BOX SCORE
ST. GEORGE, UTAH – Setting a career high in points for the second time this season, junior Tom Whitehead (St. George, UT/Dixie) scored 24 points and pulled down eight rebounds on Thursday night helping Dixie State College upend the BYU-Hawaii Seasiders 86-78 in Pacific West Conference action.
The junior guard/forward hit six of 13 shots from the floor and 10-of-13 from the free throw line. Also in double figures for Dixie State (7-3, 1-0) were Donovan Plunkett (Oroville, CA/Las Plumas) with 18 points and Nick Howard (Sandy. UT/Jordan) with 14.
The Seasiders (6-4, 0-1) were paced by Virgil (J.R.) Buensuceso with 25 points for the second straight year on the road and A.J. Reilly added 14 points. Defending Division-II player of the year Lucas Alves was held to four points and one rebound in his second game back from a knee injury.
Dixie State exhibited great energy in the first half and pulled out to a 17-point lead at the 11:08 mark. BYU-Hawaii rebounded with a 9-2 run over three minutes to close the gap. Plunkett made a fade away, baseline jumper at the first half horn giving DSC a 45-38 lead.
Whitehead drained a pair of free throws with 15:32 remaining for an 11-point edge, but the Seasisders made another push and took the lead at 9:42 as Gary Satterwhite slashed to the hoop for a layup.
With a minute left, Buensuceso yielded one of two free throws to make it a 76-73 DSC lead. Adam Ross (Torrance. CA/North Torrance ) lost the ball with a steal, but redeemed himself quickly picking the pocket of Buensuceso and laying in the turnover for two.
Dixie State iced the game late with free throw makes by Whitehead, Plunkett and Kevin Lindquist (Gilbert. AZ/Lone Peak).
The Red Storm shot 50-percent for the game (28-56) while Ross, who missed both games against BYU-Hawaii last year due to injury, dished out eight assists. DSC dominated the battle of the boards 41 to 29.
Conference play continues on Saturday, January 9 inside the Burns Arena when Dixie State welcomes in Chaminade University. Tip time is set for 7:30pm.
Join John Potter and “The Coach” Mike Olson for live tip to buzzer action on the Red Storm Radio Network – 91.3 Classical FM and online at Network1Sports.com – beginning at 7:15pm.
