Trailblazers back on the road for games at Fort Lewis and Adams State

2019-20 DIXIE STATE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
(13-6, 8-5 RMAC)

GAME 20 - at Fort Lewis (13-5, 9-4 RMAC)
Friday, Jan. 31 - 5:30 p.m.
Whalen Gymnasium; Durango, Colo.

GAME 21 - at Adams State (3-16, 3-10 RMAC)
Saturday, Feb. 1 - 5:30 p.m.
Plachy Hall; Alamosa, Colo.

After four consecutive games inside the Burns Arena, the Dixie State women's basketball team heads back on the road this week for games at Fort Lewis and Adams State.

The Trailblazers (13-6, 8-5 RMAC) open a four-game homestand at Fort Lewis in Durango, Colorado, on Friday, before traveling to Alamosa for a matchup against Adams State on Saturday.

Live video and live stats will be provided for both games. Links can be found at http://www.dixiestateathletics.com/.

ALL-TIME VS. FORT LEWIS: Friday's game marks the seventh meeting between Dixie State and Fort Lewis. The Trailblazers claimed a 63-51 win in the Burns Arena in the first meeting between the teams on Nov. 21, 2006. Since then, the Skyhawks have won the last five meetings, including victories in St. George and Durango last season, to build a 5-1 series lead.

ALL-TIME VS. ADAMS STATE: Saturday's game marks the fourth meeting between Dixie State and Adams State. The Trailblazers earned a 77-49 win over the Grizzlies in Phoenix on Nov. 18, 2011, in the inaugural meeting between the teams. DSU defeated the Grizzlies in St. George and Alamosa during the 2018-19 season to extend its overall series lead to 3-0.

KNOW YOUR FOE: Fort Lewis enters the weekend with a 13-5 overall record and a 9-4 mark in RMAC play. The Skyhawks enter the weekend in fourth place in the RMAC, just one game ahead of the Trailblazers. The FLC offense averages 67.6 points per game, led by junior forward Jordan Carter, who averages 11.1 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. Two other Skyhawks average double-figure scoring, including junior guard Katrina Chandler (10.5 ppg) and freshman forward Jordan Vasquez (10.4 ppg, 6.8 rpg). Defensively, Fort Lewis boasts the third-ranked scoring defense in the RMAC, allowing 58.1 points per game.

Adams State enters the weekend with a 3-16 overall record and a 3-10 mark in RMAC play. The Grizzlies snapped a six-game losing streak with a 73-56 win over Regis on Saturday. ASU, which also owns conference wins over Chadron State and New Mexico Highlands, averages 49.3 points per game. Senior guard Zakiya Beckles leads the Grizzlies attack, averaging 10.7 points per game. Defensively, Adams State allows 68.3 points per game.

ON THE ROAD: Since joining the NCAA Division II ranks in 2006-07, Dixie State has recorded a 69-93 (.426) record in true-road games and has logged a winning record on the road three times (2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13). Additionally, the Trailblazers have posted a 51-52 (.495) conference road record and a 20-16 (.555) record in neutral-site games.

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 19 games, DSU has converted an RMAC-best 150 attempts from downtown.

Additionally, Dixie State has converted at least one 3-pointer in each of its last 154 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 January 18 against Regis. Currently, Franks sits in fourth on the all-time scoring list with 1,028 career points.

RECORD CROWD: Dixie State claimed a 68-54 victory over third-ranked Western Colorado on Saturday in front of a record crowd inside the Burns Arena. The Trailblazer women saw the largest crowd of the NCAA Division II era pour into the Burns Arena, as 2,139 fans packed the seats, marking the first time a DSU women's basketball game has had a crowd of 2,000 or more.

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 close its four-game homestand with a return trip for grudge matches against Western Colorado and Colorado Mesa next week.

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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