NEW ORLEANS, La. Senior Sara Benham (Muleshoe, Texas) missed a 10-foot jump shot as time expired as the University of Denver women’s basketball team fell, 54-53 to the University of New Orleans in Sun Belt Conference action on Thursday evening at the Health Performance Center in New Orleans, La.

 

The Pioneers (5-10, 0-4 SBC) led by as any as five points late in the game, with the last at 5:48 as junior Celena Otero (Aurora, Colo.) hit a midrange jumper for the 47-42 lead. The Privateers (9-6, 3-1 SBC) hacked at the Pioneer advantage and took the lead on a free throw by UNO’s Talisha Young, 47-46. DU retook the lead as Otero hit a lay-up at 48-47.

 

UNO’s Cookie Johnson gave the Privateers back a one-point lead but Benham hit a short jumper as DU regained a one-point lead, 51-50. UNO’s Le’Della English hit a jumper outside the lane but Otero answered to give DU back the lead at 53-52. With 00:26 remaining on the clock English hit a lay-in for UNO’s winning hoop.

 

“We have to regroup and get ready to play UALR on Sunday,” head coach Pam Tanner said. “Two stats standout, UNO’s 17 offensive rebounds and our foul trouble. We fouled too much and sent them to the free throw line too much at the end of the game. We did fight had and there is a lot we can learn from this game.”

 

Denver struggled to begin the first half, trailing by 11 points after UNO’s Ashley Alexander hit a lay-up. Spurred by Benham and senior Alisha Godette (Colorado Springs, Colo.), Denver went on a 15-4 run to close out the half. Godette gave DU its first lead since early in the game, hitting a lay-up late in the half. UNO’s Ty Felder’s lay-up gave UNO back a one point lead at 24-23 but junior Celena Otero hit 1-of-2 from the line to knot the game at 24-24 for the half. UNO closed out the half going 4-for-22 from the field, while DU made three of its last eight.

 

Senior Brooke Meyer (Denver, Colo.) had a team-high 15 points and Otero added 13.

 

DU returns to Magness Arena as the opening game of a doubleheader with the men’s team against UALR on Sunday, Jan. 13 at 1 p.m.