Massey, Owen each shine bright in Senior Night win over HPU

Storm one win away from 4th straight PacWest title

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SAINT GEORGE - Leaving the floor at the Burns Arena for a final time with the crowd standing for a well-deserved ovation is how every senior dreams of ending his playing career. Monday night, in front of 2,730 fans, two of Dixie State's favorites capped off their journeys by scoring in double figures to lead the Red Storm to an 83-66 win over Hawai'i Pacific in Pacific West Conference play.

Senior shooting guard McKay Massey (Payson, UT/Payson) and junior center Steven Larson (South Jordan, UT/Copper Hills) each had 15 points as DSU improved to 19-6 on the season, 14-3 in the PacWest. Senior forward Derek Owen (St George, UT/Dixie) added 10 points in his second start of the year.

DeQuan Thompson (Las Vegas, NV/Lake Mead Christian Academy) and Dalton Groskreutz (Santa Clara, UT/Snow Canyon) rounded out five DSU players in double figures.

HPU (9-15, 6-11 PWC) scored the first four points in the opening half before DSU rattled off seven straight points thanks to the seniors. Owen cashed in a shot of the glass before Massey nailed a pair of jumpers including a 3-pointer.

Tied at 14-14 at the 9:18 mark, Dixie State used a 20-5 run over seven minutes in seizing momentum. Thompson scored six of his 13 points during the string. Six shots from distance for the Sea Warriors kept them within nine points at the half, 36-27.

Long shots continued to fall for HPU I the second half, leading to a 13 for 30 night from the arc (43.3 percent). The visitors pulled within six early and trailed by nine, 68-59, at the 5:39 mark.

Dixie State pulled away with a 9-0 run over a span of 1:26 beginning with a driving lay-in from Groskreutz. The junior had four points in the string toward getting to his season average of 12 points. Owen added two free throws and Massey nailed one of his three long distance shots.

Ten different DSU players scored on the night. The Storm made 30-of-61 shots (49.2 percent) with seven makes behind the 3-point line. Dixie State dominated the boards 45-25 overall incorporating 16 offensive rebounds.

Malte Ziegenhagen led all scorers with 21 points for Hawai'i Pacific.

Dixie State closes out the regular season on the road Saturday afternoon at Point Loma. Tip from Golden Gymnasium is at 4 p.m. Pacific (5 p.m. Mountain). A DSU win would clinch at least a share of the Pacific West Conference title and the number one seed in the upcoming postseason league tournament.

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