2021-22 Dixie State Trailblazers Men's Basketball (12-14 / 5-8 WAC)
Game No. 27
vs. Utah Valley (17-8 / 8-5 WAC)
Saturday, February 19 / 7 p.m.
Burns Arena (4,779); St. George, Utah

 

Game Notes: DIXIE STATE - PDF | UVU - PDF
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Live Stats: vs. UTAH VALLEY
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OPENING TIP: Dixie State (12-14/5-8 WAC) returns to the Burns Arena for its final homestand of the 2021-22 season, which starts this Saturday night with an "Old Hammer Rivalry" WAC showdown vs. in-state rival Utah Valley beginning at 7 p.m.
  
DIXIE STATE VS. UTAH VALLEY: Saturday's game vs. Utah Valley will be the fourth NCAA game, and the first in St. George, between the two former junior college rivals on the basketball court.
    The previous three meetings have taken place in Orem, including a hard-fought 79-71 DSU loss this past Jan. 8.
    Last season, the two sides split a pair of games played in Orem, with UVU claiming game one, 87-72 (2/12/21), while DSU evened the season series with a 93-89 triumph the next night (2/13/21).
    Both programs first played each other in 1972-73, and met annually in Scenic West Athletic Conference/NJCAA Region 18 until the 2002-03, which was UVU's last season of JUCO play before the program began its transition to NCAA Division-I status (2003-04 season).

STOP, HAMMER TIME: Last season, Dixie State and UVU jointly announced an official name for the renewed in-state rivalry. "The Old Hammer Rivalry" will continue the tradition that had been formed during their junior college days.
    DSU and UVU will go head-to-head and compete for WAC titles against one another in baseball, m/w cross country, m/w golf, m/w basketball, m/w soccer, softball, women's track & field, and women's volleyball.
    Last spring UVU laid claim to the "Old Hammer" after posting a combined 7-6 record spanning five sports, and the Wolverines own a 7-0 lead over DSU to this point of the 2021-22 sports season.

LAST TIME OUT: For the second time in a week Dixie State pushed WAC-leading New Mexico State to the brink, but again the Trailblazers could not break through as the Aggies came away with the 75-64 home win on Wednesday night in Las Cruces.
    Dancell Leter converted a clutch "and one" to pull the Blazers to within four at 63-59 with 2:21 remaining. However that would be as close as the Blazers would come to pulling off the road upset as the Aggies held DSU to just five points the rest of the way and knocked down their free throws late to pull away for the win.   
 
JUDKINS NOW NO. 1 IN UTAH: Head Coach Jon Judkins became the all-time winningest head coach in Utah collegiate basketball history with career victory No. 583 in DSU's 114-49 home rout of SAGU-AIC back on Dec. 15.
    Judkins moved past legendary Utah head women's basketball coach Elaine Elliott (582-324) atop the state's all-time coaching victories list (men's and women's). That list also includes a pair of former Dixie State coaches in Dave Rose (1990-97 before moving on to BYU) and Stan Watts (1941-45 before moving on to Utah), along with such names at Stew Morrill (Utah State) and Rick Majerus (Utah).
    Judkins currently owns a 589-288 (.671) overall record during his time at both Dixie State and Snow College (1992-2005).
    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 was 284-128 on the Badger sideline. Also of note, his older brother Jeff Judkins, who is currently the head women's coach at BYU, is sixth on the state's all-time collegiate wins list (451-202).

CHALK UP ANOTHER MILESTONE WIN FOR COACH: Coach Judkins also reached his second career milestone in as many games as he won his 300th game as Dixie State head coach in DSU's 78-69 victory at North Dakota (12/18).
    Coach Judkins is currently 305-160 (.656) in 16-plus years at Dixie State, including a 285-148 (.658) mark in the program's NCAA era.

