DENVER-Saturday, Dixie State men’s basketball (2-0) commences its first road swing as a Division I squad by visiting Denver (1-2) at the Magness Arena.
Dixie State head coach Jon Judkins has won 571 career games at Dixie State University and Snow College and is only 12 wins short of surpassing former University of Utah women’s head basketball coach Elaine Elliott (582-234, .713) for the most wins in Utah college basketball history.
The Trailblazers score 80 points per game, tying them for 76th in the nation with Michigan State, Chattanooga, Northern Iowa, Arizona, Morgan State, Cal Poly and Indiana State.
Dixie State surrenders 60.5 points per contest, tying them for 43rd nationally with Utah and Drake.
Junior forward Jacob Nicolds, the reigning WAC player of the week, leads the Trailblazers in scoring (15.5 points per game), rebounding (8.5 boards per contest) and steals (three).
Sophomore guard/forward Frank Staine (12.5 points per game) is the only other Trailblazer to average double figures in points..
Junior guard Cameron Gooden leads Dixie State with 9 assists and senior guard Dason Youngblood has three blocked shots to pace the Trailblazers.
Denver averages 68.7 points per game, ranking the Pioneers 214th nationally in scoring offense. The Pioneers also surrender 77.3 points per game, tying them for 242nd nationally with High Point.
Junior guard Jase Townsend is Denver’s leading scorer, averaging 16.7 points per contest as well as five rebounds per game.
Sophomore forward Robert Jones (11.3 points per contest, a team-best three blocks) and senior forward Frank Ryder (11 points) also score in double figures on-average for the Pioneers.
Junior forward Tristan Green (7.3 rebounds per game) leads Denver on the glass while sophomore guard Roscoe Eastmond leads the Pioneers with 10 assists. Eastmond, Green and junior guard Taelyr Gatlin lead Denver with two steals apiece.
Denver is coached by Rodney Billups who is in his fifth year at the helm of the Pioneers’ program. Billups has led Denver to a 47-77 (.379) record.
