ST. GEORGE, Utah - The Dixie State women's basketball team started quick and stayed in control all game to beat Fresno Pacific 79-71 on Saturday afternoon.

Dixie State (3-4, 2-1) shot 50.8 percent for the game, led by Leslie Tademy (Phoenix, AZ/South Mountain)'s 18 points. Tademy also posted five assists, three steals and three rebounds.

DSU held Fresno Pacific (1-6, 1-2) to just 35.8 percent from the field, and only 4 of 18 from 3-point land. Kaylah Miller (San Diego, CA/La Jolla Country Day) added 14 points and Taylor Maynes (Salome, AZ/Salome) put in 12 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals. Post players Haileigh Emerine (Spanish Fork, UT/Spanish Fork) and Taylor Mann (Castle Dale, UT/Emery) added 10 points apiece. 

The Red Storm came out of the gates hot. Miller and Maynes knocked down back-to-back threes to make it 14-5 after the first five minutes of action.

DSU continued to shoot well, hitting at almost 70 percent midway through the first half. Dixie State took a 39-26 lead into the break. Miller led with eight points while Maynes, Mann and Emerine all chipped in six apiece. Sandria Bolden (Las Vegas, NV/Bishop Gorman) added four points off the bench.

In the second half, the Red Storm pushed the lead to 19 points at the 15-minute mark.

Fresno Pacific started to creep back in with a run inside of eight minutes to go, cutting the lead to 61-49. Dixie State responded however and squashed the comeback attempt with a 6-2 stretch to make it 67-51 with 5:41 remaining.

The Red Storm had to stay focused at the line with the Sunbirds trying to extend the game at the line, but DSU made its shots to win it 79-71. 

Next up Dixie State will play in the Las Vegas Challenge on Dec. 17-18 at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.