Dixie State closed out its two-game Texas road trip on the wrong end of an 81-52 decision at Stephen F. Austin on Saturday afternoon inside the William R. Johnson Coliseum. The Trailblazers dropped both games in the "Lonestar State" to fall to 11-12 overall, 4-6 in WAC play. 
 
DSU jumped out to a quick 8-3 lead three minutes in on the strength of a Dancell Leter 3-pointer and an Isaiah Pope lay-in and free throw. Then the Blazer offense went ice cold, misfiring on nine of its next 10 shot attempts with seven turnovers over the next eight-plus minutes.
 
Fortunately for Dixie State, SFA did not fare much better, though the Lumberjacks (15-8/7-4 WAC) did manage to erase the early deficit and led by four at 16-12 following a Nigel Hawkins bucket at the 8:35 mark of the first half.
 
Dixie State managed to get the offense back on track with a 9-2 run, which was spurred on by a stout Blazer zone defense, to jump back on top at 21-18 after a Leter transition basket with 5:26 to go in the period.
 
That lead would be short lived as the Lumberjacks outscored the Blazers 17-5 to close out the frame to take a commanding 35-26 lead at the intermission.  
 
DSU came out of the halftime break and quickly pared the deficit to four at 39-35 with 16:47 remaining.
 
However Stephen F. Austin quelled any thought of a Blazer rally with a decisive 18-5 run over a six-plus minute span to extend to its biggest lead of the game at 57-40 with 10:22 left. The 'Jacks maintained their double-digit cushion the rest of the way to close out the win.
 
Leter was one of two Trailblazers to score in double figures as the junior finished with 13 points and a co-team high six rebounds. Meanwhile Cameron Gooden added 12 points along with three assists.
 
Two nights after posting a then-season low 28.8 percent shooting performance in the loss at Sam Houston on Thursday, Dixie State shot just 27.1 percent (16-of-59) from the floor on Saturday, including a 13.0 percent (3-of-23) clip from the perimeter.
 
DSU also turned the ball over 25 times, the Blazers' second-highest total of the season, which led to 32 Lumberjack points. SFA was not much better with 24 miscues in the game, though the Trailblazers only managed to score 20 points on those extra possessions.

David Kachelries led all scorers with 17 points on 6-of-10 shooting with three 3-pointers. The Lumberjacks connected on 55.6 percent (30-of-54) of their shots (5-of-20, .250 3FG) and went 16-of-20 at the foul line. SFA also outrebounded the Blazers by a 39-37 count.
 
Dixie State will play five of its next six games at home, beginning with a date vs. perennial WAC power New Mexico State next Thursday, Feb. 10. Tip-off inside the Burns Arena is set for 7 p.m.