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

OPENING TIP: Fresh off a sweep of its four-game Bay Area road trip, Dixie State (13-6/10-2 PacWest) returns home for a Pacific West Conference match-up against Fresno Pacific (5-16/3-10 PacWest) inside the Burns Arena this Friday night, Jan. 26, at 7:30 p.m.

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 8-1 all-time vs. Fresno Pacific and has won eight-straight in the series overall after the Sunbirds claimed the first-ever meeting in Fresno during the 2012-13 season (82-80; 12/8/12). The Trailblazers are a perfect 4-0 against FPU inside the Burns Arena, though the two sides have not played in St. George since DSU claimed a 93-65 triumph during the 2015-16 season (2/13/16).

WEEK IN REVIEW: Dixie State remained tied atop the PacWest standings and ran its winning streak to a season-high seven games as the Trailblazers wrapped up their final PacWest road trip to the Bay Area last weekend. DSU posted its most-lopsided victory of the season in a 92-70 result at Dominican (1/18) in San Rafael. The 22-point win bested the previous winning margin of 21 points, which was set earlier in the trip in a 77-56 triumph at Notre Dame de Namur (1/13).
    DSU then closed the four-game, eight-day odyssey with a 61-47 decision at Academy of Art last Saturday afternoon in San Francisco. The Trailblazers limited the Urban Knights to DSU opponent season-lows of 47 points and 14 second-half points. 

REGIONAL/NATIONAL RANKINGS: Dixie State is not ranked in either national poll this week, though the Trailblazers' current win streak vaulted the club up two spots to No. 5 in this week's D2SIDA West Region Top-10 poll. In all, four PacWest schools are ranked in the regional poll, including Azusa Pacific (No. 6), California Baptist (No. 7) and Chaminade (No. 10).
    No PacWest schools are ranked in the top-25 nationally, though CBU (NABC and D2SIDA), Chaminade (NABC) and APU (NABC) have each received votes in the two national polls.

COACHING STAFF: Five-time PacWest Conference Coach of the Year Jon Judkins (Utah State, 1988; 518-244 career record) is in his 13th season on the Dixie State bench, where he has compiled a 234-116 overall record, including a 214-104 mark during DSU's NCAA Division II era, and a 148-42 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).

518 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 108-23 (.824) 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.
    Despite the loss to Point Loma back on Dec. 30, the Trailblazers are just as dominant in PacWest action, playing to an 83-12 (.873) record at home through 10-plus seasons of conference play.

HOME SWEET HOME, PART II: Dixie State's overtime win over California Baptist (1/8) was played in front of a season-high 4,110 fans inside the Burns Arena, which is the sixth-largest crowd to attend a DSU home game since the program's move to NCAA competition.
    In fact, the CBU game marked the ninth time in DSU's four-year era that 4,000-plus attended a DSU home game and it was the most attended home game since Dixie State played Azusa Pacific in front of 4,278 fans during the 2013-14 season (1/11/14). DSU's all-time home attendance record is 4,602, which was set vs. BYU-Hawaii on Feb. 23, 2013.    

HOME SWEET HOME, PART III: 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?: Thanks to the four-game sweep of its Bay Area road swing over the past week, Dixie State has moved above the .500 mark away from the friendly confines of the Burns Arena. The Trailblazers are a combined 8-5 as road warriors this season, including a 5-4 road mark to go with a 3-1 record in neutral-site games.
    Dixie State is 107-82 (.566) 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 84-62 record (.575) in true road games, and a 23-20 mark (.535) in neutral site games during Judkins' tenure.
    In addition, DSU has now won eight or more games away from home in nine-straight seasons, and in 10 of its 12 D-II campaigns overall, including a program-best 15-5 record (10-2 in road contests) in 2010-11.
    Dixie State also owns a 65-30 (.684) road record in its 10-plus seasons of PacWest league membership (5-1 this season/7-3 in 2016-17). 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.

FREE BASKETBALL: After playing in a school-record five overtime games last season, the Trailblazers have begun the 2017-18 campaign with three overtime games through its first 19 outings this season.
    Dixie State dropped a 79-75 2OT decision in the season opener at Cal Poly Pomona (11/10), which was followed by a 99-89 come-from-behind OT victory vs. ENMU (11/17), and the Trailblazers' 68-65 win over CBU (1/8).
    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 28 overtime games (17-11 overall) in 320 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 23-straight games, including a season-high nine treys vs. Point Loma (12/30) and eight more at Western Oregon (11/18).
    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 (2/18/17).
    Prior to the BYU-H game, the last time Dixie State went without hitting a 3-pointer was at home vs. Western Oregon (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 222 of its last 224 games overall, and in 316 of the program's 320 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 post 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.

