Game Notes: DIXIE STATE - PDF | SKU
Live Video: WAC DIGITAL NETWORK
Live Audio: N/A
Live Stats: vs. SAINT KATHERINE
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OPENING TIP: Dixie State returns to action this Saturday as the Trailblazers welcome in Saint Katherine (1-0) to the Burns Arena for an afternoon matinee. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m.

DIXIE STATE VS. SAINT KATHERINE: Saturday's game vs. Saint Katherine will be the first regular season meeting between the Trailblazers and Firebirds on the basketball court. The two sides have met one other time in an exhibition game back in the 2013-14 season, which resulted in a 107-64 DSU victory in the Burns Arena (11/9/13).

DIXIE STATE ON THE AIR: All Dixie State Division I home and away games this season will be broadcast live on ESPN Radio 97.7 FM, with Devin Dixon calling the play-by-play action and former DSU assistant coach Mike Olson providing color commentary. A live stream of the radio broadcast will be available at sportsradio977.com.
    Along with the radio coverage, all DSU home games are simulcast on KCEC-TV (TDS Cable Channel 22), with tape-delay rebroadcasts throughout the following week, and live online on the WAC Digital Network. The WDN is also available on Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, and Roku TV, while the WDN app is available for iOS in the Apple Store and Android on Google Play.
    Saturday's game will be carried live on both the WDN and KCEC-TV, with Keric Seegmiller and Olson on the call.

HI, MY NAME IS ....: After 14 years as a competing member of the NCAA at the Division II level, Dixie State embarks on its first season transitioning to Division I status as one of two new members (along with Tarleton State) of the Western Athletic Conference.  
    During their 14-year Division II era, the Trailblazers played to a 266-122 (.685) overall record. Dixie State won seven conference regular season championships (6 PacWest, 1 RMAC) and two postseason conference tournament crowns (PacWest 2013/2018).
    In addition, DSU made nine NCAA D-II Basketball Tournament appearances in 11 seasons since 2010, including seven-straight appearances from 2010-16, and advanced all the way to the West Regional final (Sweet 16) in 2011. Dixie State earned its final NCAA Tournament berth last season, but that appearance was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

LAST TIME OUT: Dixie State made its NCAA Division I debut a memorable one as the Trailblazers erased a nine-point second half deficit en route to hard fought 74-73 home victory over North Dakota this past Wednesday night in the Burns Arena.
    DSU trailed 29-24 at the half and fell behind by a 42-33 count with 15:08 remaining. From there, the Trailblazer defense put the clamps on UND (0-2), which led to a 28-9 DSU offensive run over a nine-plus minute span en route to a 61-51 advantage with 5:45 to play. North Dakota mounted one last charge late, outscoring DSU 14-5 to pull to within 73-70 with eight seconds left. However the Blazers sank one of two free throws on their next possession, which negated a buzzer-beating 3-pointer as DSU escaped with the history-making victory.
    Sophomore forward Frank Staine scored 14 of his game-high 19 points in the second half, while junior forward Jacob Nicolds tallied 13 of his career-high tying 17 points after halftime, to help rally DSU to the win. 

TRAILBLAZERS AGAINST NCAA D-I OPPONENTS: Wednesday's win over North Dakota was Dixie State first regular season victory over an NCAA Division I opponent. It was also the 11th time overall in the program's NCAA era that the Trailblazers had squared off against a D-I opponent, and was the FIRST such instance inside the Burns Arena.
    Eight of the previous nine occasions had come in exhibition contests, including a thrilling 71-70 exhibition triumph at UNLV on Nov. 1, 2013. That victory came a year after DSU almost upset the Rebels in an 81-80 overtime result (11/7/12) in Las Vegas.
    Prior to last Wednesday's tilt vs. UND, the only other regular season contest DSU had played against a D-I opponent came at in-state foe Utah in an 83-64 loss in Salt Lake City (1/9/08) during the 2007-08 season.

570 AND COUNTING: Head Coach Jon Judkins became the first men's 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 (570 career wins; .686 W%) is currently second all-time in coaching victories in Utah college basketball history, trailing only legendary University of Utah head women's coach Elaine Elliott, who amassed 582 career wins (582-234) in her 27 seasons on the Utes' sideline.

