HILO, Hawaii - Despite a second-half lead, the Dixie State women's basketball team couldn't hold off the Hilo Vulcans in a 68-63 loss in Hawaii.

The Red Storm (4-8, 3-3) led by 11 in the second half but the surging Vulcans (3-6, 2-3) made more shots down the stretch and capitalized at the foul line to edge DSU.

Neither team shot particularly well. Dixie State shot 30.2 percent to Hilo's 25.8 percent but the Vulcans made 10 more from the charity stripe.

Leslie Tademy (Phoenix, AZ/South Mountain) led the Red Storm with 16 points. Taylor Mann (Castle Dale, UT/Emery) added 11 points and eight rebounds and Kaylah Miller (San Diego, CA/La Jolla Country Day) posted 10 points. Brianna Jessop (Hyrum, UT/Mountain Crest) pulled down a season-best 13 rebounds.

The Red Storm took a 30-23 lead into the break and Dixie State stretched the lead to double digits in the second half with a made triple from Tademy. She finished and and-1 play to make it 40-29 with 16:14 remaining.

The Vulcans didn't go away however, chipping away at the lead and coming back to tie it at 48-48 with just over seven minutes left. Hilo took a one-point edge with a made freebie but the Red Storm took it right back after Mann finished her own 3-point play with 6:17 to go.

DSU held a four-point lead with 4:34 to go but again the home team battled back. The Vulcans tied it up again at 60-60 with 1:47 remaining.

Inside of one minute, Hilo hit a jumper and then added three more at the foul line to make it 65-60 with 18 seconds left. 

Miller hit a triple to cut the lead to 65-63 with eight seconds remaining but the Vulcans hung on at the foul line and won it 68-63.

The Red Storm will hop islands to Oahu next, facing Chaminade on Tuesday, Jan. 6 at 8 p.m. MT.