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Utah Tech University Athletics

2019-20 WBB - Keslee Stevenson vs. Westminster
Stan Plewe/Utah Tech Athletics
65
Winner Dixie State DSWB 18-11,12-10 RMAC
60
Western Colorado WSWB 20-7,18-4 RMAC
Winner
Dixie State DSWB
18-11,12-10 RMAC
65
Final
60
Western Colorado WSWB
20-7,18-4 RMAC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Dixie State DSWB 19 19 15 12 65
Western Colorado WSWB 16 14 23 7 60

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

Trailblazers advance in RMAC tournament with 65-60 win over #2 Western Colorado

The Dixie State women's basketball team earned its first-ever Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference tournament victory on Tuesday, claiming a 65-60 triumph over No. 2 seed Western Colorado inside Paul Wright Gymnasium in Gunnison, Colorado.
 
The Trailblazers (18-11) played in their first conference tournament game since the 2013-14 season, and made sure they didn't squander the opportunity, earning the program's first postseason win in six years.
 
In a strange start, the Trailblazers were assessed a team technical foul before the opening tipoff due to a uniform violation. The Mountaineers (20-7) sank both technical free throws to take a 2-0 lead before the game had even begun. Playing on the road in front of raucous crowd, the odd start had the potential to derail the visitors, but the Dixie State coaches and players didn't let that happen. Instead, DSU raced to a 19-10 lead behind a blistering hot start that saw the Trailblazers sink three triples, including two by Keslee Stevenson.
 
"We all rallied around the situation," head coach JD Gustin said. "We took the opportunity to huddle and turn the adversity into a positive. There was energy in the building with everyone in the gym against us, and our players really just rallied around each other. We had a great first half that helped us build and sustain our energy."
 
Dixie State turned back two different WCU rallies in the second quarter. The Mountaineers pulled to within 19-18 early in the frame, but the Trailblazers countered with an 11-4 run to push the lead back to 30-22. The home squad responded with a 7-0 run to cut the lead to 30-29, but DSU again weathered the storm, and used an 8-1 run to extend the advantage back to 38-30 at halftime. Stevenson added eight more points during the period, while London Pavlica chipped in five points.
 
Western Colorado mounted a 14-5 run to open the third quarter to take its first lead since the first quarter at 44-43. From there, the teams matched one another nearly basket for basket. Madi Loftus converted a three-point play on a made basket and subsequent WCU foul as time expired in the frame to tie the game at 53-53.
 
The Mountaineers seemed poised to take control of the game early in the fourth quarter, opening the period on a 7-0 run to build a 60-53 lead at the 7:49 mark. Sensing the momentum starting to shift, Gustin and the Trailblazers called for timeout.
 
"We've been working on being composed to finish games all year," Gustin said. "We've slowly improved over each game, and today we rallied around the motto of composure to finish. We were really good defensively over the last six and a half minutes of the game. That was the difference."
 
After the timeout, the Trailblazers held Western Colorado scoreless over the final seven minutes of the game, forcing 11 consecutive missed field goals and three turnovers. Meanwhile, DSU turned the defensive stops into a 12-0 run on the offensive end to clinch the 65-60 victory.
 
Dixie State shot 46 percent (23-of-49) from the field, 41 percent (7-of-17) from 3-point range, and 80 percent (12-of-15) from the free throw line. Stevenson led all scorers and three DSU players in double figures, matching her career high with 22 points on 4-of-5 shooting from downtown and a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line.  Loftus added 14 points, while Ali Franks chipped in 13 points.
 
The Trailblazers advance to the RMAC tournament semifinals for a showdown with in-state rival and No. 3 seed Westminster on Friday at 7:30 p.m. No. 1 seed Colorado Mesa will host the final two rounds inside the Brownson Arena in Grand Junction, Colorado.
 
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