1. If you're wondering what Dixie State is, it is a Division II school located in St. George, Utah. The southwestern corner of Utah has a milder climate than the rest of the state, and the nickname "Utah's dixie" came from settlers growing cotton and other temperate crops. Famous alumni include John Moses Browning, and BYU head coach Dave Rose. The basketball team is called the Red Storm, and last year they finished No. 18 in DII.
2. The game was played at Thomas & Mack Arena is Las Vegas. Last preseason these same two teams matched up on UNLV's home court, and the Runnin' Rebels needed overtime to edge the Red Storm 81-80.
3. Senior Dalton Groskreutz is a mature player. He' married, he's served a two-year mission, and he played his freshman season five years ago. Against UNLV, he also showed a mature game. He scored 20 points on just 11 shots, making all three of his 3s, and chipped in 5 boards, 3 assists, and a steal.
4. UNLV stayed in the game due to 22 offensive rebounds, meaning they grabbed 51% of their own misses. They only had that high of an OR% twice last season.
5. Dixie State won 71-70 in a 76 possession game. Losing a preseason game is no big deal, but only scoring 0.92 points per possession against a Division II team most certainly is a big deal. Dave Rice's team struggled on offense last year, finishing 135th in offensive efficiency. Then their most efficient player – Anthony Bennett – was the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft. His teams always play good defense, but they've struggled on the offensive end of the floor. This isn't the start they were looking for.
