Game Notes: DIXIE STATE - PDF | SEATTLE U - PDF
Live TV: KCEC-TV (TDS Channel 22)
Live Video: WAC DIGITAL NETWORK
Live Audio: ESPN RADIO 97.7 FM
Live Stats: GAME #1 / GAME #2
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OPENING TIP: Dixie State (5-8/1-5 WAC) begins the final full month of the 2020-21 regular season in St. George for a two-game WAC series against Seattle U (7-6/0-1 WAC) this Friday and Saturday nights. Tip-off both nights inside the Burns Arena is slated for 7 p.m. (MT).  

DIXIE STATE VS. SEATTLE U: Dixie State is 0-1 all-time vs. Seattle U, though the two sides have not met on the hardwood since DSU's first NCAA season in 2006-07, when the Redhawks handed DSU an 87-70 loss in Seattle (12/29/06).

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. This weekend's will feature Devin Dixon calling the play-by-play action and Andy Thompson providing color commentary.
    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.

HI, MY NAME IS ....: After 14 years as a competing member of the NCAA at the Division II level, Dixie State has embarked 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 came away with a hard-fought split of two WAC road games at its former Pacific West Conference rival California Baptist last weekend in Riverside. The Lancers used a big second-half run to break open a closely contested battle and come away with an 89-74 triumph in the first game on Friday night.
    The Trailblazers then turned the tables on CBU in Saturday's finale as Dixie State went on an extended second half run to erase a seven-point deficit to not only escape with their first WAC victory, but also snap their seven-game losing skid, 79-75.

TRAILBLAZERS PLAYED NCAA GAME NO. 400 LAST FRIDAY NIGHT: When Dixie State took the court at CBU last Friday night, it marked the 400th game in the program's NCAA era. Thanks to the weekend split, DSU enters this weekend with a 271-130 (.676) overall record since beginning NCAA play in the 2006-07 season.
    Dixie State has posted 12-straight winning seasons with seven 20-win campaigns in 14-plus NCAA seasons, including a school-record 23 victories in both the 2017-18 (23-7) and 2019-20 (23-7) seasons, and 22-win seasons in the 2010-11 (22-7) and 2012-13 (22-7) campaigns.

574 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 (574 career wins; .681 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.

JUDKINS TO COACH IN 400TH NCAA GAME ON FRIDAY NIGHT: Though Dixie State played in its 400th NCAA game last Friday at CBU, Coach Judkins will coach in his 400th NCAA game at DSU on Friday night vs. Seattle U. Judkins, who missed two games during the 2014-15 season, owns a 270-129 (.676) four-year record as part of his Dixie State overall resumé.

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 FPV – 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 138-32 (.812) overall record in the Burns Arena under Head Coach Jon Judkins, including a 3-3 start this year, and 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.

HOW ABOUT WHEN THE BAGS ARE PACKED?: Dixie State is 133-98 (.575) in 231 games away from home in its NCAA era under Coach Judkins, though the Blazers are off to a 2-5 start this year, this after a combined 11-5 record last season (7-5 road; 4-0 neutral). Overall, the Trailblazers have played to a 105-77 record (.577) 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: Dixie State has hit at least one 3-pointer in 102-straight games, which included 12 made treys (12-of-29) in the win vs. Saint Katherine (12/5), and 10 more trifectas (10-of-27) at Denver (12/12). DSU also hit seven 3-pointers in the win at CBU last Saturday.  
    In fact, when DSU posted back-to-back games with 10 or more 3FGM vs. SKU/at Denver, it marked just the second time in the program's NCAA era that the Blazers accomplished that feat.
    The first occurrence happened two full seasons ago when DSU hit with 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).
    Meanwhile, DSU only reached double figures in 3FGM twice all of last season, 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).
    In all, Dixie State has hit at least one three pointer in 303 of its last 305 games overall, and in 398 of the program's 401 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 was knocking 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).

