DENVER Despite a four-point lead at halftime the University of Denver women’s basketball team fell, 53-52, to Florida International in Sun Belt Conference action on Thursday evening at Magness Arena.

 

“We had chances early to take control of the game but we gave FIU a chance and they won the game,” head coach Pam Tanner said. “It is disappointing to not even get a shot off in our final possession. We gave up too many rebounds and did not execute our scouting report.”

 

Junior Sara Bents (Billings, Mont.) had a career-high 16 points, while senior Sara Benham (Muleshoe, Texas) and junior Nnenna Akotaobi (Thornton, Colo.) added 13 and 12, respectively.

 

A mid-range jumper by Benham gave the Pioneers (7-13, 2-7 SBC) a 41-39 lead with 8:40 remaining. FIU’s Monika Bosilj tied the game and sparked a seven-point run to go up 46-41. After senior Alisha Godette (Colorado Springs, Colo.) hit back-to-back free throws, Bosilj hit a three, giving FIU a six-point lead, its largest lead of the game.

 

Denver pulled within two after Benham had a steal and a lay-in at the other end at 49-47 with less than three minutes left. FIU’s Fanni Hutlassa responded with a layup to give the Golden Panthers (8-13, 4-6 SBC) a four-point lead with 2:38 remaining. Senior Brooke Meyer (Denver, Colo.) hit a three, her only points of the game, to get DU within one, but LaQuetta Ferguson’s jumper with 1:48 gave FIU a three-point lead at 53-52. Bents, who was fed by Akotaobi, pulled DU within one on a lay-in with 1:34 remaining.

 

FIU missed two shots in the final 1:07 of the contest, while Denver missed one. FIU’s Ferguson stole the ball as time expired, sealing DU’s fate.

 

Denver led by as many as eight points early, as Bents and Akotaobi each scored six of DU’s first 14 points. A 9-2 Florida International run pulled the Golden Panthers to within one at 16-15. FIU took a one-point lead on a three by Hutlassa. Freshman Britteni Rice (Pampa, Texas) fueled a 9-2 Denver run with three points, two assists and one steal, as DU pushed out to a 31-25 lead. Denver led 31-27 at half. DU scored 22 points in the paint, while FIU got 19 points from its bench.

 

Hutlassa was FIU’s leading scorer with 23 points. Benham moved into sole possession of fifth on DU’s all-time blocks list with a total of 106 after getting one in the contest.

 

Denver hits the road to face Western Kentucky on Saturday, Feb. 2 at 2 p.m.