The Dixie State women's basketball team dropped its Pacific West Conference home opener, 93-69, to No. 25 APU Saturday.  With the loss, DSU drops to 6-3 in PacWest conference home openers and 0-7 all-time against APU.

The Storm (1-8, 1-2 PacWest) started strong, taking a 14-11 lead midway through the first period behind seven points from sophomore center Ashlee Burge (Riverton, Utah/Herriman). Dixie State had a chance to build on the lead, but a missed jumper and a turnover led to an APU 3-pointer to tie the game at 14-14 and spark an 8-0 run for the Cougars. Junior guard Tomorie Sangster (Vacaville, Calif./Will C. Wood ) responded with a trey from the left corner, but another DSU turnover and a fast break layup for APU put the Cougars ahead at 21-17 at the end of the quarter.

Dixie State stayed close with the Cougars in the second quarter, pulling to within 29-25 on a 3-pointer from senior guard Chermayne Moore (Pinole, Calif./Hercules) with 6:29 remaining in the first half. Like the first quarter, APU responded with an 8-0 run to push the lead to 37-25. The teams traded baskets until halftime, and APU took a 48-38 lead into the break.

The Cougars raced to a 20-point lead in the third quarter behind a 15-5 run to start the period. The Storm responded with a 7-2 run on another Moore 3-pointer and baskets by Burge and senior guard Leslie Tademy (Phoenix, Ariz./South Mountain), but APU pushed the lead back to 73-54 to end the third quarter.

DSU cut the lead back to 15 points at 75-60 in the fourth quarter, but APU again responded, this time with a 12-0 run to put the game out of reach. Like the end of the first half, the teams traded baskets until the game ended at 93-69 in favor of the Cougars.

"Azusa Pacific is a tough team to beat when they shoot the way they did," head coach Jenny Thigpin said. "We've got to do a better job of executing our game plan both offensively and defensively. We need to continue to get better and grow as a program."

Dixie State shot 35 percent (24-of-68) from the field, 25 percent (5-of-20) from beyond the arc, and 88 percent (16-of-18) from the free throw line. Moore led three Storm players in double figures with 20 points, while Burge added 14 points and five rebounds. Senior center Taylor Mann (Castle Dale, Utah/Emery) recorded her fourth consecutive (sixth on the season) double-double of the season with 19 points and 10 rebounds.

The Storm return to action after the holiday break, hosting Chaminade on Tuesday, Jan. 5 at 5 p.m. Mountain Time.