Trailblazers open RMAC homestand vs. Colorado Christian and Regis

2019-20 DIXIE STATE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
(11-4, 6-3 RMAC)

GAME 16 - vs. Colorado Christian (5-10, 5-4 RMAC)
Friday, Jan. 17 - 5:30 p.m.

GAME 17 - vs. Regis (6-9, 4-5 RMAC)
Saturday, Jan. 18 - 5:30 p.m.

BURNS ARENA; St. George, Utah

Dixie State women's basketball is set to open a season-long Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference homestand this weekend, hosting Colorado Christian on Friday and Regis on Saturday to begin a four-game set inside the Burns Arena.

Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m. on both days, with live video and radio coverage scheduled on the Dixie State Stretch Internet Portal and Radio Dixie 91.3 FM. Keric Seegmiller will provide play-by-play, while Drayson Ball will offer analysis and color commentary. Live stats will also be provided at DixieStateAthletics.com.

ALL-TIME VS. COLORADO CHRISTIAN: Friday's game marks the third meeting between Dixie State and Colorado Christian. The teams split their two contests during the 2018-19 season, with the home team winning both games. The Cougars claimed a 78-61 win in Lakewood, Colorado, before DSU bounced back with a 76-62 victory inside the Burns Arena. The series remains tied at 1-1.

ALL-TIME VS. REGIS: Saturday's contest marks the third meeting between Dixie State and Regis. Like the CCU series, DSU and Regis split their two games during the 2018-19 season, with the road squad stealing a victory in both matchups. The Trailblazers earned a 74-70 win in Denver, before Regis responded with a 70-61 victory inside the Burns Arena. The series is currently tied at 1-1.

KNOW YOUR FOE: Colorado Christian enters the weekend with a 5-10 overall record and a 5-4 mark in RMAC play. The Cougars own RMAC wins over Chadron State, UCCS, Regis, CSU-Pueblo, and New Mexico Highlands. CCU averages 58.7 points per game, while allowing 66.0 points per game. Junior guard Sam Nunez leads the Cougars scoring attack, averaging 13.3 points per game.

Regis enters the weekend with a 6-9 overall record and a 4-5 mark in RMAC play. The Rangers, who have claimed RMAC wins over UCCS, New Mexico Highlands, CSU-Pueblo, and South Dakota Mines, will open the weekend at Westminster before making the trip to St. George. Regis averages 64.3 points per game, while allowing 65.7 points per game. Junior forward Whitney Jacob leads the Rangers' attack, averaging 14.2 points and 9.5 rebounds per game.

INSIDE THE BURNS: Since joining the NCAA Division II ranks in 2006-07, Dixie State has recorded a 107-55 (.660) record inside the Burns Arena, and has won 10 or more games at home four times (2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11, 2018-19), including perfect home records in 2008-09 (11-0) and 2010-11 (12-0).

FROM DOWNTOWN: The Trailblazers have connected on at least eight 3-pointers in 10 different games during the 2019-20 season, including five games of at least 10 triples. Through 15 games, DSU has converted an RMAC-best 123 attempts from downtown.

Additionally, Dixie State has converted at least one 3-pointer in each of its last 150 outings, dating back to the 2013-14 season. In all, it's been nearly six full years since the Trailblazers have not connected on at least one 3-point shot in a single game.

RMAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Madi Loftus earned her second RMAC Offensive Player of the Week honor on Monday. Loftus propelled DSU to a road sweep with victories over MSU Denver and Chadron State, averaging 26.0 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. She shot 56 percent (17-of-30) from the field, 47 percent (9-of-19) from 3-point range, and 90 percent (9-of-10) from the free throw line.

She opened the trip with 21 points in a 61-54 win at MSU Denver on Friday. One night later, Loftus poured in a career-high 31 points on 10-of-17 shooting to lead the Trailblazers to an 80-73 victory at Chadron State. Loftus also connected on a career-best six 3-pointers in the win as she posted DSU's first 30-point scoring performance since the 2014-15 season.

TAKING CARE OF THE BALL: Dixie State set a single-game program record on Saturday at Chadron State, committing just four turnovers.

CHASING HISTORY: Ali Franks currently ranks fourth on the DSU women's basketball all-time scoring list with 966 career points. With 34 more points, Franks can become just the fourth player in program history to join the 1,000-point club.

DSU PICKED NINTH IN PRESEASON POLL: After finishing in 10th place during the 2018-19 season, the Trailblazers were tabbed to finish in ninth place in the 2019-20 RMAC Preseason Coaches' Poll.

2019-20 TRAILBLAZERS: Dixie State is fresh off its first overall winning season since the 2012-13 season and the first season of .500 or better in conference play since 2013-14. Additionally, the Trailblazers posted an 11-4 mark inside the Burns Arena during the 2018-19 campaign, marking the most home wins since the 2010-11 season.

DSU will look to add to last year's success during the 2019-20 season, and returns six players from last year's squad, including two starters and two redshirts.