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:
* - Junior guard Cameron Gooden has scored in double figures in six-straight starts, and in nine of his last 11 games overall ... additionally, he has led the Blazers' in scoring seven times, including in five of his last eight outings.
* - Gooden posted game-highs of 22 points (3-of-5 3FG) and six assists (career-high) in the win at California Baptist last Saturday ... Gooden scored 13 of his 22 points in the second half to help rally DSU to the win.
* - Gooden wound up averaging 19.5 ppg in the two games at CBU (17 pts in G1 on Friday).
* - The junior point guard also made a little history in game one vs. the Lancers as he became just the 10th-different player in the program's NCAA era to record at least five steals in a game ... Gooden collected five steals in G1, and for good measure, picked off four more steals in the game two win.
* - Gooden was DSU's "Iron Man" at Gonzaga (12/29) as he played in a game-high 36 minutes and wound up with a team-high 20 points including three 3-pointers.
* - Gooden enjoyed a breakout game at Denver (12/12), against which he poured in game and career-high 23 points on 7-of-13 from the floor (5-of-9 3FG) to go with three assists and three steals ... Gooden has dished out five assists four times, including five dimes vs. New Mexico (1/13) to go with three steals.
* - Senior forward Hunter Schofield is looking like he is getting back in stride after scoring in double figures in five of his last seven outings, highlighted by a season-high tying 23 points on 8-of-15 shooting (6-of-6 FT) in Friday's loss at CBU ... it was Schofield's 11th career game with at least 20 or more points ... Schofield also just missed his fifth career double-double in G1 as he pulled down nine boards to go with a career-best two blocks.
* - Schofield, who tallied 11 points in DSU's win at CBU last Saturday, scored his 600th-career point at DSU on a first half mid-range jumper in game two vs. GCU (1/23), this after he poured in 23 points in game one vs. the Lopes (1/22).
* - Schofield posted his fourth career (and first of the season) double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds at UTRGV (1/16).
* -  Schofield is currently ranked third in DSU's NCAA era in career scoring average (14.8 ppg), and is seventh in career rebounding average (5.7 rpg) and career FG% (.524).
* - DSU's game one loss vs. GCU (1/22) marked the first time this season that the Trailblazers had two players go off for at least 20 points when Schofield and Gooden combined for 45 of DSU's 74 points.
* - In all, Dixie State has had 21 games in its four-year era where at least two players had scored at least 20 points, including two instances where three players tallied 20-plus points. The last time that occurrence happened was in the 2016-17 season, when Trevor Hill (25 pts), Brandon Simister (23 pts) and Kyler Nielson (20 pts) achieved the feat in an OT loss at Azusa Pacific (12/10/16) during the 2016-17 campaign.
* - Senior guard Dason Youngblood returned to action vs. GCU, this after missing the last three games after suffering an injury just minutes into Dixie State's road game at No. 1 Gonzaga back on Dec. 29.
* - Youngblood dished out four assists in both starts at CBU last weekend, and had six points and two steals in the G2 win.  
* - Sophomore forward Frank Staine has scored in double figures in seven of his first 12 starts this season, highlighted by a game-high 19 points in the season-opening home win vs. North Dakota (12/2).
* - Staine averaged 15.5 ppg and 4.5 in the two games at CBU last weekend on a combined 52.0 percent shooting ... the sophomore tallied 17 points and five boards in G1, then followed that up with 14 points and four caroms in the G2 win.
* - Staine has also dished out three or more assists in six starts, including a pair of five-assist outings vs. UND (12/2) and at Denver (12/12) ... Staine posted his second career double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds, and scored his 300th career point, at SUU (12/17).
* - Junior forward Jacob Nicolds had scored in double figures in four-straight games and in six of his first seven starts before being held scoreless in game one at UTRGV (1/15) ... Nicolds shook off that outing a night later when he just missed his second career double-double with eight points and 10 rebounds, and he dished out a career-best four assists vs. the Vaqueros (1/16).
* - Nicolds tied a career-high with 17 points in his season debut vs. North Dakota (12/2) on his way to WAC Player of the Week honors (12/7) ... Nicolds also posted his first collegiate double-double with 14 points and a career-high 12 boards in the Bethesda win (12/19).
* - Senior forward Jarod Greene continues to lead all DSU active players, and is seventh in the WAC, in FG% at 54.8 (40-of-73) ... Greene averaged 10.5 points on 10-of-16 (.625) shooting in the two games at CBU, highlighted by a season-high 13 points on 6-of-10 from the floor in the G2 win on Saturday.