HOME SWEET HOME: Last Saturday's big win vs. Grand Canyon clinched the program's first home winning season record in the new D-I era, and the 14th home winning season in 16 years of NCAA competition overall.
    DSU is currently 9-4 inside Burns Arena this year, and thanks to Saturday's win, improved to 149-40 (.788; 148-39 under Head Coach Jon Judkins).
    Last season the Trailblazers went 5-7 at home in their D-I debut, this after the DSU posted a 12-2 mark in its final D-II year in 2019-20. That 2020-21 record snapped a 13-year streak that saw the Blazers not finish above .500 at home. The last time the program did not finish with a home winning record was DSU's first NCAA season in 2006-07, when the it finished with a 2-5 home mark.  
    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 fell to 3-10 (3-9 in true road games) away from home this season after its loss at NM State last Wednesday night
    DSU 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 now 137-109 (.557) in 246 games away from home in its NCAA era under Coach Judkins, which includes a 109-87 record (.556) in true road games, and a 28-22 mark (.560) in neutral site games during Judkins' tenure. That neutral mark includes November's Texas State (11/19 in Northridge, Calif.) game, which served as the Blazers' first neutral court tilt in the program's new D-I era.
    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.

FROM WAY DOWNTOWN....BANG: After draining a combined 55 3-pointers over a four-game stretch prior to its non-conference finale at Southern Utah (12/22), Dixie State has hit only 81 combined treys over its last 14 games overall. However the Trailblazers did manage to knock down a WAC season high nine treys at NM State last Wednesday night.  
     DSU closed out its six-game homestand (11/27-12/15) with at least 10 made 3-pointers in three-straight games, this after only doing it just 21 total times the previous 417 NCAA era games overall. The Blazers knocked down 11 treys in the Saint Katherine win (12/4), and followed that up with a then-school record 16 3FGM vs. Denver at week later (12/11).  
    The Blazers then went off against SAGU-AIC (12/15), hitting a school record 21 3-pointers, which was one of five 3FG school records to fall that night. DSU also broke records for first half 3FGM (10), second half 3FGM (11), and for 3FG attempted (37). In addition, 11 different Trailblazers hit at least one 3-pointer, which was another school record.
    Dixie State has now hit at least one 3-pointer in 136-straight games. In addition, DSU has hit at least one three pointer in 337 of its last 339 games overall, and in 431 of the program's 435 NCAA-era games, which began in the 2006-07 season, with 24 total games of at least 10 3FGM.

NINETY AND NINE: For the first time in the program's NCAA era, Dixie State scored 97 or more points in three-straight games when the Blazers lit the scoreboard for 99 points twice against Bethesda (11/30 and 12/1), and 97 vs. Saint Katherine (12/4).
    Then after an 82-point night in the Denver win (12/11), DSU erupted for a season-high 114 points in the SAGU-AIC win (12/15), which is the second-most points in the program's NCAA era. In all, DSU averaged 93.5 points over its six-game homestand (11/27-12/18).
    Dixie State is 56-6 all-time when scoring at least 90 points, including a 43-5 mark in games of 90-99 points, and a 13-1 record when the Blazers eclipse the century mark.

BIG GAME HUNTER: Senior forward Hunter Schofield scored in double figures for the ninth time in his last 10 starts with a team-high 14 points at NM State on Wednesday night. That performance came on the heels of his game-high 18 points in last Saturday's win vs. GCU, including the eventual game-winning "And One" conversion with 17.6 seconds remaining.
    In fact, the senior also led or co-led the Blazers in rebounding (9), assists (3) and blocks (2) in a game-high 34:34 of action vs. the Lopes.
    Schofield is averaging 16.8 points over this current stretch, highlighted by becoming the first Trailblazer in the program's NCAA era to score 20 or more points in four-straight games.
    The senior started his 20-point run with a WAC season-high 25 at Seattle U (1/15), then followed that up with consecutive 22-point nights in home wins vs. Lamar (1/20) and UTRGV (1/22). Schofield began DSU's three-game road swing with a game-high 23 points in the win at Chicago State (1/29), but did see that streak end in the Sam Houston loss (2/3), though he did lead DSU in scoring with 15 points.
    Schofield has scored 10 or more points in 21 of his 26 starts this season, and in 32 of his last 40 games dating back to the 2020-21 campaign, with 10 games of 20 or more points over that period.
    Dixie State is 10-3 this season when Schofield scores 15 or more points, which includes a season-high 29 points in the home win over Southern Utah (11/12).

