MBB: Red Storm Rebounds for Win over Chaminade

DSC bounces back from 12-0 Chaminade start

Jeremiah Barnes slashes to the hoop against Chaminade

PHOTO GALLERY

BOX SCORE

POSTGAME INTERVIEW WITH JON JUDKINS

ST. GEORGE – Chaminade University scored the first 12 points of the game on Saturday. Dixie State College bent, but never broke.

The Red Storm survived an anemic shooting performance in the first half. They displayed a total team effort in the second half downing the visiting Silverswords 70-52 in front of 2,541 energetic fans at the Burns Arena.

Dixie State (11-5, 4-2 PWC) had 11 of their 12 active players score in a balanced attack. Junior forward Griffon Jones (Cheney, WA/Cheney) led Red Storm with 12 points on 4-of-8 shooting from the field. Tom Whitehead (St. George, UT/Dixie) added 10 points. Jeremiah Barnes (Compton, CA/Los Altos) and McKay Massey (Payson, UT/Payson) tallied nine points apiece.

Chaminade surged to an early advantage thanks to a pair of three-point shots by Waly Coulibaly and Steven Bennett. The Swords (11-7, 4-2 PWC) resisted any major DSC charge and took their biggest lead of the game, 29-16, with 3:18 remaining in the half.

Two layups by Derek Owen (St George, UT/Dixie) over the final 55 seconds of the half allowed the Red Storm to close within six points at the break, 30-24. Dixie State shot an anemic 21.4-percent from the field, but stayed alive hitting 10 free throws.

DSC switched roles with Chaminade at the beginning of the second half – taking their first lead of the game 43-41 with 10:58 left after Whitehead nailed two technical foul shots and guard Maurice Cole (Norwalk, CA/Santa Fe) hit a jump shot to close out a 13-5 spurt.

Chaminade got a Mamadou Diarra alley-oop dunk to knot the game once again. It was as close as the Swords would get.

Dixie State opened up a big cushion rattling off the next 14 points. The Storm outscored Chaminade 46-22 to seal away a much needed Pac West win.

Bennett needed 14 shots for his game-high 14 points. Diarra notched a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds.

The Red Storm, a game back of first place in the conference, return to the court next Saturday in Phoenix against first-place Grand Canyon. Tip is scheduled for 5:15 p.m. Mountain time. John Potter will have all of the audio coverage from Antelope Gymnasium beginning with the women's game at 3 p.m.

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