ST. GEORGE, Utah – Hawai'i Pacific University closed a 22-point first half deficit to two points in the last seven minutes, but it wasn't enough as No. 24 Dixie State recovered for a 69-58 PacWest Conference victory on Saturday night.
 
The Sharks (14-12, 9-9) closed their four-game mainland road trip at 2-2. The PacWest leading Trailblazers (18-6, 15-2) extended their winning streak to 12 straight.
 
The Sharks were paced by senior forward Niksha Federico of San Diego, Calif./Cathedral Catholic, who tallied his PacWest leading 16th double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds with three steals. Junior forward Jonathan Janssen of Noosa Heads, Australia/Mountain Creek posted 10 points with five points, while junior guard Darnell Bettis of Los Angeles/University scored eight points with three assists.
 
Dixie State was led by Isaiah Clark with 14 points and eight rebounds and Kyler Nielson with 14 points and six boards. Zac Hunter posted 11 points for the Trailblazers.
 
HPU shot only 28 percent (17-of-60) from the floor, including 4-of-29 (14 percent) from the 3-point arc. The Sharks did shoot 20-of-24 (83 percent) from the free throw line. DSU connected on 45 percent of its shots from the field (21-of-47), with 31 percent (4-of-13) from the arc. The Trailblazers hit 23-of-28 (82 percent) from the charity stripe. Dixie State outrebounded HPU 41-33, but turned the ball over 18 times to the Sharks. 12.
 
The game was tight through the first 10 minutes of the opening half before the Blazers pulled out to a nine-point lead on a tip-in by Clark. The Sharks responded with a Federico free throw and a jumper from junior forward Spencer Vering of San Diego/Mater Dei Catholic that brought the lead back to six. That's when a dunk by Clark ignited a 16-0 run over the next four minutes to take DSU's largest lead of 22 points.
 
Janssen killed the run with a 3-pointer and battled back to an 11-point difference in the final minute of the half, but Brandon Simister buried a triple with four seconds remaining to give the Trailblazers a 40-26 lead at the half.
 
The Sharks hung tough through the first 10 minutes of the second half, cutting the lead to 11. Then HPU used a pair of free throws from freshman guard Tavon Tarpley of McLean, Va./Langley to start a 9-0 run that pulled the Sharks within two at 50-48 on a jumper senior forward Albert Christensson from Lund, Sweden with 7:50 remaining. After swapping baskets with the Trailblazers, the Sharks were still two down when Dixie State came back.
 
A 3-pointer and layup from Nielson hushed the comeback attempt. A 3-pointer by HPU's Janssen put the Sharks back within three with 4:58 left, but the Blazers used a 6-0 run to end any Shark hopes.
 
A Bettis layup with 17 seconds left pulled HPU back to within 11 for the final of 69-58.
 
The Sharks return to Honolulu for their final home game on Thursday, when they host Azusa Pacific for Senior Night activities at Moanalua High School Gym. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.