20/20/20 AND 20: Prior to DSU's win at CSU, Schofield was one of five Blazers in program history to score at least 20 points in three-straight games and was the second to do it twice (2019-20). Former Blazer swingman Tom Whitehead also achieved the feat twice in 2009-10 and again in 2010-11.
    Former DSU forward and assistant coach Kasey Winters was the first to do it in 2007-08, while Blazer All-American guard Trevor Hill added his name to that exclusive list in 2017-18, and former DSU forward Matt Conway followed suit a year later in 2018-19.

ON TARGET: Schofield entered some rarefied air in game one vs. Bethesda (11/30) when he went a perfect 9-for-9 from the floor en route to his 18-point night. The senior joined former Trailblazers Mark Ogden Jr. (9-of-9 vs. Holy Names; 12/20/14) and Steven Larson (11-of-11 at Montana State-Billings; 11/16/12) as the only other players in DSU's NCAA era to post a perfect shooting night with at least nine made field goals.

DOUBLE YOUR PLEASURE: Schofield has also averaged 7.3 rebounds over his last 10 games, including 5.8 defensive caroms, with two total double-doubles over this current stretch.  
    Schofield recorded his second double-double of the year with 16 points and 10 boards in the win at CBU (1/12), then just missed No. 3 at Seattle U (1/15) with eight rebounds to go with his 25 points.
    The senior did get his third double-double of the season, and eighth of his career, in the home win vs. Lamar (1/20) with game highs of 22 points and 12 rebounds, and followed that up with 22 more points and seven rebounds vs. UTRGV (1/22).

MR. 1000 (NOW 1100)/400: Schofield became the fourth player in DSU's NCAA era to join the 1,000-point/400-rebound club, and was the first player to reach both numbers in the same game thanks to his banner day at Seattle U (1/15).
    Schofield, who became the eighth member of DSU's 1,000-point club, joined a more exclusive club at home vs. NM State (2/10) when he hit a mid-range jumper with 18.9 seconds left to score his 1,100th career point. The senior is now one of five players to have reached that plateau and was the first to do it in less than 100 career games (75 games).
      In addition, Schofield (1,132 pts/459 rbs - #5 all-time in both) is now one of only three players in DSU's four-year era in the program's 1100/400 club. The exclusive list includes former DSU All-Americans Zach Robbins (2009-15; 1,470 pts/932 rbs) and Hill (2014-18; 1,441 pts/596 rbs), who are ranked 1-2, respectively, on both career lists.
    Schofield enters the final five games of his storied career needing only 54 more points and 17 rebounds to vault into solo third place on both of those DSU career lists.
    In addition, Schofield is currently third on DSU's career scoring (14.7 ppg) and FGM (438) lists, sixth in rebound average (5.9 rpg), seventh in blocks (42), and eighth all-time in FG% (.504) and FTM (209).

