Swish.

From the get-go, Dixie State was red hot from long distance, and the lead it built ended up being too big for Chaminade to surmount Saturday at Burns Arena.

Despite the razzle dazzle of pint-size guard Steven Bennett and the 33 treys launched by the Silverwolves, the Red Storm were able to hold off their hard-charging Pacific West rival 82-71 and improve to 2-0 in league play.

"The first 10 to 15 minutes of the game was probably the best (basketball) we've played," said DSC coach Jon Judkins.

Up next for DSC is a gnarly road swing - eight of the next 10 are away from St. George - but before the Red Storm players think of that daunting task, they'll enjoy Saturday's result.

The statistical superlatives were numerous for DSC. Donovan Plunkett had 19 points and shot 4-of-7 from behind the arc. Whitehead, a Dixie High graduate poured in 18 points, including 8 of-10 from the line. Andy Palmer, a product of Pine View, registered 15 points and nailed 7-of-8 from the charity stripe.

But where the Red Storm really made a difference was on the glass - and they dominated.

DSC grabbed 51 rebounds to Chaminade's 35, as Zach Robbins had 12 boards, Whitehead corraled 10 and Palmer nabbed nine. Even reserve Everton Araujo tallied six rebounds in 13 minutes.

"They went a little strong in there pounding Zach, so that's why I threw (Araujo) in there," Judkins said. "He's playing better and better."

Dixie State led 44-30 at the intermission, and improved the margin to 17 early in the second half before the Silverswords began to nibble. What was a 50-33 advantage quickly dwindled to 54-47. However, 3-pointers by Whitehead and Plunkett helped push the lead back to 15 at 66-51 with 6:15 remaining.

"We have a lot of outside threats," Plunkett said. "If one of us isn't knocking down the shots another person is bound to pick it up."

Those were the only two treys the Red Storm made in the second half - they sank 7-of-13 before the break, 2-of-9 after - but Chaminade wasn't efficient from outside either.

Not that the Silverswords didn't try.

Nearly half of the visitors' 68 field-goal attempts were chucked from beyond the arc and they made just nine. In either half Chaminade failed to make better than 28.6 percent.

"Coach came to us and told us they were going to jack up shots, so put a hand up," Plunkett said.

DSC's lead shrunk to 76-71 with a little less than a minute remaining after an old-fashioned three-point play by the 5-foot-6 Bennett (team-high 20 points), but Whitehead dropped in a pair of free throws immediately after. On the ensuing Swords' possession, Dominique Cooks (12 points) lost the ball out of bounds.

Cooks then fouled Palmer, who hit a pair of freebies to push the lead to nine with 36 seconds left.

The Red Storm are in action again Thursday at Notre Dame de Namur, the first of three league contests in the San Francisco area. A year ago DSC struggled away from home, but Whitehead feels this season's squad is better prepared.

"It's great to beat two good teams at home, but the conference championship is going to be won on the road," Whitehead said. "It's going to take toughness from the team, and I think we have that this year."