LARAMIE, Wyo. - The University of Denver women's basketball team led at half but fell to No. 25 Wyoming, 61-45, on Saturday afternoon at Arena Auditorium in Laramie, Wyo.

 

“We played them the best defensively any team has played them this season,” head coach Pam Tanner said. “It was a tale of two halves, we were up three at half against the No.25-ranked team in the country and in the second half we didn’t match their mental intensity.”

 

Denver came out quickly to begin the game, getting out to an 8-0 lead thanks to four points apiece by senior Alisha Godette (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and junior Nnenna Akotaobi (Thornton, Colo.). Wyoming did not get its first bucket at the game until the 14:54 mark on a jumper by Hanna Zavecz. The Cowgirls pulled within one point at 7:40 on the clock as Zavecz hit one of two from the line to make it a 12-11 game. After both clubs went scoreless for over four minutes, Godette broke the drought for DU as she hit a pair of the back end of a pair of free throw attempts to put DU up 14-11. Jodi Bolerjack gave UW its first lead of the game at 16-15 with a three-pointer with 1:50 remaining in the opening half. Godette answered for the Pioneers with a jumper, giving DU back the lead at 17-16. Zavecz tied the game at 17-17 by hitting the second of two free throw attempts but a three-pointer by senior Sara Benham (Muleshoe, Texas) with 00:46 left in the half sent DU to the lockerroom up 20-17.

 

Godette was 6-of-7 from the field for 13 points in the first half to lead all scorers. DU held the rebounding advantage in the opening half pulling down 17 to UW 16, led by Benham's four. DU shot 36.4 percent in the opening frame and held the Cowgirls to 25.0 from the field. The two teams were even in the turnover department with eight apiece. 

 

Out of the lockerroom, Wyoming went on a 7-0 run to take a 24-20 lead before Coach Tanner called a time out. Benham had a short lay-up to give DU is first points of the half but UW answered at the other end. UW went on a 12-4 run to pull out to a 40-29 lead. Benham hit a jumper and Akotaobi converting on a hoop and foul situation pulled DU within six at 40-34. Trailing 42-34, senior Brooke Meyer (Denver, Colo.) as fouled on a three-point attempt and converted two of the three shots to pull Denver within six again. The Pioneers cut the Cowgirls' lead to eight late in the game but could not climb any closer, as Wyoming led by as many as 14 points in the final minutes of the contest.

 

Godette led DU with 17 points and Benham added 14. Akotaobi was DU's other scorer in double-figures with 10. Meyer led DU with a career-high eight rebounds, and also led the Pioneers with four assists. Benham had three blocks in the game. DU shot 39.1 percent in the game and held UW to 36.4, including 30.0 from the three-point line.

 

Denver returns home to host Creighton on Wednesday, Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. in Hamilton Gymnasium.