GOODEN-PLENTY: Junior guard Cameron Gooden had a night in DSU's win at California Baptist (1/12), pouring in a game and career-high 26 points on 8-of-14 shooting with three 3-pointers (3-of-4 3FG). Gooden also went 7-of-9 at the foul line and finished with six rebounds and four assists in nearly 35 minutes of game action.
    He then followed that up with 10 points, five dimes, four boards and three steals at Seattle U (1/15).
    Gooden earned Dixie State's first WAC award this season when he was named WAC Player of the Week back on Dec. 13, after he scored a then-season high 22 points and dished out six assists in the Denver home win (12/11).
    Gooden earned All-Tournament Team honors at the CSUN Good Sam Empire Classic, highlighted by 20 points and a career-best eight rebounds at CSUN (11/13). The junior guard also led DSU in scoring against both Texas State (18 pts; 11/19) and at nationally-ranked USC (17 pts; 11/22) on that three-game SoCal trip.
    Gooden dished out a career-high nine assists and had 10 points in DSU's home win over Southern Utah (11/12), while he tied a WAC career-best with six dimes at Sam Houston (2/3). The junior has recorded four or more assists 24 times over his 47-game Trailblazer career.
    In addition, Gooden, who tallied 11 points and four dimes at home vs. NM State (2/10), has scored in double figures in 18 of 26 starts this season, with three 20-plus point nights, and in 31 of 47 games as a Trailblazer, while he has led or co-led the team in scoring 18 times overall.

