Trailblazers host No. 22 Colorado Mesa and Western Colorado to close homestand

2019-20 DIXIE STATE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
(12-5, 7-4 RMAC)

GAME 18 - vs. No. 22 Colorado Mesa (15-2, 11-0 RMAC)
Friday, Jan. 24 - 5:30 p.m.

GAME 19 - vs. Western Colorado (11-4, 9-2 RMAC)
Saturday, Jan. 25 - 5:30 p.m.

BURNS ARENA; St. George, Utah

Dixie State women's basketball is set to host two of the top-three teams in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference this weekend to close out its four-game homestand.

The Trailblazers (12-5, 7-4 RMAC) will host first-place and No. 22 nationally-ranked Colorado Mesa (15-2, 11-0 RMAC) on Saturday, before closing the weekend with a matchup against Western Colorado (11-4, 9-2 RMAC) 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 MESA: Friday's game marks the 12th meeting between Dixie State and Colorado Mesa. The Mavericks earned a 66-59 victory in the inaugural matchup between the teams on Nov. 25, 2006, in Grand Junction, Colorado. The Trailblazers answered with a four-game win streak (2006-10) vs. CMU. Colorado Mesa countered with its own win streak and has won the last six matchups in the series, including wins in Grand Junction and St. George last season. CMU holds a 7-4 series lead.

ALL-TIME VS. WESTERN COLORADO: Saturday's game marks the seventh meeting between Dixie State and Western Colorado. Dixie State won the first three matchups (2006, 2009, 2013) between the teams, before WCU claimed a 68-59 triumph on Nov. 27, 2015, for its first win of the series. DSU claimed victories in both matchups during the 2018-19 season, winning in Gunnison, Colorado, and in St. George. The Trailblazers hold a 5-1 series lead.

KNOW YOUR FOE: Colorado Mesa enters the weekend with a 15-2 overall record and an unblemished 11-0 mark in RMAC play. The Mavericks, who are riding a 13-game win streak, currently sit atop the RMAC standings and earlier this week, moved into the WBCA Division II Top-25 at No. 22. Offensively, CMU averages 63.5 points per game. Two CMU players average double-figure scoring, including junior guard Daniella Turner (15.2 pgg) and junior forward Kelsey Siemons (10.7 ppg, 4.2 rpg). Defensively, the Mavericks lead all of NCAA Division II, allowing just 45.2 points per game.

Western Colorado enters the weekend with an 11-4 overall record and a 9-2 mark in RMAC play. The third-place Mountaineers have won five consecutive, and 11 of their last 13, games. Offensively, WCU averages 63.3 points per game. Freshman guard Hannah Cooper leads the WCU attack, averaging 10.1 points per game, while junior guard Samantha Coleman adds 9.9 points and 4.3 rebounds per contest. Defensively, the Mountaineers rank second in the RMAC, allowing just 53.6 points per game.

INSIDE THE BURNS: Since joining the NCAA Division II ranks in 2006-07, Dixie State has recorded a 108-56 (.658) 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 11 different games during the 2019-20 season, including six games of at least 10 triples. Through 17 games, DSU has converted an RMAC-best 137 attempts from downtown.

Additionally, Dixie State has converted at least one 3-pointer in each of its last 152 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.

1,000-POINT CLUB: Senior guard Ali Franks became the fourth DSU women's basketball player in program history to join the 1,000-point club after scoring 26 points on Saturday against Regis. Currently, Franks sits in fourth on the all-time scoring list with 1,001 career points.

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 open a four-game road swing next week at Fort Lewis on Friday and Adams State on Saturday.

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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