Whitehead Nets 21 in Sodexo Tip-Off Victory

Senior forward leads DSC over W. Washington 86-60

Box Score

SEATTLE, WASH. (November 19) – Seniors Tom Whitehead (St. George, UT/Dixie) and Donovan Plunkett (Oroville, CA/Las Plumas) led the way for Dixie State College in Friday's 86-80 victory over Western Washington University in the opening game of the Sodexo Tip-Off Classic inside Brougham Pavilion.

Whitehead had 12 of his game-high 21 points over the final 6:43 while Plunkett iced the game with six made free-throws in the final ticks en route to 14 points. Jeremiah Barnes (Compton, CA/Los Altos) rounded out the Storm players in double-figures with 10 points, all coming in the first half.

Dixie State (2-2) took early control thanks to hot shooting and a quick defensive zone that held the Vikings (1-1) to 21-percent shooting in the game's first 12 minutes. The Red Storm used a couple of 6-0 runs and an 8-0 spurt to push their lead to as many as 17 before a late WWU rally cut the advantage to 42-33 at the half.

Western Washington opened the second half with a 17-9 run and eventually made DSC's halftime lead disappear at 60-60 with 8:43 remaining in the half. Dixie State countered with eight straight points thanks to threes from McKay Massey (Payson, UT/Payson) and Whitehead.

WWU moved as close as four points launching triples in the final minute, but the Red Storm hit 18-of-20 free throws (90%) in the second half including Plunkett's six to hold off the Vikings.

Shedrick Nelson was 6-of-13 from the field for 17 points to lead five WWU players in double figures. The Vikings out-rebounded DSC 41-36.

Dixie State received nine-point efforts from Griffon Jones (Cheney, WA/Cheney) and Everton Araujo (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Torquato Caleiro). Derek Owen (St George, UT/Dixie) ripped down six rebounds.

The Sodexo Tip-Off Classic ends Saturday night at 7:00pm Pacific (8:00pm Mountain) when Dixie State play the host-school, #10 Seattle Pacific and reigning West Region player of the year Chris Banchero.

NOTES: Whitehead, with a couple of three-pointers on the night, is tied with asssitant coach Ryan Sanchez with 91 career triples in their career - the top mark in Dixie State's Division-II history. Barnes eclipsed the 100-career assist mark with five dimes against WWU. Dixie State evened the all-time record against the Vikings (2-2). Plunkett surpassed 400 career points at DSC (402).

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