BLAZING TRAILS:
* - Junior forward Dancell Leter has scored in double figures in seven-straight, and in 11 of his last 14 starts, including back-to-back 15 point outings in DSU's home split last week ... he followed that up with 13 points on 4-of-7 shooting with a pair of 3-pointers at NM State last Wednesday.
* - Leter tallied 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting and pulled down five rebounds at home vs. NMSU (2/10), before pouring 15 more points (6-of-7 FT) with four caroms in the GCU win last Saturday.
* - Leter is averaging 13.8 ppg on 50.4 percent shooting (9-of-18 3FG; .500) over his current run ... Leter has tallied 10 or more points 14 times overall this season, highlighted by a career-high 17 points vs. Weber State (11/27).
* - Leter recorded his first double-double as a Trailblazer after he went for 13 points and 11 rebounds at Chicago State (1/29) ... Leter had 8-and-8 at the intermission, and was sitting on those eight points until the 2:49 mark of the second half when he knocked down a dagger 3-pointer ... the junior then slammed home a breakaway jam after a Frank Staine steal on the Cougars' ensuing possession.
* - Speaking of Staine, he became the sixth player in the program's NCAA era to hit at least 100 career 3-pointers when he drilled his third of the game late in the second half at NM State on Wednesday night.
* - Staine finished with 11 points at NMSU, this after he tied a season-high with 17 points to lead four Blazers in double figures at home vs. the Aggies back on Feb. 10.
* - Staine also poured in 17 points at USC (11/22) ... the Inglewood native knocked down three 3-pointers to go with one rebound and a steal in 24 minutes in his return to his Los Angeles hometown area.
* - Staine posted his first double-double of the season, and the third of his collegiate career, with 11 points and a season-high 10 rebounds in the UTRGV win (1/22) ... that performance came on the heels of him going for 11 and 5 in the Lamar victory (1/20) two nights earlier.  
* - Staine led the Blazers with 15 points at UVU (1/8), and did the job on the defensive end as well with a career-high five steals, which is t-fifth on DSU's single game list ... Staine became the 12th different Trailblazer in the program's NCAA era to record five or more steals in a game, and he is the first to do it since Gooden collected five steals in DSU's loss at California Baptist last season (1/29/21).
* - Staine (74 steals) moved into DSU's top-10 career steals list with two steals at SFA (2/5) and picked off another steal on Wednesday at NMSU.
* - Staine has scored 10 or more points in 12 of his last 22 outings overall, including 15 points on 5-of-5 from 3-point country vs. SAGU-AIC (12/15).
* - In fact, Staine became the first player in Dixie State's NCAA era to hit his first five 3-point attempts.
* - Staine has vaulted into DSU's career 3FG shooting ranks, where he is currently sixth in 3FGM (100) and 3FGA (274), and is ninth in 3FG% (.365).
* - Junior guard Brock Gilbert tied a WAC career high with six points on 3-of-5 shooting in the GCU win last Saturday ... Gilbert also collected two rebounds, two assists and one steal in nearly 15 minutes of action.
* - Gilbert tallied six points on 2-of-4 from the perimeter vs. Abilene Christian (1/1) ... in fact, both of Gilbert's made threes, the only two DSU hit on the night, allowed Blazers' current streak of 136-straight games with a made 3-pointer to continue.   
* - Freshman guard Noa Gonsalves filled the stat sheet with eight points, three rebounds, two assists and one steal vs. UTRGV (1/22) ... Gonsalves also poured in eight points two nights earlier vs. Lamar (1/20) and blocked a career-high two shots, both of which came in the second half, including a highlight-reel smother block on a Cardinal fast break.
* - Gonsalves' consecutive eight-point outings were the most since he poured in a WAC season-high 11 on 4-of-6 shooting in a career-high 27 minutes of action off the bench in the Tarleton loss (12/30).
* - Gonsalves' 11 points were one off of his career high of 12 set in the road win at North Dakota (12/18), against which he went 5-of-7 from the floor with a pair of 3-pointers, on his way to WAC Freshman of the Week (12/20) honors.
* - Freshman post player Trey Edmonds had a night last Wednesday at NM State, against which he poured in a career-high 10 points and pulled down a team-high six rebounds in just over 11 minutes off the bench.
* - Edmonds tallied eight of his 10 points in the second half, highlighted by two thunderous dunks, and collected his fifth blocked shot of the year to help keep the Blazers within striking distance late.
* - Edmonds' six caroms also tied his WAC season-high, which he recorded at Stephen F. Austin (2/5), and were the most since he grabbed a career-high eight, to go with a then-career best eight points off the bench vs. SAGU-IAC (12/15).   
* - After throwing down just three total dunks in 21 games last season, the Trailblazers already have 16 dunks through 26 games this year - all of which have come over the last 21 games ... Leter is the current team leader in dunks with seven, including that breakaway throw down in the final minutes at Chicago State (1/29).
* - DSU's bench combined to outscore the SAGU-AIC reserves by a whopping 64-18 margin (12/15) ... the 64 bench points eclipsed the previous season-high of 57 set in game one vs. Bethesda (11/30), against which the Blazer reserves combined to outscore their Flame counterparts by a 101-55 clip in the two wins.
* - Sophomore guard Isaiah Pope and junior forward Jacob Nicolds accounted for half of DSU's 30 bench points at Utah Valley (1/8) ... Pope tallied 13 points and pulled down four rebounds, while Nicolds added 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting with two 3-pointers and four caroms.
* - In fact, Pope's effort at UVU earned him the start at CBU (1/12), and he responded by filling the stat sheet with 10 points, five rebounds, four assists and one steal in 28 minutes ... Pope has started every game since and is averaging 8.6 ppg over his last 11 outings overall, including a season-high 17 points vs. UTRGV (1/22), and 12 points at Chicago State (1/29).
* - Through 26 games, DSU's bench has outscored its opponent reserves by a 620-553 margin (23.8 ppg-21.2 ppg), and in 13 of 24 games (with two ties) overall this season ... however that average has taken a hit over the Blazers' last four games as SFA's bench outscored DSU's reserves 31-8 (2/5), as did NM State (2/10) by a 15-12 count ... GCU also owned a 20-12 edge in bench points in last Saturday's Blazer win, while DSU and NMSU tied with 18 points apiece on Wednesday night.     
* - The eight bench points at SFA tied DSU's season-low, which was set in the come-from-behind win at California Baptist (1/12), thanks to the five DSU starters combining to score a season-high 71 of the team's 79 points ... the previous starting line-up season high for points was 66 set in the Saint Katherine win (97-65; 12/4).  
* - Last season DSU outscored its opponent reserves by a 466-406 margin (22.2-19.3 ppg) in 21 games (11-of-21 games) ... in 2019-20, DSU reserves outscored its opponents' reserves in 22 of 30 games played (748-571/24.9 ppg-19.0 ppg).
* - While the Blazer offense hitting on all cylinders in the sweep of Bethesda, the Dixie State defense came up just as clutch as the Trailblazers broke the program's NCAA era single-game steals record with 18 in game two win (12/1) ... DSU forced 23 Flames' miscues on the night, which led to 28 Blazer points.
* - The 18 steals eclipsed the previous record of 17 set twice, most recently at home vs. Dominican more than 10 years ago (2/10/11). DSU also had 17 steals at Adams State (11/18/06) in the program's third-ever NCAA game.
* - Since the 2016-17 season, Dixie State has shot 50 percent or better in just 49 of its last 157 games overall, and the Blazers have shot better than 50 percent only four times through 26 games this season.
* - DSU shot a season-high 57.6 percent (34-of-59) vs. Saint Katherine (12/4), and 51.9 percent vs. SAGU-AIC (12/15).
* - Also dating back to the 2016-17 season, Dixie State has had 74 of its last 160 games decided by nine points or less, including 16 of 47 games to this point of the program's Division I transition, with seven of those occasions coming this season (4-3 overall), including last week's home loss to NM State, and the GCU win on Saturday.
* - Dixie State crashed the boards in its sweep of Bethesda as the Blazers owned a plus-44 rebound margin in the two wins ... in fact DSU's 59 rebounds in game one (11/30) are the third-most in a single game in the program's NCAA era, while the 56 caroms in game two (12/1) are tied for seventh-most overall.
* - In addition, the two-game stretch also marked the first time in the program's four-year era that Dixie State posted consecutive 50-plus rebound games.
* - Dixie State has won the "Battle of the Boards" in 14 of 26 games this season (10-4), this after the Blazers were outrebounded 12 times in 21 games in their D-1 debut last season ... overall, the Blazers have outrebounded an opponent in 89 of its last 133 games going back to the 2017-18 campaign.
* - DSU attempted a season-low four free throws (3-of-4) in the home loss to NM State (2/10) ... the Blazers' previous season low was six charity tosses (3-of-6) in their home loss to Weber State (11/27).
* - DSU has attempted 20 or more 3-pointers 20 times this season, including a WAC season-high 28 3FGA at NM State last Wednesday night, and 21 vs. GCU last Saturday.
* - In fact, DSU has now broken the school record for attempted 3-pointers with 596 through 26 games this season, which bested the previous record of 565 set in 30 games during the 2019-20 season.
* - Meanwhile, DSU has hit on 187 (.313) of those attempts this season, which is currently No. 2 on the single season list ... DSU made a school record 205 treys in the 2019-20 campaign.

