Game Notes: DIXIE STATE - PDF | GONZAGA - PDF
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OPENING TIP: Dixie State (0-0/0-0 WAC) begins the second year of its NCAA Division I era this Tuesday night as the Trailblazers make a trip to "The Kennel" to face 2020-21 national runner-up and preseason No. 1-ranked Gonzaga (0-0).
    Tip-off inside the McCarthey Athletic Center in Spokane, Wash., is slated for 6 p.m. (PT).  

DIXIE STATE VS. GONZAGA: Tuesday night's game at No. 1 Gonzaga will be the second meeting between the Trailblazers and Bulldogs on the basketball court.
    Last season DSU made its first trip to "The Kennel" (12/29/20), and though the Blazers hung tough early against the top-ranked Zags, Gonzaga showed why it was a national championship contender as the Zags rolled to a 112-67 victory.
    The game will also mark the second time in Dixie State's NCAA era that the program will have face a ranked Division I team, let alone the No. 1-ranked team in the country in both the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches' Polls.

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 Dixie State home games and Western Athletic Conference games will be streamed live on ESPN+.
     In August, the WAC announced a new multi-year, multi-platform media rights agreement with the "The Worldwide Leader" that will see over 500 annual events on ESPN+ and the ESPN app.

TRAILBLAZERS PICKED 12TH IN THE WAC: Dixie State was voted to finish 12th by both the coaches and the media as the Western Athletic Conference announced its 2021-22 conference men's basketball preseason polls on Oct. 19.
    New Mexico State was overwhelming pick to reclaim its crown in 2021-22 as the Aggies received eight first place votes and 138 points in the coaches' poll, and was favorite among the media pollsters as well.
    Defending WAC champion Grand Canyon collected three first place votes and 131 points to finish second in the coaches' rankings, while the Lopes were voted third in the media poll. Meanwhile, conference newcomer Stephen F. Austin garnered one first place nod and 106 points to finish third in the coaches' poll and second in the media poll.
    The rest of the coaches poll listed Utah Valley (103 pts) in fourth, WAC newcomer (and 2020-21 Southland champion) Abilene Christian (1 FPV; 92 pts) in fifth, Seattle U (90 pts) in sixth, WAC newcomer Sam Houston (86 pts) in seventh, California Baptist (84 pts) in eighth, Tarleton State (48) and UTRGV (48 pts) in t-ninth, conference newcomer Lamar (41 pts) in 11th, DSU (35 pts) in 12th, and Chicago State (12 pts) in 13th.
    Rounding out the media poll was ACU in fourth, followed by UVU, CBU, SHSU, Seattle U, Tarleton, Lamar, UTRGV, DSU and CSU.  

577 AND COUNTING: Head Coach Jon Judkins enters the 2021-22 season on the cusp of becoming the all-time leader in coaching victories in Utah college basketball history. Over his first 27 years as a head coach, Judkins has posted a 577-274 (.678) overall record, including a 293-146 (.667) mark in 16 years at Dixie State (273-134 - NCAA era).
    Judkins needs only six more wins to pass 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.
    Coach 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. Prior to his arrival at DSU, Judkins spent 12 full seasons at Snow (UT) College, where he went 284-128 on the Badger sideline.

QUICK LOOK AT THE 2021-22 SCHEDULE: In addition to Tuesday's Gonzaga match-up, the Trailblazers are scheduled to face at least three more 2021 NCAA Tournament teams this season.
    DSU has 16 home games on its docket, highlighted by visits from three in-state foes, starting with future WAC member Southern Utah this Friday night, Nov. 12. The Blazers also play host to Weber State (11/27) and WAC foe Utah Valley (2/21).
    Dixie State will play in one in-season tournament, which will come Nov. 19-20 at the CSUN-hosted Good Sam Empire Classic. DSU will face Texas State in the opening game, and will play either the host Matadors or NCAA tourney team Eastern Washington on day two.
    DSU will close out its SoCal trip in Los Angeles two nights later at PAC-12 power USC (11/22). The Trojans are coming off an Elite Eight run in last spring's NCAA tourney.
    The Blazers come home for a six-game homestand, which starts against WSU. DSU will also host Bethesda on consecutive nights (Nov. 30/Dec. 1), Saint Katherine (Dec. 4), Denver (Dec. 11) and SAGU American Indian College (Dec. 15) to close out the homestand. The Blazers will wrap up their non-conference slate at North Dakota on Saturday, Dec. 18, and a return game at SUU on Wednesday, Dec. 22.
    Dixie State will ring in the new year, and its 18-game Western Athletic Conference schedule, with home games against Tarleton State on Thursday, Dec. 30, and WAC newcomer and 2021 NCAA tourney participant (Southland champion) Abilene Christian on Saturday, Jan. 1.
    