STOP....THIEF!!: Trevor Hill (Sandy, Utah/Alta HS) tied a school record with six steals in the win at Dominican on Jan. 18. Hill's feat came nearly six years to the day since former DSU guard McKay Massey also picked off six steals in a win over Grand Canyon during the 2011-12 season (73-56; 1/16/12). In all, four players have now collected six steals in a game, including former DSU guards Ryan Sanchez and Dan Stock, who both etched their names in the record books during DSU's first NCAA season in 2006-07.
    Hill (141) finished with seven total steals on the recent road trip to move two within two steals of passing Sanchez (142) for first place in DSU's career steals list.

CHART TOPPER: Hill became just the second player in DSU's NCAA era to reach the 1,300 career-point plateau at Academy of Art last Saturday afternoon, doing so right on the number with the final point he scored in the second half. Hill (1,300 points) 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 (416) and attempted (651), and in addition to his steals count, he is currently ranked second all-time in rebounds (529), FGM (423) and FGA (950), assists (369), and starts (80). In fact, Hill is 27 assists shy of passing former DSU guard Kimball Payne (395, 2008-14) for the top spot on the program's career assist list, and he could become DSU's all-time leader in starts (passing Robbins - 85 starts) at home on "Senior Night" vs. Holy Names on Feb. 19.

ALSO CLIMBING THE CHARTS: Senior guard Brandon Simister (St. George, Utah/Desert Hills HS) is also making moves up DSU's career record charts in his own right. Simister is currently DSU's career FT% leader (.868, 302-of-348) and he moved into a tie with Robbins for second in program history in FTM (302). In addition, Simister is DSU's single season FT% leader at 90.4 percent (75-of-83), which ranks him second overall in the PacWest and 20th-nationally
    The senior had himself a night in the win at Concordia-Irvine (12/18) 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).
    Simister (980) enters Friday's game vs. FPU needing 20 points to become the seventh player in the program's NCAA era to reach the 1,000-point plateau. He (136) also needs 10 more 3-pointers to become DSU's career 3FGM leader.

THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE?: Dixie State battled through an overall "up-and-down" stretch at the charity stripe during its Bay Area trip. The Trailblazers shot a season-high 85.7 percent (18-of-21) from the foul line at NDNU (1/13), which included a 17-of-18 effort (.944) in the second half, but that performance did not carry over to the next outing as the Trailblazers were just 12-of-21 (.571) at the charity stripe at HNU.
    DSU then rebounded with a solid 84.8 percent night (28-of-33) at Dominican (1/18), but again the free throw "gremlins" returned in the in the finale at Academy of Art, against which Dixie State hit on 61.1 percent (11-of-18) of its charity tosses.
    For the year, DSU is shooting 68.5 percent (369-of-539) at the line, which is seventh-best in the PacWest.

DUNK YOU VERY MUCH: Dixie State has combined to throw down 34 dunks through 19 games this season, this after finishing with 30 dunks in 28 games last season and 32 total throw-downs in the 2015-16 campaign.
    Seven Trailblazers have "rocked the rim" this year, led by Trevor Hill (Sandy, Utah/Alta HS) with 16 dunks, including three dunks in the first half at Notre Dame de Namur (1/13), and two more in the first half at Dominican (1/18). Hill's three first-half slams at NDNU marked the second time in his collegiate career that the senior had recorded three dunks in a single half. Hill also threw down three second-half dunks vs. BYU-Hawaii as a freshman in the 2015 PacWest Tournament (3/6/15), and the senior has 44 career dunks to his credit (Jr.-13/So.-8/Fr.-7) overall.

