MOBILE, Ala. The University of Denver women’s basketball team saw its three-game winning streak come to an end on Sunday against South Alabama with a 48-40 loss at the Mitchell Center in Sun Belt Conference action.

 

“We just didn’t play well,” head coach Pam Tanner said. “We need to learn to play quality back-to-back road games so that we can be successful.”

 

Neither team shot particularly well in the contest, but the Pioneers (7-12, 2-6 SBC) held the advantage, shooting 31.3 percent (15-of-48), while the Lady Jags (14-6, 5-4 SBC) were 29.0 percent from the field (18-of-62). Denver committed 21 turnovers in the contest, but had more assists, 10-to-9, and steals, 8-to-5, than South Alabama.

 

Senior Alisha Godette (Colorado Springs, Colo.) recorded her second double-double of the season with a game-high 14 points and 10 rebounds. Junior Nnenna Akotaobi (Thornton, Colo.) was the Pioneers’ second leading scorer with seven points.

 

The first half was a struggle for both teams. The Pioneers were 0-for-9 to open the game until freshman Abbey Leichliter (Greeley, Colo.) hit a short-range jumper with 13:01 on the clock. Denver trailed by as many as nine points in the half but a 6-0 run, including four points by Robinson, closed the margin to three at the break, 17-14.

 

The Pioneers shot 31.8 percent from the field (7-of-22), while the Lady Jags shot 24.1 percent (7-of-29). Denver had 14 turnovers in the opening frame, compared to USA’s six.

 

Despite recording the first points of the second half, the Pioneers’ offensive woes continued, trailing by as many as 11 before back-to-back DU buckets pulled the Pioneers to within seven at 27-20. After finding itself in another 11-point hole, climbing to within two with 2:39 remaining in the contest, but South Alabama maintained the edge for the win.

 

Leichliter had a career-high five points in the game. Sophomore Ashly Robinson (Bloomington, Minn.) left the game late with a possible leg injury.

 

Denver returns home to play Florida International in Sun Belt Conference play on Thursday, Jan. 31 at 5 p.m., as the opening game of a doubleheader with the men’s team.