TRAILBLAZERS PICKED SEVENTH/EIGHTH IN THE WAC: Dixie State was picked to finish seventh by the media and eighth by the coaches in its Western Athletic Conference debut season as the 2020-21 WAC men's basketball preseason polls were released on Oct. 27.
    Three-time defending WAC champion New Mexico State was tabbed as overwhelming favorite to win its fourth-straight conference crown. The Aggies claimed eight of nine first place votes to finish with 64 points in the coaches poll, and collected 10 more first place nods and 150 points in the media poll.
    In fact, the top five spots matched in both polls as Grand Canyon (1 FPV – 52 pts coaches/125 pts media) was voted second overall, followed by UT Rio Grande Valley (45 pts coaches/114 pts media) in third, California Baptist (43 pts coaches/2 FVP – 105 pts media) in fourth, and Seattle U (33 pts coaches/84 pts media) in fifth.
    WAC newcomer Tarleton State (31 pts) wound up sixth in the coaches poll, while Utah Valley (28 pts) was listed in seventh, DSU (20 pts) in eighth and Chicago State (8 pts) in ninth. Rounding out the media poll, UVU finished sixth (74 pts), followed by the Trailblazers (49 pts) in seventh, Tarleton State (46 pts) in eighth, and CSU (18 pts) in ninth.

HOME SWEET HOME: Since joining the NCAA ranks in 2006-07, Dixie State has played to a 136-29 (.824) overall record in the Burns Arena under Head Coach Jon Judkins, including a 12-2 mark last season. In fact, DSU has recorded 13-straight home winning season records in 14 years of NCAA competition overall.
    DSU has posted eight 10-plus win seasons during its four-year era, highlighted by a perfect 12-0 record in 2009-10, and 11-1 records in consecutive seasons in 2015-16 and 2016-17.

HOME SWEET HOME, PART 2: Dixie State finished the 2019-20 season ranked second-nationally at the NCAA Division II level in home game attendance. This past season's accomplishment also marked the 11th-straight season overall that the Trailblazer program has closed a season ranked in the top-10 in the nation in home attendance.
    DSU posted the second-highest totals in both average attendance (2,432) and in total attendance (34,043) in 14 total home dates last season, which included a season-high 3,493 fans that saw the Trailblazers defeat Western Colorado back on Jan. 25, 2020.  
    Dixie State also finished sixth among Utah's eight NCAA member institutions in average attendance in 2019-20, behind BYU (189,392/12,626 per game – 15 games), Utah (147,852/10,561 – 14 games), Utah State (138,737/8,671 – 16 games), Weber State (61,610/4,401 – 14 games) and Utah Valley (31,889/2,453 – 13 games). However, DSU did finish well ahead of both Southern Utah (32,651/2,332 – 14 games) and Westminster College (3,389/226 – 15 games).
    Since the 2008-09 season, Dixie State was annually ranked in the top-15 in Division II in home attendance, including second-overall in 2012-13 and 2013-14, and third in the country in 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2018-19 campaigns. DSU was also ranked fourth-overall in 2016-17, fifth in 2014-15, sixth in 2015-16, ninth in 2009-10 and 2017-18, and 14th in 2008-09.

HOW ABOUT WHEN THE BAGS ARE PACKED?: Dixie State is 131-93 (.585) in 224 games away from home in its NCAA era under Coach Judkins, including a combined 11-5 record last season (7-5 road; 4-0 neutral). Overall, the Trailblazers have played to a 103-72 record (.588) in true road games, and a 28-21 mark (.571) in neutral site games during Judkins' tenure.
    DSU has won eight or more games away from home in 11 of its previous 14 NCAA campaigns overall, including a program best 15-5 record (10-2 in road contests) in 2010-11.

RELEASE...ROTATION...SPLASH: Dating back to late in the 2016-17 season, Dixie State has hit at least one 3-pointer in 90-straight games, which included just one made trey in the win vs. North Dakota on Wednesday night (1-of-10).
    Last season, DSU reached double figures 3FG made twice, highlighted by a season-high 12 3-pointers at Westminster, (2/28/20) and 11 trifectas in the come-from behind win at New Mexico Highlands (12/13/19).
    Nearly two seasons ago, DSU nailed a school record-tying 13 treys at Colorado Mesa (1/25/19), which was followed by 10 more 3-pointers the next night at Western Colorado (1/26/19). That feat marked the first time in the program's NCAA era that Dixie State had made 10 or more 3-pointers in back-to-back games.
    In all, Dixie State has hit at least one three pointer in 291 of its last 293 games overall, and in 386 of the program's 389 NCAA-era games since the beginning of the 2006-07 season.
    Dixie State has reached double-figures in made 3-pointers 19 times in its four-year era overall, highlighted by a single-game 3FGM school record of 13 first set at Carroll College on Nov. 11, 2008.