ABOUT THE UTAH VALLEY "WOLVERINES": Utah Valley (17-8/8-5 WAC) enters Saturday's game having won two-straight and six of its last eight, which includes a big 72-68 home win vs. NM State last Saturday, and a 69-56 road victory at Tarleton State last Wednesday.
    Mark Madsen (39-38 overall; Stanford, 2000), who is in his third season as head coach at UVU, joined the Wolverine program prior to the 2019-20 season after a six-year stint as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers.  
    Four Wolverines average double figures, led by reigning WAC Player and Defensive Player of the Year Fardaw Aimaq (6-11). The sophomore center is currently the NCAA D-I leader in double-doubles (22) and is ranked in the top-40 overall nationally in scoring (t-39th - 19.2 ppg), rebounding (2nd - 13.4 rpg) and total rebounds (2nd - 335).
    As a team, Utah Valley averages 73.1 ppg on 46.3 percent shooting through 25 games while allowing 65.6 ppg. UVU also averages 6.7 3FGM (WAC leader in 3FG% -.381), 4.4 blocked shots per game, and 40.2 rpg along with a WAC-best +7.7 rebound margin.

UP NEXT: Dixie State continues its final homestand next Thursday, Feb. 24, when the Trailblazers welcome WAC (and former PacWest) rival California Baptist to the Burns Arena. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m.