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 27 of its 46 games decided by nine points or less, including eight of the first 17 games this year, and the first 12 games of the 2016-17 campaign.
* - On the flip side, five of DSU seven victories over this current win streak have been by double figures ... the Trailblazers' average margin of victory over this stretch is 14.1 ppg.  
* - Also dating back to last season, Dixie State has shot 50 percent or better in 16 of its last 41 games overall, including the wins at NDNU (1/13) and HNU (1/15) to open the Bay Area road trip.
* - In fact, DSU's top-three shooting performances this season have come ON THE ROAD, including both games at NDNU and HNU, and a 2017-18 season-best 57.8 percent (26-of-45) in the Concordia-Irvine road win (12/18).
* - In all, DSU has shot 50 percent or better five times this season, with neither occasion coming in the Burns Arena.
* - For the season Dixie State is shooting 45.4 percent from the floor, including 35.5 percent (93-of-262) from the perimeter, while opponents are shooting at a .415 clip (.337 3FG).
* - Dixie State pulled down a school record with 62 rebounds in the loss at Cal Poly Pomona (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 15 of their first 19 games this season ... Dixie State is currently ranked second in the PacWest in rebounding (41.1 rpg) and third in the league and 32nd-nationally in rebounding margin (+6.5 rpg).  
* - Trevor Hill (Sandy, Utah/Alta HS) has scored in double figures in 17 of 19 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 sixth in the PacWest and 167th-nationally in scoring at 16.6 ppg.
* - Brandon Simister (St. George, Utah/Desert Hills HS) has scored in double figures in 15 of his 18 starts, including 20 points vs. Eastern New Mexico (11/17), which he matched in the win at Dominican (1/18) ... Simister just missed his first career double-double as he tallied 14 points and a career-high tying eight assists in the OT home win over CBU (1/8).   
* - Senior G/F Kyler Nielson (Cedar City, Utah/Cedar HS) has averaged 8.1 points over his last 10 games, highlighted by a career-high 21 points on 6-of-10 shooting with four 3-pointers vs. Point Loma (12/30) and a 10-point outing on 4-of-6 from the floor at Holy Names (1/15).
* - Senior forward Zac Hunter (American Fork, Utah/American Fork HS) was inserted into the line up 14 games ago and he has responded by averaging 8.5 points and 6.0 rebounds over this current stretch ... Hunter tallied a season-high 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting in the comeback win vs. Biola (1/3), and hit on 5-of-9 from the floor for 12 points in 22 minutes at Dominican (1/18) ... Since his insertion into the starting line-up, Hunter has vaulted into fifth on DSU's career rebounding list (391).
* - Forward Dub Price (Draper, Utah/Alta HS) "had a day" in the Azusa Pacific 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 enjoyed a "perfect" start to his Bay Area road trip as he combined to go 6-of-6 from the floor at NDNU (1/13) and HNU (1/15) ... Price tallied six points on 3-of-3 shooting with five rebounds and two assists vs. the Argos, then followed that up with seven points on 3-of-3 from the floor with four boards and steal vs. the Hawks.
* - Speaking of hot shooting, junior F/C Austin Montgomery (Lilburn, Ga./Lakeview Academy) averaged 9.5 points on a combined 72.7 percent (16-of-22) shooting off the bench on the Bay Area trip ... Montgomery poured in 17 points (one off of his career-high 18 points set vs. Eastern New Mexico - 11/17/17) on 6-of-9 shooting at NDNU (1/13), then hit all four of his shots for eight points in 11 minutes at HNU (1/15) ... Montgomery then extended in FGM streak to eight-straight with another 4-of-4 effort at Dominican (1/18) in an eight-point, five-rebound night.
* - Junior forward Julien Ducree (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Rancho Cucamonga HS) continued his solid play off the bench as he averaged 6.5 points and shot 71.4 percent (10-of-14) on the NorCal road swing ... Ducree started the trip with a then-career high nine points (4-of-5 FG) with five boards and two blocks in the win at NDNU (1/13), then bettered that with a career-best 10 points (3-of-4 FG, 4-of-5 FT) with two more rebounds and a block at HNU (1/15).
* - For the second time this season, in both instances against Dominican coincedentally, all 12 active Trailblazers who saw action against the Penguins scored and collected at least one rebound ... DSU also achieved that feat earlier this year at home against Point Loma (12/30), though only 11 Trailblazers saw time in that contest. 

ABOUT THE FRESNO PACIFIC "SUNBIRDS": Fresno Pacific come to St. George having won just once in its last nine outings, which came in a 105-92 barnburner at home vs. Hawai'i Hilo this past Jan. 13. The Sunbirds have four players averaging double figures, led by the tandem of senior forward Sam Burt (6-7, 205) and junior guard Jake Straughan (6-2, 185) at 12.9 ppg, while Burt in FPU's top rebounder at 7.7 rpg.  
    As a team, Fresno Pacific averages 74.3 ppg and 35.1 rpg, while its opponents average 81.4 ppg and 34.8 rpg.

UP NEXT: Dixie State heads back out on the road next weekend as the Trailblazers make their final trip the Islands as a member of the PacWest conference. DSU will open the trip at Chaminade on Thursday, Feb. 1, followed by a date at Hawai'i Pacific on Saturday, Feb. 3.