Babaamaajimowinan (Telling of news in different places)
Babaamaajimowinan (Telling of news in different places)
Pioneers earn season split with the Golden Eagles
DENVER – The University of Denver women's basketball team knocked off Oral Roberts, 70-54 Thursday night. The Pioneers used a dominating third quarter to earn the win, as they outscored the Golden Eagles, 24-8 in the period.
DU improves to 15-12, 6-6 in the Summit League, while ORU falls to 15-11, 6-6 in league play. The Crimson and Gold's 15 wins is the most since the 2011-12 season.
Lauren Loven was the star of the game for Denver, chalking up 22 points. The sophomore went 46.7 percent (7-for-15) from the field and 44.4 percent (4-for-9) from downtown.
Briana Johnson also tallied double digits with 10 points. The Carson, Calif. native led the team in steals with three. Madison Nelson was a single point and rebound away from a double-double, as she totaled nine points and nine boards.
As a unit, the Pioneers shot 39 percent (25-for-59) from the field and 40 percent (8-for-20) from behind the arc. DU grabbed 46 rebounds, forced 16 turnovers and finished the game with 11 assists.
Denver started the contest down 2-0, as the Oral Roberts defense held the Crimson and Gold scoreless for the first three and a half minutes. Finally putting DU on the board was Nelson, who got her own rebound after a free throw and put it up for two.
The Golden Eagles responded quickly, taking a 7-2 lead off a three from Rachel Skalnik.
The Pioneers fired back with five straight points, as Loven highlighted the streak with a trey.
ORU took off on a 15-6 run that lasted through the start of the second, but Jordyn Alt brought DU back within six with a 3.
On her birthday, Jasmine Jeffcoat worked to get Denver within three points, 24-21 as the freshman scored five of eight points.
Finally, after a 3 from Loven and a drive to the hoop for Alt, the Pioneers scored their first edge of the game, 26-25.
The DU offense continued to roll through the second period, as the squad finished the quarter on a 10-4 run.
At the half, Loven was the guiding light for the Crimson and Gold, as the sophomore chalked up a game-high 10 points. The Scottsdale, Ariz. native went 50 percent (2-for-4) from behind the arc.
Denver started the third red hot, as the team came out firing with an 11-2 run over the first two and a half minutes. The team put up nine of those points from deep, as Loven hit a pair and Samantha Romanowski added another.
The Pioneers continued to chalk up points over the next five and a half minutes, posting nine between Grace White, Johnson, Jeffcoat and Nelson, all while holding the Golden Eagles to only two points in that span.
The third quarter was extremely successful for Denver, as the team dominated the period, outscoring ORU, 24-8 over the ten minutes. The squad also pushed its advantage to 20 points by the start of the fourth, 55-35.
Refusing to go away quietly, Oral Roberts opened the fourth with seven unanswered points. The Golden Eagles continued to chip at the lead, trimming the advantage to only 12 points at the seven minute mark.
The Pioneers roared back, sinking back-to-back 3s from Johnson and White, putting the team back up by 15.
A deep 3 from ORU's Skalnik with a minute left got the visitors within 14, but a Loven layup on Denver's possession ended any hopes for a comeback.
DU returns to action on Saturday, as they host Omaha at 1 p.m.
Official Basketball Box Score:
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