* - Greene displayed his hot shooting touch as he poured 10 points on 5-of-8 shooting at Gonzaga (12/29) ... Greene also tallied 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting in game two at UTRGV (1/16), and went 6-of-8 from the floor for 12 points and pulled down a career-high nine caroms vs. Saint Katherine (12/5).
* - DSU's bench has outscored its opponent reserves by a 283-262 margin (21.7-20.1 ppg) through its first 13 games (7-of-13 games overall).
* - Though the Blazers' were held to a season-low six points in G1 at CBU last Friday, it should be noted that Schofield started both games at CBU, this after coming off the bench in eight of DSU's prior 11 games.
* - DSU also saw CBU score an opponent-season low one point in last Saturday's Blazer win.
* - Last season DSU reserves outscored its opponents' reserves in 22 of 30 games played (748-571/24.9 ppg-19.0 ppg).
* - Dixie State's victory at CBU was not only the program's first WAC victory, but it also doubled as a streak breaker ... the Trailblazers entered the weekend having lost six-in-a-row, but saw that skid reach an NCAA-era program record seven-straight games in the 89-74 loss on Friday.
* - Prior to this season, DSU had lost six-straight games on only two other occasions in its four-year era ... the first instance happened in the program's first year of NCAA play in the 2006-07 season, while the second happened a year later in the 2007-08 campaign.
* - Dating back to the 2016-17 season, Dixie State has had 66 of its last 126 games decided by nine points or less, including seven of 11 games against D-I opponents this season.
* - DSU's 38-point margin of victory vs. Saint Katherine (12/5) was the fifth-largest in the program's NCAA era.
* - Since the 2016-17, Dixie State has shot 50 percent or better in just 44 of its last 123 games overall, and has only better than 50 percent once this season, that 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).
* - Dixie State shot a season-low 33.3 percent (22-of-66) vs. New Mexico (1/13) ... the Lobos also tied a DSU NCAA-era opponent record with 11 blocked shots ... that feat has happened three previous times, most recently nearly five years to the day (1/7/16) at Azusa Pacific ... DSU also had 11 shots blocked at Western Washington (12/28/06) and at home vs. BYU-Hawaii (1/24/08).
* - Dixie State dished out a season-high 25 assists on its 36 made field goals vs. Bethesda (12/19), including five dimes apiece for Youngblood and Staine.
* - Dixie State also recorded 22 assists on its 34 made field goals vs. SKU (12/5), including dimes on 10 of the Blazers' first 12 made shots, and had 17 assists on 24 FG makes at Gonzaga (12/29).
* - Dixie State returns to the Burns Arena hoping to erase arguably its worst home memory of the program's NCAA era ... DSU was held to just 46 points vs. GCU (1/23) in its last home outing ... 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 this season that DSU failed to score at least 50 points (49-82 at UTRGV, 1/15/21).
* - In addition, the Blazers' 35-point loss to Grand Canyon (1/23) was Dixie State's worst home loss in the program's NCAA era.
* - Uncharacteristically, Dixie State has lost the "Battle of the Boards" in 10 of its first 13 games this season, though the Blazers did outrebound UTRGV in game two (1/16) by a 42-37 count ... overall, the Blazers have outrebounded an opponent in 71 of its last 97 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 SEATTLE U "REDHAWKS": Seattle U comes to St. George after a near three-week hiatus from competition due to the program's COVID-19 protocols. The Redhawks had won four it their previous six games prior to the unscheduled break, though they dropped their last outing back on Jan. 15, a 93-92 home overtime loss to Utah Valley to open WAC play.  
    Jim Hayford (59-50 overall; Azusa Pacific, 1989) is in his fourth season as head coach at Seattle U, where he led the program to 20 wins in his first season in 2017-18 (20-14), and an 18-15 mark in 2018-19.  
    The Redhawks boast the top-two scorers currently in the WAC, led by junior G/F Riley Grigsby (6-6), who is averaging 18.7 points on 47.7 percent shooting (.417 3FG%). Meanwhile, sophomore guard Darrion Trammell (5-10) leads the conference in assists/game (6.1 apg) to go with his 18.2 ppg average (#2 in the WAC).
    As a team, Seattle U 74.1 ppg on 42.9 percent shooting through 13 games while allowing 66.5 ppg. SU also averages 7.8 3FGM and 35.0 rpg a contest.

UP NEXT: Dixie State will close out the road portion of its D-I debut season next weekend, Feb. 12-13, as the Trailblazers make the short trip up Interstate-15 to face in-state foe Utah Valley. Tip-off each night in Orem is slated for 6 p.m. (MT).