MEET THE 2021-22 TRAILBLAZERS: Dixie State begins its second D-I season with four returning starters and 10 total letter winners from last season's 8-13 team, highlighted by 2021-22 team captains and 20-21 all-WAC performers in senior forward Hunter Schofield and junior guard Cameron Gooden.
    Schofield (6-8) parlayed being DSU's leading rebounder (5.9 rpg – 9th in the WAC) and second-leading scorer (12.7 ppg – 14th in the WAC) into an all-WAC honorable mention selection. The senior saved his best basketball for the stretch run as he scored in double figures in 11 of his final 15 games of the year, highlighted by a career-high 31 points in DSU's 93-89 road victory at Utah Valley (2/13).
    Meanwhile Gooden (5-11) also claimed honorable mention all-WAC accolades after he led the team in scoring (13.1 ppg – 13th in the WAC) and assists (3.2 apg – 6th in the WAC) in his first season as a Blazer. The junior scored in double figures in 13 of his 21 starts with four 20-plus point nights, and did the job on the defensive side as he picked off at least one steal in 17 of his 21 games (1.7 spg – 3rd in the WAC).
    Sophomore guard Frank Staine (6-6; 9.9 ppg/4.2 rpg) is back after he started in all 20 games he played last season. Staine scored in double figures in 10 of those starts, including a season-high 19 points in the D-I debut home win vs. North Dakota (12/2)
    Junior forward Jacob Nicolds (6-5; 8.5 ppg/5.8 rpg) got the starting nod in 13 of 17 games played last year and scored in double figures in seven of those outings, highlighted by a career-high tying 17 points and eight rebounds in the North Dakota win (12/2).
    The Blazers also return guards Brock Gilbert (5-10, Jr.; 1.2 ppg/2.3 apg), Andre Mulibea (6-6, Fr.; 5.9 ppg/2.2 rpg), Isaiah Pope (6-5, So.; 6.9 ppg/3.3 rpg), Emad Elniel (6-6, Fr.; 2.8 ppg/1.2 rpg); and Mark Hatch (6-0, Jr.; 1.0 ppg/0.6 rpg), along with redshirt-freshman forward Trevon Allfrey (6-7; 3.4 ppg/1.9 rpg).
    Dixie State welcomes in three transfers, including former Boise State forward Chase Berry (6-6; Lehi, Utah), and JUCO products Jamaal Barnes (6-2, So., G; Moreno Valley, Calif./Mt. San Jacinto College) and Dancell Leter (6-8, Jr., F; Paramaribo, Suriname/Odessa JC).
    Three freshmen will also vie for playing time, including F/C Trey Edmonds (6-9; Denver, Colo./George Washington HS) and guards Hunter Bohls (6-0; Las Vegas, Nev./Centennial HS) and Noa Gonsalves (6-1; Lehi, Utah/Lehi HS).
 
HOME SWEET HOME: Since joining the NCAA ranks in 2006-07, Dixie State has played to a 140-36 (.795) overall record in the Burns Arena under Head Coach Jon Judkins, which includes a 5-7 record last season, and a 12-2 mark in DSU's final D-II year in 2019-20.
    In fact, DSU has recorded 13 home winning season records in 15 years of NCAA competition overall, though last season's 5-7 result was the first time in that 13-year winning stretch that the Blazers did not finish above .500 at home.
    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.
    
HOW ABOUT WHEN THE BAGS ARE PACKED?: Dixie State finished the 2020-21 campaign with a 3-6 overall road mark, which snapped an 11-year run that saw DSU post a winning road record.
    The last time Dixie State did not come away with a winning road record was all the way back in the 2007-08 season, when it went 4-11 away from home in the program's second year of Division-II competition.
    Dixie State is 134-99 (.575) in 233 games away from home in its NCAA era under Coach Judkins, including a 106-78 record (.576) 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 15 NCAA campaigns overall, including a program best 15-5 record (10-2 in road contests) in 2010-11.

AGAINST NON-CONFERENCE OPPONENTS: Dixie State is 81-71 (.533) all-time against non-conference opponents in 15 seasons of NCAA competition. That record includes a 4-3 record in the Blazers' NCAA D-I debut last season, a 6-2 mark in the program's last D-II season in 2019-20, 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 eight winning seasons in non-conference games in its four-year era, highlighted by 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 enters Tuesday's season debut vs. No. 1 Gonzaga looking to extend its season-opening win streak to three games. The Trailblazers won their D-I debut game at home vs. North Dakota (74-73; 12/2) and snapped a three-game, season-opening slide with a 71-65 neutral site win vs. Texas A&M-Commerce (11/8/19) to kick-off the 2019-20 campaign.  
    DSU is 8-7 all-time in season-opening games during the program's NCAA era, but 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 won eight of its last nine home openers.  

