BOX SCORE
HILO, HI – Dixie State College opened its four-game Hawaiian road trip with a come-from-behind win against the Vulcans of Hawaii-Hilo 79-76 on Valentine's night. The win was the first for DSC (14-4, 8-1) in three tries on the Big Island.
Tom Whitehead (St. George, UT/Dixie) scored the Storm's final 13 points en route to a career-tying high 24 points. Nick Howard (Sandy. UT/Jordan) had 12 points while Zach Robbins (Upland, CA/Upland) posted 10, his first game back in double figures since January 16.
UH Hilo (13-8, 7-4) got 28 points from Justin Smith on 12-of-19 shooting. Zachary Wilde netted 11 points while Lavell Shipman had 10.
The Red Storm never tasted the lead in the first half. A three-point play from Shipman gave Hilo an early 7-1 lead. DSC tied the game at 16-16 on a pair of Everton Araujo (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Torquato Caleiro) free throws at the 11:46 mark. Five minutes later, UHH led by ten only to see the Red Storm counter with a 10-0 ending with 4:34 left in the first half. Brian Ngo's three point play put the Vulcans up for good at the half 35-32.
Dixie State used solid foul shooting to take a 10-point lead, 52-42, with 11:57 remaining. UH Hilo steaily chipped away behind solid play from Smith and retook the lead 69-68 at the 2:28 mark.
Whitehead hit a trio of triples over the next 90 seconds to give DSC a 77-71 lead with 36 seconds left. Smith hit a jumper and Wilde nailed a three to close within one, but two Whitehead free throws gave Dixie State the final three point cushion.
Last second efforts from Andrew Gipson sailed wide right at the buzzer to give DSC the road win.
UHH shot 50.9-percent on the game while Dixie State ended at exactly 50-percent. The Storm won the rebound battle 32-29 and got the free throw line 16 more times.
Dixie State now travels to Oahu for a matchup Tuesday night with the Chaminade Silverswords at 7:30pm HT. DSC bested the Honolulu squad 82-71 inside the Burns Arena on January 9.
Catch all of the live action from the Aloha State with John Potter on the Red Storm Radio Network – Classical 91.3 FM and Network1Sports.com – beginning at 8:15pm MST before the women's tip against Chaminade.
NOTES: Forward Andy Palmer (St. George. UT/Pine View) received a bloody cut on his right eyebrow in the first half. He played with a bandage the rest of the game and received eight stitches after the game. Palmer is not expected to miss any time and will play Tuesday night at Chaminade.