AGAINST NON-CONFERENCE OPPONENTS: With the North Dakota win last Wednesday night, Dixie State improved to 78-68 (.534) all-time against non-conference opponents in 14-plus seasons of four-year competition, which included a 6-2 mark last season, and an 11-14 record in the program's first year of NCAA play (2006-07). Additionally, DSU owns a combined 7-14 postseason record (4-4 PacWest, 1-2 RMAC, 2-8 NCAA).
    DSU has recorded seven winning seasons in non-conference games in its four-year era, including a program-best nine wins in 2010-11 (9-4), eight wins in 2008-09 (8-7), and seven victories in 2012-13 (7-4).

IT'S NOT HOW YOU START....: Dixie State collected its second-straight season opening victory when the Trailblazers knocked off North Dakota on Wednesday night.
    DSU moved to 8-7 all-time in season-opening games during the program's NCAA era, and has won six of their last nine, and eight of its previous 13 openers overall.
    In addition, Dixie State is 11-4 all-time in 15 Burns Arena debuts as a four-year program and has now won eight of its last nine home openers. 

A DECADE OF DOMINANCE: Dixie State closed out the 2010-19 decade as one of the most dominant programs in the NCAA Division II ranks. DSU posted a 208-74 (.737) overall record and captured six Pacific West Conference championships (and two PacWest tournament crowns) over that 10-year span. In addition, the program earned eight NCAA Tournament bids, including seven-straight NCAA postseason appearances from 2010-16.
    Dixie State notched six 20-win seasons in the decade, including a NCAA-era record 23 victories in the 2017-18 season.
    DSU also began the decade with a seven-game winning streak and won 10 of its first 11 games overall to finish that year 15-3 (20-6 overall), while the Trailblazers closed the decade, coincidentally, by winning 10 of its final 11 games over the first two months of the 2019-20 season. 

