Stan Plewe/Utah Tech Athletics

Box Score

Westminster (UT) WCWB 19-7/17-5 RMAC

Dixie State DSWB 15-11/11-11 RMAC

Westminster (UT) WCWB

19-7/17-5 RMAC

Final

Mar. 01, 2019

Dixie State DSWB

15-11/11-11 RMAC

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	3	4	F
Westminster (UT) WCWB	17	16	18	9	60
Dixie State DSWB	18	16	15	14	63

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | 3/1/2019 11:52:00 PM | By DSU Athletics Media Relations

Trailblazers close season with 63-60 win over Westminster

Dixie State finishes with an overall winning season and clinches first conference season of .500 or better since 2013-14

The Dixie State women's basketball team entered Friday with a chance to do something that hadn't been accomplished in the program for the last five seasons. And accomplish the feat it did.

The Trailblazers (15-11, 11-11 RMAC) closed their 2018-19 season with a 63-60 win over in-state rival Westminster College on Friday inside the Burns Arena, clinching its first season at .500 or better in conference play since 2013-14 in the process. With the win, the Trailblazers also finished with an 11-4 record inside the Burns Arena, marking the most home wins since the 2010-11 (12) season.

"I'm just super proud of our team," head coach JD Gustin said. "Obviously, Westminster is a great team, and this is a big win for our program. We appreciate the opportunity that's been given us to be here. We're working hard to build a respectful program that our community can follow, enjoy and be proud of."

Dixie State used a 6-0 run midway through the first quarter to turn a 10-4 deficit into a 10-10 tie. Mariah Martin sparked the run with a layup, followed by four consecutive points by Ali Franks. Westminster responded to push the lead back to 15-11 at the 3:08 mark, but Franks buried a triple, and Cameron Mooney scored in the paint to retake a 16-15 lead. Franks later sank a pair of free throws to stake DSU to an 18-17 lead heading to the second quarter.

The Trailblazers opened the second quarter on a 9-2 run to build a game-high eight-point lead at 27-19 at the 5:52 mark. London Pavlica accounted for all nine DSU points of the run, scoring six points and dishing to Keslee Stevenson for a triple. Westminster countered with an 8-0 run to tie the game at 27-27 before the teams traded baskets over the final three minutes, sending DSU to a 34-33 halftime lead. Pavlica scored nine total points and grabbed four rebounds during the period to help keep the home team in front.

Neither team managed to build a lead larger than three points in the third quarter. Westminster outscored Dixie State 18-15 during the frame to take a 51-49 lead into the decisive fourth period. Mooney added four points and two rebounds during the quarter, while Stevenson also scored four points, and Pavlica added another three points with a triple.

The Griffins pushed the lead to six points at 55-49 early in the fourth quarter, but it didn't last long. Dixie State answered with a 9-0 run over the next two minutes to build a 58-55 lead at the 6:07 mark. Lisa VanCampen sparked the run with a layup, followed by two more layups by Stevenson and Martin. Madi Loftus capped the run with trey to give DSU the lead. Westminster responded with three points to tie the game at 58-58, but the Trailblazers would not be denied, outlasting the No. 2 team in the conference over the final four minutes to clinch the win.

Dixie State shot 41 percent (24-of-58) from the field, 26 percent (4-of-15) from 3-point range, and 73 percent (11-of-15) from the free throw line. Franks led four DSU players in double figures with 13 points, five rebounds, and five assists, while Pavlica added 12 points, six rebounds, and two assists. Stevenson and Martin chipped in 10 points each. Mooney matched two career-highs with nine points and seven rebounds to go with two blocks.

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