IRVINE, Calif. — Every bounce seemed to go against Dixie State in the final seconds of a double-overtime thriller against PacWest newcomer Concordia University Saturday night. Except the very last one, and that enabled the Red Storm to escape with an 81-80 win Saturday night at CU Arena.
With 23 seconds left in the second overtime, the Eagles Bruton Case drove the lane. Storm wingman Robbie Nielson seemed to have set up in the lane to take the charge. Case hit the shot, knocked Nielson to the floor and was awarded a free throw to tie the game. Case missed the free throw, but the officials called the ball out of bounds on the rebound with possession going to the Eagles.
After taking some time off the clock, Case again took the shot, but instead of a runner, pulled up for a 10-foot shot in the lane that went long. The ball caromed off a few players before DSU’s Trevor Hill corralled it and dribbled away from traffic to avoid the foul. The Red Storm pulled out a much-needed victory in double overtime over the Concordia University Eagles, 81-80.
“When you are on the road you can’t expect to always get the correct call,” said Dixie State head coach Jon Judkins. “You have to play through the bad bounces and questionable calls. Our guys are pretty beat up and they gutted out a big road win.”
The game started slowly for the Storm. Concordia took a five-point lead 10 minutes into the contest, 18-13, on a jumper from JT Roach. The Storm climbed back and took a 22-20 advantage off four straight points from Mark Ogden. With 1:12 remaining in the half, Nielson made a diving steal that led to a layup at the other end by Hill. Nielson, who ended up three rows in the stands, had to limp back onto the court to play defense.
“Robbie does so many things that don’t show up in the stat sheet,” said Judkins. “But he is such a huge impact with his hustle plays.”
Zac Hunter finished the half with a rebound tip-in just before the horn to give the Storm a one-point lead at the break, 32-31.
Coming out of halftime, neither team could pull away. The largest lead was three points on both sides. DSU finally created a little cushion on consecutive layups from Brandon Simister and Hill to go up 60-53 with 5:33 remaining.
CU inched back in and tied the game at 61 when Roach hit a trey with 1:15 remaining. Two Storm turnovers in the last minute gave CU two opportunities to grab the win. Both jumpers were off the mark.
In the first OT, Hill stole the tip and hit Mason Sawyer for a quick 3-pointer. The Eagles scored two quick baskets to take the lead back. Ogden and Hill reciprocated for the Storm and the Dixie State lead was 68-65 with 2:57 left in the first overtime. CU’s Stephen Grosey then scored on a jump shot and then a layup to give CU the one point lead with 1:18 remaining.
Dixie ran off clock and then found Ogden, who drove the lane and drew the foul. Ogden hit both free throws for a 70-69 lead. CU post Geoff Gerlach then hit one of two free throws at the other end to tie it up at 70.
After a DSU missed shot, the Storm had to buckle down on D again at the other end. Justin Davis’s jumpshot with six seconds was long. Nielson got the rebound and appeared to have his arm ripped away from the ball by a CU player, but could not get the call, sending the game to double overtime.
In the second OT, the Storm quickly built another cushion on baskets from Simister and Ogden. A three-point play from Grosey cut the lead to one with 3:50 remaining. Hill then hit 3 of 4 free throws on consecutive possessions to give the Storm a 77-73 lead. Two more free throws from Ogden gave DSU a 79-73 lead with 1:09 left.
Justin Davis hit a basket and drew Sawyer’s fifth foul in the process to pull CU to within three. Davis then fouled Hill with 38 seconds left. Hill hit both free throws for a seemingly insurmountable five-point lead 81-76.
A quick foul at the other end netted two more free throws from Davis to pull within three. CU then tied up Hill immediately on the inbounds to get possession back on the jump ball, setting up the final moments.
As a team, DSU outshot the Eagles 46 to 39 percent. The Storm also outrebounded CUI 50-35. The Storm did commit 21 turnovers against the Eagle pressure.
Individually, Hill and Ogden tied scoring honors with 27 apiece. Sawyer added 10. Ogden also led the team with 15 rebounds. Hunter and Nielson pulled down eight apiece.
“Concordia had a chance to win the game at the end of regulation and at the end of both overtimes,” said Judkins. “Our guys played tough each time and stopped them each and every time. Trevor Hill is so good at getting to the rim and either getting the bucket or drawing the foul. Tonight he missed a few free throws, but he hit them when it counted. And Mark Ogden came up big with a double-double tonight. We needed that.”
The Storm move to 6-6 overall and 3-3 in the PacWest. CU drops to 11-3 overall, 4-2 in the PacWest. Dixie State returns home for a two-game stand beginning Thursday night against Notre Dame de Namur at Burns Arena. Game time begins at 7:30 p.m.
Stats: DSU 81, CUI 80
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Concordia 89, Dixie State 75
Despite four Storm players scoring in double figures, Dixie State’s women’s basketball team could not overcome a slow start in dropping an 89-75 Pacific West Conference decision at league newcomer Concordia University Saturday night in Irvine, Calif.
DSU had a poor start and was down 24-16 after the first quarter. The Storm bounced back in the second, but still faced a 41-35 deficit at intermission. The Eagles added to their lead in the third. DSU started the fourth quarter behind 64-52.
Concordia got 34 points from its bench and outrebounded Dixie State 49-47.
For DSU, Starting post player Ashlee Burge (7.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg) was injured against Azusa Pacific and did not play again vs. CUI. Taylor Mann led all scorers with 22 points on 9 of 11 shooting to go with nine rebounds, while Leslie Tademy almost posted a triple-double with 14 points, 10 boards and a game-high eight assists. Tademy was also credited with four steals in 36 minutes of play. Chermayne Moore added 13 points and Tomorie Sangster chipped 10 points.
DSU shot 39.4 percent from the field (28-of-71), which included a 17.4 percent clip (4-of-23) from the perimeter, and hit on just 15-of-25 (.600) from the line.
The Red Storm drop to 2-10 overall and 2-4 in the Pac West. Dixie State returns home for a pair of PacWest games next week beginning with a match-up against Notre Dame de Namur Thursday night, Jan. 14, at 5 p.m., in the Burns Arena.
Stats: CUI 89, DSU 75
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