Dixie State Tops #10 Seattle Pacific; Wins Sodexo Classic

Whitehead named MVP after 68-61 win

Box Score

SEATTLE, WASH. (November 20) – Dixie State College of Utah defeated 10th-ranked Seattle Pacific University 68-61 on Saturday night in the championship game of the Sodexo Tip-Off Classic inside the Brougham Pavilion. Tom Whitehead (St. George, UT/Dixie) scored 17 points to lead the Red Storm and earn MVP honors in the tournament.

Dixie State (3-2) trailed early 6-5, but seized control during a 13-0 run with three-pointers from Donovan Plunkett (Oroville, CA/Las Plumas) and Whitehead, a three-point play from Griffon Jones (Cheney, WA/Cheney), a crisp jumper from McKay Massey (Payson, UT/Payson) and a lay-up from Solomon Jensen (Centerville, UT/Viewmont).

The Falcons rebounded after a media timeout with a 12-4 spurt to cut DSC's advantage to 27-25. Over the final three minutes of the first half, Dixie State outscored SPU 10-5, taking a 37-30 lead into halftime.

The teams swapped field goals for the better part of the second half. Dixie State opened their lead up to 10 points, 64-52, after two Whitehead foul shots with 3:11 remaining. SPU mounted their final surge with a couple of three-pointers. The 9-0 spurt made the score 64-61.

Maurice Cole (Norwalk, CA/Santa Fe) laid the foundation to victory scoring the game's final four points. His drive into the key led to an acrobatic scoop-shot and a foul with :18 left snapped the Falcons' scoring string and snatched back the momentum.

Jones scored 15 points and Jensen added 10 off the bench. Dixie State shot 49-perent from the field (28-of-57) holding the Falcons to 21-of-57 from the field (36.8-percent). Chris Banchero had 17 points pacing Seattle Pacific.

Dixie State next competes in the Mesa State Thanksgiving Classic beginning Friday, November 26 against Western State. The Red Storm will face the tourney host on Saturday.

NOTES: Whitehead was named the MVP after scoring 38 points in two games. Joining him on the all-tourney team – SPU's Banchero and Andy Poling, Western Washington's Rory Blanche and CSU East Bay's Mark Samuels… Whitehead also moved into first place in career three-pointers (92) in the victory passing current assistant coach Ryan Sanchez who had 91 in three DSC seasons... The victory over #10 SPU was the first against a ranked opponent since December 16, 2008 when Dixie State beat #12 Central Washington 74-64 in the Burns Arena… DSC improves to 3-0 against GNAC teams this season and 3-1 in West Region games.

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