 13 statistical categories. He is already DSU's career leader in free throws made (383) and attempted (598), and is currently ranked second all-time in rebounding (489), FGM (391) and FGA (855), assists (327) and steals (125).

BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE: Senior guard Brandon Simister (St. George, Utah/Desert Hills HS) had himself a career night in the win at Concordia-Irvine as he tied a career-high with 24 points, which included a school single-game record 18-of-18 effort at the free throw line.
    Simister's perfect night at the line broke the previous DSU single-game record for free throws made, which was 14 set by current DSU associate head coach Kasey Winters at Hawai'i-Hilo during the 2007-08 season, while he barely missed tying the PacWest FTM record (19). Meanwhile, Simister's 18-straight free throws made in a game broke a DSU and PacWest record (previous PWC was 16-straight), and just missed the NCAA Division II record for FT% (min. 20 attempts) first set by Forrest "Butch" Meyeraan at Minnesota State-Mankato (20-of-20, 1.000) in 1961, and tied by Milosh Pujo of Lewis University (20-of-20, 1.000) in 1997.
    Simister, who is DSU's career FT% leader (.868, 276-of-318) is 49-of-53 at the line this season and now has enough FT makes to vault to the top spot on DSU's single-season FT% list at 92.5 percent.

BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE, THE SEQUEL: After opening the season just 56.6 percent (43-of-76) from the line over its first three games, Dixie State has raised its FT% nearly 13 points to 69.4 (247-of-356) heading into the PLNU game.
    DSU has hit on 71.8 percent of its foul shots over its last eight games, including a season-best 83.3 percent (30-of-36) effort vs. Dickinson State (11/25), and a 78.0 clip (32-of-41) in the CUI win (12/18).
    Dixie State shot a season-high 43 free throws in the APU victory (12/9) as the Cougars went to the "Hack-a-Blazer" strategy in the second half, however that strategy backfired as DSU hit on nearly 80 percent of those attempts (34-of-43) en route to the 15-point win. 

TEAM NOTES:
* - Dixie State broke a school single-game record with a program-low three total turnovers in the loss at California Baptist (12/16) ... the previous program low was four, first set vs. Notre Dame de Namur (1/25/10), and was tied last season at home vs. CBU (2/11/17).
* - Dating back to last season, Dixie State has had 24 of its 38 games decided by nine points or less, including five of the first 11 games this year, and the first 12 games of the 2016-17 campaign.
* - Also dating back to last season, Dixie State has shot 50 percent or better in 14 of its last 33 games overall, including a 2017-18 season-best 57.8 percent (26-of-45) in the Concordia-Irvine road win (12/18).  
* - For the season Dixie State is shooting 45.0 percent from the floor, including 35.4 percent (57-of-161) from the perimeter, while opponents are shooting at a .431 clip (.331 3FG).
* - Dixie State pulled down a school record with 62 rebounds in the loss at CPP (11/10), which bested the previous school record of 61 set last season vs. BYU-Hawaii (2/2/17).
* - The Trailblazers have won the "Battle of the Boards" in eight of their first 11 games this season ... Dixie State is currently ranked fourth in the PacWest in rebounding (41.6 rpg) and rebounding margin (+5.5 rpg).  
* - Trevor Hill (Sandy, Utah/Alta HS) has scored in double figures in all 11 games this season and has five 20-plus point outings to his credit overall, including a 20-point night at CBU (12/16) ... Hill enters this week ranked third in the PacWest and 80th-nationally in scoring at 19.4 ppg.
* - Brandon Simister (St. George, Utah/Desert Hills HS) returned to the starting line-up vs. APU (12/9) and picked up right where he left off as he poured in a team-high 19 points and dished out a season-best seven assists ... Simister saw his streak of 53-straight games played halted after he missed the Academy of Art (12/2) game due to minor injury, which snapped his streak of 35-consecutive starts.
* - Simister has scored in double figures in nine of his 10 starts, including 20 points vs. Eastern New Mexico (11/17) and 12 points at CBU (12/16).
* - Senior G/F Kyler Nielson (Cedar City, Utah/Cedar HS) averaged 12.0 points over the two-game SoCal road swing, highlighted by a season-high 16 points in the win at Concordia-Irvine (12/18) ... Nielson scored 10 of those 16 points in the second half, but none were bigger than the three points he collected at the line in the closing moments to salt away the win.
* - Junior forward Austin Montgomery (Lilburn, Ga./Lakeview Academy) had a career night vs. ENMU (11/17) as he posted his first collegiate double-double with career-highs of 18 points and 13 boards ... Montgomery was a perfect 8-of-8 from the field and 2-of-2 at the foul line, while he tied a career-high with two blocked shots vs. the Greyhounds.
* - Senior forward Zac Hunter (American Fork, Utah/American Fork HS) was inserted into the line up six games ago and he has responded by averaging 8.6 points and 6.0 rebounds over this current stretch ... Hunter scored 12 points, thanks in part to going 8-of-9 at the line, with seven boards in the Dickinson State win (11/25) ... He then averaged 9.5 points on the SoCal trip, including a 10-point, eight-rebound effort at CBU (12/16).
* - Forward Dub Price (Draper, Utah/Alta HS) "had a day" in the APU win (12/9) as the junior poured in a career-high 13 points - all in the first half - to spark a big Trailblazer run to close the frame ... Price scored nine of his 13 points as part of a 21-6 rally that put DSU up 41-31 at the halftime break ...
* - Price has averaged 7.8 points off the bench over the past six games, including 10 reserve points at CBU (12/16), to bump his season average to 5.4 ppg.
* - Price (4.0 rpg) is also averaging 5.2 rebounds a game over his last eight outings, including a season-high 10 boards vs. Seattle Pacific (11/24).
* - Junior forward Julien Ducree (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Rancho Cucamonga HS) poured in a DSU career-high eight points on 3-of-5 shooting at CBU (12/16), then followed that up with seven points, six boards and DSU career-best three blocks in 16 minutes at CUI (12/18).
* - Junior guard Wade Miller (Tremonton, Utah/Bear River HS) enjoyed a break-out game in the win over Dickinson State (11/25), during which the junior sharpshooter nailed a career-best three 3-pointers on his way to a career-high 11 points in 12 reserve minutes ... Miller also pulled down a career-high five rebounds against the "other" DSU.

ABOUT THE POINT LOMA "SEA LIONS": Point Loma comes to St. George winners of two-straight and six of its last eight games overall, including PacWest road wins at Dominican (88-45; 12/16) and at Academy of Art (64-60; 12/18) prior to the Christmas break.
    The Sea Lions currently have four players scoring in double figures, led by junior forward Preston Beverly (6-7, 220), who leads the team in scoring (13.2 ppg) and rebounding (6.6 rpg).
    As a team, PLNU is averaging 72.2 ppg and 42.8 rpg, while its opponents average 64.5 ppg and 28.5 rpg.

UP NEXT: Dixie State continues its homestand with a date against PacWest newcomer Biola on Wednesday, Jan. 3, at 7:30 p.m.