ST. GEORGE, Utah - Madison West and Alex Brunk combined to score 52 points to defeat Dixie State 82-75 and help Point Loma's head coach Bill Westphal earn his 350th win as the leader of the women's basketball program (Jan. 18).
 
Westphal has posted a 350-176 (.665%) record during his 17 years at the helm of the women's program, leading the team to the playoffs in each season. Right now he has the Sea Lions (12-5, 6-4 PacWest) on a four-game winning streak in the final spot for the six-team PacWest Championships in Irvine, Calif., on Mar. 3-5. The loss dropped Dixie State to 3-11 on the season and to 3-5 in the PacWest.
 
West set a career-high with 28 points on 10-of-18 shooting. She also hit five 3-pointers and was 3-for-3 at the free throw line. This was the fifth time this season she has gone for over 22 points, and the eighth straight game she has been in double-figures.
 
Brunk also set her career-high with 24 points. She was 7-of-13 from the field and 10-of-12 at the free throw line. She added three assists and four steals. This was the fourth time season Brunk has scored over 20 points.
 
Roya Rustamzada filled up the box score once again with eight points, 10 rebounds, three assists and five steals. Sydney Tonack registered her third straight game in double-figures with 11 points.
 
"Offensively we executed our game plan and Madison continued her 'sniper-like' shooting," said Point Loma assistant coach Dwayne Cosby. "Brunk was attacking their small defenders and Roya did all of the intangible things that doesn't show up in box score. Madison has been playing lights out this month, which is what we need with teams focusing on Roya and Brunk."
 
The Sea Lions were tested by Dixie State's Taylor Mann, who registered 27 points and 24 rebounds in the losing effort. She was 12-of-22 from the field and had 11 offensive rebounds to help DSU outscore PLNU 33-2 in second chance points. The Red Storm also owned a 49-27 rebounding edge on the Sea Lions. However, PLNU was able to overcome this by shooting 55 percent from the field, and 47 percent from 3-point range, while holding Dixie State to 39 percent shooting. Mann was also the only student-athlete in double-figures for DSU.
 
Point Loma led by just one point at halftime (37-36) but used a strong third quarter to extend their lead to 61-50. They would build their cushion to 14 points in the fourth, but Dixie would not go away, and cut the lead to three points with 1:01 remaining. But the Red Storm would not get another basket until the final second and PLNU prevailed in the desert for the third straight season.  
 
"We're happy to win a tough game on the road against a team that matches up really well against us," said Cosby. "Their personnel and system present problems for us, and Taylor Mann is an unbelievable post. We have to tighten up some things on defense; they scored 25 points in the fourth quarter.
 
"It's always good to win on the road, but this one was significant getting Westphal this victory with his last visit to Burns Arena," added Cosby.

Coach Westphal has a career coaching record of 590-346. In addition to his 17 years with Point Loma, he was also the head men's basketball coach at Western Washington (1982-85), Occidental College (1973-80 & 1986-88) and Grand Canyon (1988-90). His coaching experience also includes stops at the high school level and in the NBA with the Clippers. 
 
The Point Loma women's basketball team will now travel to Fresno Pacific on Saturday, Jan. 23 to take on the Sunbirds at 5:30 p.m.