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Utah Tech University Athletics

WBB - Martin vs. ART-U
Stan Plewe/Utah Tech Athletics
73
Academy of Art AAU-WBB 0-8/0-2 PacWest
77
Winner Dixie State DX-WBB 5-3/1-0 PacWest
Academy of Art AAU-WBB
0-8/0-2 PacWest
73
Final
77
Dixie State DX-WBB
5-3/1-0 PacWest
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Academy of Art AAU-WBB 27 14 16 16 73
Dixie State DX-WBB 22 19 22 14 77

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | | By DSU Athletics Media Relations

DSU Women rally past Academy of Art Saturday, 77-73

Trailblazers use 19-2 second-half run for fourth win in five games; Mariah Martin leads four in double figures with career-high 21 points

The Dixie State women's basketball team opened Pacific West Conference play in thrilling fashion on Saturday, rallying for a 77-73 win inside the Burns Arena.

Dixie State (5-3, 1-0 PacWest) faced an eight-point deficit at 55-47 with 4:31 remaining in the third quarter, but responded with a 19-2 run over the next five minutes to retake the lead at 66-57 with 9:45 remaining in regulation. Keslee Stevenson (Willard, Utah/Box Elder HS) accounted for nine points during the stretch, including a pair of triples at each end of the run, while Mariah Martin (Sandy, Utah/Alta HS) added six points and Ashlee Burge (Riverton, Utah/Herriman HS) chipped in four points.

Academy of Art countered with a 9-2 run, while the Trailblazers went over six minutes without a field goal, to pull to within two points at 68-66 with 4:43 remaining. The teams traded baskets over the next four minutes until Martin converted a layup with 57 seconds remaining to stake DSU to a 74-70 advantage.

The Urban Knights made one final push and converted a traditional 3-point with 33 seconds remaining to cut the lead to 74-73, but DSU scored on the ensuing possession to push the lead back to 76-73 when Tramina Jordan (Las Vegas, Nev./Centennial HS) passed the ball ahead to Ali Franks (Redding, Calif./Enterprise HS) in a press-break situation. Unable to catch the pass, Franks tipped the pass ahead to a wide-open Kristin Baldwin (Thatcher, Ariz./Thatcher HS), who finished the play with a layup. Stevenson sealed the 77-73 win 10 seconds later with a free throw.

"We're grateful to win a close game against an opponent who played well today," DSU head coach JD Gustin said. "We took better care of the ball and that definitely helped us win. After a slow start, I was pleased with how our point guard responded and thought she did a nice job pushing in transition and making good decisions down the stretch." 

The Trailblazers earned the victory despite a slow start and erased an early 7-0 deficit with a 14-5 run to take its first lead of the game at 14-12 at the 5:19 mark of the first quarter. Morgan Myers (St. George, Utah/Desert Hills HS) keyed the run with back-to-back 3-pointers, while Baldwin and Franks each added a basket during the stretch. Academy of Art answered with a 9-2 run over the next three minutes to regain the lead at 21-16. Both teams exchanged baskets over the final three minutes of the period, and the Urban Knights maintained their five-point advantage at 27-22.

Dixie State opened the second frame with a 10-0 run over the first two minutes to retake the lead at 32-29. Martin opened the run with a layup, followed by a Jordan 3-pointer. Baldwin added a layup, then Martin capped the run with three free throws after she was fouled on a 3-point attempt. The game went back-and-forth throughout the remainder of the second period as the teams traded baskets en route to a 41-41 halftime tie. Academy of Art opened the third quarter on a 14-5 run before DSU rallied for the win.

The Trailblazers shot 38 percent (24-of-63) from the field, 28 percent (7-of-25) from 3-point range, and 71 percent (22-of-31) from the free throw line. Martin led four DSU players in double figures, scoring a career-high 21 points to go with six rebounds, five assists, and two steals. Martin also converted 10-of-11 free throw attempts en route to the first 20-point scoring performance of the season for DSU. Baldwin finished with 11 points and eight rebounds, while Stevenson chipped in a career-high 10 points and Jordan added another 10 points and five rebounds. Myers recorded a career-high eight points, while Burge finished with seven points and five rebounds.

Dixie State will host No. 17 Azusa Pacific next Saturday at 1:30 p.m. inside the Burns Arena.
 
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