The women’s basketball team now stands at 7-8 overall and 5-2 in the Pacific West Conference coming back from it’s second straight loss.
The game on Jan. 12 ended in a 66-59 point heartbreak to Azusa Pacific University at the Felix Events Center.
Three minutes into the game, APU pulled out a 16-4 lead over Dixie State.
Starting the comeback, senior guard Erica Hays made a shot. A basket by sophomore forward Johnna Brown was followed by sophomore forward Kirsten Marie Liana’s multiple baskets, which helped Dixie pull ahead in the last half.
The Red Storm came back from trailing 19 points to take a three point lead only to have it slip through their fingers at the end.
“We played probably our worst game of the year from top to bottom,” Kristensen said. “Coming off such a disappointing loss to Grand Canyon, we needed to be more hungry and we weren’t.”
Kristensen said now their backs are against the wall, and it is time to go put pull out their best game.
She said one of their biggest struggles is playing for 40 minutes.
“We have yet to really put a great full game effort together besides Grand Canyon,” Kristensen said.
APU improved to 6-6 over all and 3-1 in the Pacific West Conference.
Dixie State College has only won one out of six games since Dec. 18. But scoring may not be the problem.
Coach Angela Kristensen said controlling their turnovers has been their Achilles’ heel all year long.
DSC’s next game is against the Lancers of California Baptist University on Jan. 19.
This is only the second year the Lancers have been in the Pacific West Conference. Dixie lost both games it played against California Baptist last year. The Red Storm lost the first by eight points and the second by five.
One of the games last year had a highlight of six ties and 14 lead changes. But the Lancers came back and took over in the final eight minutes of the game to get the win over the Red Storm.
The Red Storm reclaimed their title against CBU when they beat the Lancers 63-56 on Jan. 5.
“We played so hard defensively—that is what won us the ball game,” Kristensen said. “If we match that intensity again, and take care of the ball we should see same results.”
Brown led the team with 19 points and 16 rebounds.
“The thing that stands out to me isn’t her great ability to score,” said men’s junior forward Steven Larson, a communication major from South Jordan. “But it’s her drive and motor that she uses every day to strive to be better.”
Larson said Brown is the anchor for their team. When she goes, they go.
Brown fell short eight points but snatched 13 rebounds against APU on Jan. 10. The performance raised her average rebounds per game to 11.8.
The new up and coming player for the Red Storm is sophomore guard Kaylah Miller. She led the pack with 12 points against APU, which also raised her average to 10.9 points per game.
This year the Lancers had a high of only a four-game winning streak. They are currently ranked 9-3 overall and 3-1 in the PacWest.