RELEASE...ROTATION...SPLASH: Dixie State has hit at least one 3-pointer in 110-straight games, which included a 2020-21 season-high 12 made treys (12-of-29) in a home win vs. Saint Katherine (12/5), and 11 more trifectas (11-of-28) at home vs. Tarleton State (2/20).
    In all, Dixie State has reached double figures in made 3-pointers three times last season, all of which resulted in Trailblazer wins.
    In all, Dixie State has hit at least one three pointer in 311 of its last 313 games overall, and in 406 of the program's 409 NCAA-era games since the beginning of the 2006-07 season.
    In addition, Dixie State has reached double-figures in made 3-pointers 21 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.

FROM WAY DOWNTOWN...CLANG: While Dixie State knocked down 12 3-pointers vs. Saint Katherine (12/5), the Trailblazer defense made a little history on the defensive side of things.
    For the FIRST TIME in the program's NCAA era (390th game overall), DSU held a team without a 3-point make as the Firebirds misfired on all 18 of their shots from beyond the arc.
    Prior to the SKU win, the previous 3FGM opponent low was one, which was recorded in consecutive games all the way back in the 2012-13 season at Notre Dame de Namur (1-of-9; 2/16/13) and at home vs. BYU-Hawaii (1-of-10; 2/23/13).

2020-21 TEAM NOTE RECAP:
* - Dixie State wrapped up its first year of D-I play with an 8-13 overall record, which included a 4-10 mark in WAC play ... the Trailblazers posted six wins against Division I opponents in its debut season at the D-I level, and jumped out to a 3-0 start to the new era overall.
* - DSU was the only program in the WAC that did not have to go through an extended COVID-19 pandemic shutdown, and was the only team in the conference to play their full slate of league games (not including the Chicago State season shutdown).
* - Hunter Schofield was named to the 2020-21 CoSIDA Division I Men's Basketball CoSIDA Academic All-America Second Team ... Schofield (3.95 GPA) is the third Trailblazer player in the program's NCAA era to earn Second Team Academic All-America honors, joining former Blazers Josh Fuller (2016-17) and Brandon Simister (2017-18) on the prestigious list.
* - DSU's bench outscored its opponent reserves by a 466-406 margin (22.2-19.3 ppg) in 21 games last year (11-of-21 games overall) ... in 2019-20, DSU reserves outscored its opponents' reserves in 22 of 30 games played (748-571/24.9 ppg-19.0 ppg).
* - Since the 2016-17, Dixie State has shot 50 percent or better in just 45 of its last 131 games overall, and only shot better than 50 percent twice last season, the first being a season-high 63.2 percent vs. Bethesda (12/19) ... that performance broke a string of 66 games from the last time the Trailblazers shot at least 60 percent from the floor (60.0% vs. Holy Names - 2/19/18).
* - DSU also shot a WAC (and D-I opponent) season high 51.7 percent (30-of-58) in the win at Utah Valley (2/13).
* - Dating back to the 2016-17 season, Dixie State has had 68 of its last 134 games decided by nine points or less, including nine of 19 games against D-I opponents last season.
* - DSU's 38-point margin of victory vs. Saint Katherine (12/5) last year was the fifth-largest in the program's NCAA era.
* - On the flip side, DSU was held to just 46 points at home vs. Grand Canyon (1/23) ... the 46 points tied for the second-fewest points in a game in the program's four-year era (L, 46-66 at Chaminade; 1/4/08), and marked the second time last season that DSU failed to score at least 50 points (49-82 at UTRGV, 1/15/21).
* - Uncharacteristically, Dixie State lost the "Battle of the Boards" in 12 of 21 games last season ... overall, the Blazers have outrebounded an opponent in 75 of its last 105 games dating back to the 2017-18 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.

ABOUT THE GONZAGA "BULLDOGS": Gonzaga begins the 2021-22 season in a familiar spot as the Bulldogs are the consensus preseason No. 1-ranked team in the country.
    The Zags went 31-1 last season, with the only loss coming in the 2021 NCAA National Championship game vs. Baylor (L, 70-86; 4/5). Gonzaga also enters Tuesday night's opener with the nation's longest home court winning streak, which currently stands at 51-straight victories inside "The Kennel."
    Gonzaga returns two starters and nine letter winners from last season's national runner-up team. Preseason All-America pick Drew Timme (Jr., F; 6-10) averaged 19 points a game and shot 65.5 percent from the floor last season on his way to consensus second team All-America and national Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year honors.
    Mark Few (Oregon, 1987) begins his 23rd season as head coach at Gonzaga, where he is currently the winningest active coach by percentage (.834) in the NCAA ranks with a 630-125 overall record.  

UP NEXT: Dixie State begins a stretch that will see the Blazers play seven of their next 10 games at home, starting with their home opener this Friday night, Nov. 12, against in-state rival and future WAC opponent Southern Utah. Tip-off inside the Burns Arena is slated for 7 p.m.