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Cal Poly Pomona knocks off Dixie State is West Region quarterfinals
Cal Poly Pomona bumps off Dixie State at
NCAA’s
BELLINGHAM, WA - Forward Austin Swift had game highs of 18 points, seven rebounds and six assists, leading Cal Poly Pomona to a 71-62 triumph over Dixie State Friday in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball West Regional in Bellingham, WA.
The West Region tournament is being hosted by Western Washington University.
Cal Poly Pomona, the No.4 seed in the region, improved to 23-6 overall after Mitchell Anderson scored 11 points off the bench for the Broncos.
Cal Poly Pomona reached the NCAA II National Championship game last season where the Broncos lost to Findlay (OH). Cal Poly Pomona beat BYU-Hawaii in the West Region title game in Laie, HI, last year.
Dixie Stat
e (20-6), the No.5 seed who made its first national tournament
appearance in only its second year of full NCAA II membership, was
led by Donovan Plunkett’s 16 points and Tom Whitehead’s
13.
The Broncos, who held regular-season opponents to 39.3% shooting, were even better defensively on Friday by limiting Dixie State to just 34.0% (17 for 50) from the field.
"We shot only 20% from three-point range and we usually shoot a lot better than that,” Red Storm Head Coach Jon Judkins said of his offense. “Experience was a factor - this is our first time, but Cal Poly Pomona also did a good job.”
The loss couldn’t dampen the success Dixie State experienced in just its second year of eligibility for NCAA post-season play.
“We had an incredible season and we met all our goals - win the conference, win 20 games, and get to the NCAA Tournament,” Judkins added. “I'm very proud of our guys.”
Cal Poly Pomona never trailed, holding a 32-28 intermission lead before pulling away midway through the second half during a 15-6 run.
The Broncos, who shot 51.0% (26 for 51) from the field, will face Western Washington in semifinal action at 7 p.m. PST on Saturday.
