BELMONT. CA – The Dixie State Red Storm women's basketball team split a two-game weekend series against the Argonauts of Notre Dame de Namur University last Friday and Saturday. In game one. the Red Storm let a 17-point lead slip away eventually falling to NDNU in the Pac West conference game 78-66. On Saturday night. a 16-0 second half run allowed Dixie State to beat the Argonauts on their senior night in a non-conference game 89-77.

Deney Phommabout (West Valley CIty. UT/Hillcrest) (West Valley City/Otero) had a magnificent weekend leading the Red Storm in scoring both games. She scored 19 points including going 8-8 from the free-throw line in Friday's defeat. In Saturday's game. Phommabout matched her season-high with 24 points (6-11 FG. 10-11 FT). The senior guard finished the weekend hitting 18 of 19 charity shots.

Tanya Clark (Beaumont. CA/Beaumont) (Beaumont/Arizona Western) compiled her third double-double of the season Friday with a 15 point. 12 rebound effort. In game two. she played only 25 minutes after twisting her ankle but still scored seven points. pulled down eight boards and doled out six assists.

In game one. the Red Storm struck quickly to open up a 17-point lead with 5:14 left in the first half. The Argos cut the lead to seven at the break and scored 13 of the second half's first 20 points to pull even with Dixie State at 44-44. The teams see-sawed the lead over five minutes before NDNU pulled away with a 11-0 run to lead 62-52. The Argos held off Dixie State and clinched the victory with a closing 9-3 spurt.

The loss knocked the Red Storm out of the Pac West title race.

On NDNU's senior night. the Red Storm and the Argonauts played a close first half with Dixie State leading by two. 39-37. at the half. Like the game before. NDNU pulled out to a second half lead. but this time. the Red Storm answered back. Down 57-48 with 14:22 left in the game. Dixie State rattled off a defining 16-0 run to pull ahead by seven. NDNU cut the lead to two. but could never get closer thanks to clutch free-throw shooting by DSC.

The Red Storm (15-10. 7-4) will close out the 2008-2009 regular season with a doubleheader against the Pac West conference champion Grand Canyon Antelopes inside the Burns Arena on March 5 and 6. Tip time for both games is scheduled for 5:30pm.

Friday night is Senior Night for the Red Storm. We will honor DSC's four seniors: Courtney Boyd (Keokuk. IA/Keokuk). Lindsey Chettinger (Sergeant Bluff. IA/Sergeant Bluff). Deney Phommabout (West Valley CIty. UT/Hillcrest) and Jessica Carver (Layton. UT/Layton).