Senior guard Ali Franks (12.6 ppg/4.5 apg) and junior guard Keslee Stevenson (9.8 ppg) represent the Trailblazers' returning starters, while two reserves also return, including sophomore guard London Pavlica (6.3 ppg/4.7 rpg) and senior guard Madi Loftus (5.9 ppg). Additionally, Deshka Olson and Kelsea Barker return after redshirting during the 2018-19 season.

The Trailblazers added four transfer players for the 2019-20 season, including redshirt sophomore guard Ashley Greenwood, junior guard Breana Moea'i, senior forward Chesney Stevens, and junior center Makayla Johnson.

Greenwood averaged 19.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.7 steals, and 3.5 assists per game as a senior at Desert Hills High School before playing one season at BYU. Greenwood holds the DHHS single-game scoring record and led the Thunder to two region titles and one state championship.

Moea'i played two seasons at Miles Community College after prepping at Pine View and Highland High School. Moea'i averaged 10.0 points and 3.9 rebounds per game last season as a sophomore at Miles CC, earning first team All-Region honors.

Stevens played two seasons at the College of Southern Idaho before spending her junior season at Division II Florida Southern. Stevens averaged 4.4 points and 3.6 rebounds during the 2018-19 season, helping the Mocs to the NCAA Division II Sweet Sixteen.

Johnson played her freshman season at Division I Louisiana Tech before transferring to Hutchinson Community College last season for her sophomore campaign. Johnson averaged 4.0 points and 3.4 rebounds per game as a sophomore.

Four new freshmen join the ranks this year in guards Breaunna Gillen, Maggie McCord, and Payton Miller, along with forward Emily Isaacson.

Gillen averaged 18.0 points and 6.2 rebounds as a senior at Copper Hills High School. McCord averaged 17.8 points and 7.3 rebounds per game as a senior at Bingham High School. Miller led Millard High School to its first-ever state championship as a senior. Isaacson averaged 16.9 points and 10.1 rebounds per game as a senior at Box Elder High School.

COACHING STAFF: Head Coach JD Gustin is in his fourth season at Dixie State in the 2019-20 campaign. Prior to Dixie State, Gustin served as an assistant coach at Weber State, where he helped lead the Wildcats to a 23-12 record and a runner-up finish in the 2016 Women's Basketball Invitational Tournament.

Prior to Weber State, Gustin spent four years at the University of Utah, serving as director of women's basketball operations from 2011-13 and women's basketball assistant coach from 2013-15. He helped guide the Utes to a runner-up finish in the 2013 Women's National Invitational Tournament (WNIT).

Before his time at Utah, he served as head women's basketball coach at Westminster College for seven seasons from 2004-11, where he compiled a 146-83 record and led the Griffins to five consecutive NAIA National Championship tournament appearances. He led Westminster to its first-ever NAIA tournament berth in 2006-07, and guided the Griffins to the quarterfinals of the NAIA championships for the first time in school history with a school-record 28 wins in 2010-11. Gustin won three Frontier Conference championships, including a perfect 14-0 conference mark in 2008-09.

Gustin is again joined by fourth-year assistant Nicole Yazzie (Westminster, 2013), while Matt Legerski (Utah, 2001) and Kailie Quinn (Weber State, 2018) join the staff for the 2019-20 season.

UP NEXT: Dixie State will continue its four-game homestand next week, hosting Colorado Mesa and Western Colorado.

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Players Mentioned

#23 Ali Franks: Guard; 5' 10"; Junior

#22 Deshka Olson: Guard; 5' 8"; Junior

#12 Madi Loftus: Guard; 5' 9"; Junior

#11 Keslee Stevenson: Guard; 5' 11"; Sophomore

#1 London Pavlica: Guard; 5' 7"; Freshman

#24 Kelsea Barker: Guard; 5' 7"; Freshman

#14 Payton Miller: GUARD; 5' 7"; Freshman

#24 Ashley Greenwood: GUARD; 5' 7"; Redshirt Sophomore

#20 Breaunna Gillen: GUARD; 5' 9"; Freshman

#21 Emily Isaacson: FORWARD; 5' 11"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#23 Ali Franks
: 5' 10"; Junior
: Guard

#22 Deshka Olson
: 5' 8"; Junior
: Guard

#12 Madi Loftus
: 5' 9"; Junior
: Guard

#11 Keslee Stevenson
: 5' 11"; Sophomore
: Guard

#1 London Pavlica
: 5' 7"; Freshman
: Guard

#24 Kelsea Barker
: 5' 7"; Freshman
: Guard

#14 Payton Miller
: 5' 7"; Freshman
: GUARD

#24 Ashley Greenwood
: 5' 7"; Redshirt Sophomore
: GUARD

#20 Breaunna Gillen
: 5' 9"; Freshman
: GUARD

#21 Emily Isaacson
: 5' 11"; Freshman
: FORWARD