DENVER The University of Denver women’s basketball team fell to the visiting UALR Trojans 45-41 despite a late rally by the Pioneers in Magness Arena Sunday afternoon. Junior forward Nnenna Akotaobi (Thornton, Colo.) led all players with 15 points.

 

“Our range of consistency in which we play is huge,” head coach Pam Tanner said. “We need to narrow down that gap. We need to know that we can count on individual players and a solid team effort every night. There are times when we are brilliant and times when we aren’t. We just need to narrow the range of what we can expect.”

 

UALR led by as many as 12 in the second half, but the Pioneers chipped away at the Trojan lead through the second stanza.

 

Two free throws by senior guard Alisha Godette (Colorado Springs, Colo.) brought DU within five at 42-37 with 5:22 to play. UALR responded with an Asriel Rolfe lay-up, but Akotaobi hit a free throw to bring the Pioneers back within six.

 

Junior guard Andie Mason (Gilbert, Ariz.) sunk a three pointer, her second of the game, with 1:29 remaining to cut the UALR lead to three at 44-41.

 

However, UALR’s Nikya Hughes sealed the Trojan victory with a free throw in the final seconds of the game.

 

In the defensive battle, Denver (5-11, 0-5 SBC) hit 14-of-43 (32.6 percent) from the field while holding UALR (11-5, 3-2 SBC) to 17-of-47 for 36.2 percent.

 

The Trojans’ Chastity Reed led all players with nine rebounds while junior center Sara Bents (Billings, Mont.) had six boards and four points for the Pioneers.

 

Mason finished with eight points, three steals and one rebound while Godette had five points, three assists and three boards. Senior guard Brooke Meyer (Denver, Colo.) also had three points, three rebounds and two assists for the Pioneers.

 

Denver returns to action on Thursday, Jan. 17 against Arkansas State at 5 p.m. in Magness Arena.