DENVER The University of Denver women’s basketball team rallied from a 16-point deficit under the direction of junior Celena Otero (Aurora, Colo.) but could not overcome a feisty ULM squad, falling 70-61 on Wednesday evening in Magness Arena.

 

Trailing by six points after half, ULM’s LaJeanna Howard scored eight of 10 Warhawk points pushing the ULM lead to 14 points. Junior Sara Bents (Billings, Mont.) made a layup to get Denver within eight points at 40-32, but ULM went on a 13-5 run to get to its largest lead of the game of 16 points.

 

The Pioneers clawed back into the game, going on a 15-4 run to get within five points at 57-52. Senior Alisha Godette (Colorado Springs, Colo.) had five points in the run. In the last 2:13 of the game the Pioneers would pull within five points after Otero hit her third three of the game, but ULM hit 11-of-13 from the free throw line down the stretch and went on for the win.

 

“We have been struggling defensively to hold people this season and tonight was no exception,” head coach Pam Tanner said. “We need to tighten up on our defensive intensity from the start of the game and that begins with our upperclassmen.”

 

In a tight first half, the two teams battled back and forth, tying the game six times with the last at 18-18. The Pioneers led by two points early in the contest after Godette stole the ball and had a lay-in on the fast break. The Warhawks went on a 6-0 run to take a 24-18 lead but DU clawed back into the contest, getting within one when senior Sara Benham (Muleshoe, Texas) hit a jumper with 6:32 left in the half. ULM went back up four points, 30-26, but neither team scored in the last 3:28 of the first half.

 

Otero had a career-high nine points. Godette recorded her third career double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds. Benham and junior Nnenna Akotaobi (Thornton, Colo.) added 14 and 12 points, respectively. Akotaobi had a team-high five assists and two blocks, and Otero lead all players with five steals.

 

The Pioneers shot 38.6 percent (22-of-57) from the field, better than ULM’s 37.0 percent (20-of-54). Denver also bettered the Warhawks in blocks, 6-to-2, and steals, 15-to-11.

 

“There were bright spots throughout the game,” Tanner said. “We picked up our intensity when we were down and we need to do that when it’s a close game in addition to when it’s a large deficit. We need our defense and our intensity to be up at the beginning of the game and the halves.”

 

The Pioneers travel to Murfreesboro, Tenn., to face Middle Tennessee on Sunday, Jan. 6 at 1 p.m. MT.