BLAZING TRAILS:
* - Sophomore forward Frank Staine has developed a knack for announcing his presence with authority in season openers.
* - Staine has scored in double figures (18.0 ppg) in each of his two season openers, beginning with a 17-point effort in his first collegiate game and start last season in a win vs. Texas A&M-Commerce (71-66; 11/8/19) in Salt Lake City.
* - Staine bettered that effort in the North Dakota win on Wednesday night by pouring in a game-high 19 points (14 pts in the second half) on 6-of-12 shooting to go with a team-high five assists, two rebounds, a career-high two blocks and a steal ... Staine's 19 points was one off his career high of 20 set nearly 11 months to the day in a home win last season vs. UCCS (1/3/20)
* - Staine also pulled down his 100th-career rebound late in the second half on his own missed free throw, and in the process drew another foul, then hit two free throws to help seal the DSU win.
* - Junior forward Jacob Nicolds enjoyed a career night in his 2020-21 season debut ... Nicolds tied a career-high with 17 points (5-8 FG/7-9 FT), 13 of those came after halftime, to help rally DSU to the season-opening win ... Nicolds also scored 17 points last season in a road win at Western Colorado (2/7/20).  
* - In addition, Nicolds posted career highs in rebounds (8), FGM (5), FGA (8) and minutes played (30) vs. UND.
* - Senior forward Hunter Schofield scored his 500th point in a Trailblazer uniform on an offensive put back with 1:17 left in the UND win on Wednesday night.
* - Schofield, who has worked his way back from an injury suffered early during training camp in September, played 24 minutes off the bench and finished with eight points and five rebounds.
* -  Schofield is currently ranked third in DSU's NCAA era in scoring average (16.1 ppg) and t-fifth in career rebounding average (6.0 rpg).
* - Senior guard Dason Youngblood did something in the North Dakota win that he had not down in his previous 57 games in a Trailblazer uniform - he fouled out of a game ... Youngblood battled foul trouble all night, but he did wind up with eight points on 4-of-7 shooting and three rebounds before drawing his fifth foul in the second half.
* - Senior forward Jarod Greene hit all four shots he took (3-3 FG/1-1 FT) for seven points to go with five boards in his start vs. UND ... Greene was second on the team (behind Nicolds - .671) in FG% at 64.3 percent last season.
* - Junior guard Cameron Gooden got the start at point on Wednesday night and finished with nine points, four assists and three caroms in his Trailblazer debut.
* - Sophomore forward Mikey Frazier collected six points and three rebounds in 19 solid minutes off the bench in his first game as a Trailblazer.  
* - DSU's bench outscored North Dakota's bench by a 14-10 count, continuing a trend from last season when DSU reserves outscored its opponents' reserves in 22 of 30 games played (748-571/24.9 ppg-19.0 ppg).
* - Dating back to the 2016-17 season, Dixie State has had 60 of its last 114 games decided by nine points or less, including Wednesday's opener vs. North Dakota, and in 14 of 30 games last season (9-5).
* - Meanwhile, 14 of Dixie State's 23 wins last season were by double-digits, including eight of its last 12, highlighted by a season-high +30 point margin vs. Western Colorado (1/25).
* - Also dating back to 2016-17, Dixie State has shot 50 percent or better in 43 of its last 109 games overall, including 10 of the last 14 games overall last season.
* - DSU shot 45.8 percent vs. North Dakota, including a 54.8 clip (17-of-31) in the second half ... DSU shot 53.0 percent on its 2-point field goal attempts (26-of-49), which offset an uncharacteristic 1-of-10 (.100) effort from beyond the arc.
* - DSU was outrebounded by a slim 38-37 margin by North Dakota on Wednesday night, this after the Blazers had won the "Battle of the Boards" in 25 of 30 games last year, highlighted by a season-best +30 margin (54-24) vs. Adams State (2/14).
* - DSU has outrebounded an opponent in 68 of its last 85 games dating back to the 2017-18 campaign.
* - Dixie State reached the 100-point plateau three times last season and went 3-0 overall (vs. Adams State 102-81 [02/14]; vs. UT-Tyler 100-91 [11/9]; at NM Highlands 109-108 [12/13].
* - Dixie State's 109 points scored at NMHU (12/13) were the third-most in the program's NCAA era, while the 108 points scored by NMHU were a DSU opponent single-game record.
* - Meanwhile, the 217 combined points scored in the DSU/NMHU game are also a new DSU program record, beating the previous total of 207 set in a 104-103 overtime loss at Azusa Pacific (12/10/16) during the 2016-17 campaign.
* - DSU is 20-13 all-time in overtime games ... four of those 33 games have gone to double-overtime (2-2), the last was a 79-75 loss at Cal Poly Pomona (11/10/17) in the 2017-18 season opener.
* - DSU has played to a whopping 170-51 (.769) overall record during the final two months of the regular season in the program's NCAA era (14 seasons), including a 12-5 mark this year.

ABOUT THE SAINT KATHERINE "FIREBIRDS": Saint Katherine (1-0) comes to St. George in the middle of a seven-game road exhibition gauntlet against NCAA Division I competition. After opening their season with an 81-70 home win vs. San Diego Christian (11/6), the Firebirds have played four-straight exhibition games at Southern Utah (L, 47-95; 11/28), at UC Santa Barbara (L, 55-92; 11/29), at San Diego State (L, 41-83; 12/2), and at Pepperdine (L, 45-94) this past Thursday night.
    Then after Saturday's game against the Trailblazers, SKU will play road games at San Jose State (12/9) and at Pacific (12/21) before beginning conference play.
    Dixie State will see two familiar faces on the SKU bench on Saturday. The Firebirds' second-year head coach Kevin Williamson formerly served two seasons on Coach Judkins' staff from 2015-17, while former Trailblazer post player Isaiah Clark (2016-18) is in his second season on Williamson's staff.  
     Junior guard Joe Robinson Jr. (6-2) is SKU's top scorer through six games, having averaged close to 10 points a game, highlighted by a season-high 19 points in the home win over San Diego Christian.

UP NEXT: Dixie State will hit the road for the first time as a Division I program next Saturday, Dec. 12, as the Trailblazers begin a three-game road swing in the "Mile High City" with an afternoon matinee at the University of Denver. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m.