DENVER Freshman forward Kaetlyn Murdoch (Temple, Texas) posted her first career double-double with 17 points and 17 rebounds to lead the University of Denver women’s basketball team (4-4, 1-0 SBC) to a 76-66 overtime win over visiting Florida Atlantic in Sun Belt Conference action on Saturday afternoon at Magness Arena.

 

Murdoch posted career-highs in both points and rebounds, along with a career-high four steals, two assists and two blocks. Her double-double marked the first by a Pioneer this season.

 

Senior Celena Otero (Aurora, Colo.) and redshirt sophomore Brianna Culberson each put up 13 points, while sophomore Britteni Rice (Pampa, Texas) added 10. Rice also added six assists, three rebounds and two steals. This is Rice’s sixth consecutive game finishing in double-digits.

 

“I am very proud of the way this team responded to the challenge that this tough FAU team posed,” said head coach Erik Johnson. “They never gave up and they proved that they could battle back from a deficit and dig out a win.  Brianna’s clutch three to send it into overtime was huge for us and really set the tone for our team heading into extra time. Of course Kaetlyn’s performance was a big asset for us and I’m so happy with the tough presence that she brought in the paint.”

 

Junior Ashly Robinson (Bloomington, Minn.) recorded career highs with 10 rebounds and three steals. She also added seven points and a season-high three assists.

 

Florida Atlantic (3-5, 0-1 SBC) was led by Carla Stubbs, who had 17 points, five rebounds, two assists, two blocks and two steals.

 

The Owls used a pair of three-pointers by Mercedes Thompson and Susan Beauzil to take a nine-point lead at 16-7 with 12:37 remaining in the first half. However, the Pioneers trimmed the FAU lead to four on four different occasions with the last at 30-26 on two Culberson free throws with 1:18 to play in the opening stanza. Stubbs then made a free throw with 21 seconds remaining, propelling the visitors to a 31-26 halftime lead.

 

Denver shot 9-for-27 (33.3 percent) from the field and made 6-for-12 (50.0 percent) free throws in the first half, compared to Florida Atlantic’s 12-for-30 (40.0 percent) in field goals and 4-for-5 (80.0 percent) from the line.

 

The second half opened with four straight FAU free throws by Jessica Knurick and Erica Caldwell, increasing the visitors’ lead to nine once again. Denver refused to give up a double-digit lead though, and senior Nnenna Akotaobi (Thornton, Colo.) and Otero each made layups before senior Andie Mason (Gilbert, Ariz.) sunk a three-pointer on a 7-0 DU run to bring the Pioneers within two, 35-33 with 14:56 to play in the second half.

 

FAU responded with a 7-0 lead of its own, taking an 11-point lead on a Stubbs three-pointer with 12:59 remaining.

 

However, DU battled back and chipped away at the Owls’ lead. The Pioneers took a 12-4 run, capped by jumpers by Murdoch and fellow freshman Jenny Vaughn (Dunda, Ontario) to cut the Owls’ lead to three at 48-45 with 8:05 to play. Robinson brought Denver within one, 52-51, but FAU again pulled away with a 5-0 run.

 

The teams exchanged a pair of three-pointers by Stubbs and Otero, keeping Denver within four at 60-56 with 1:46 remaining. Murdoch and Culberson then cut the Florida Atlantic lead to one, 60-59, making three of four free throw attempts. On the opposite end of the court, Stubbs sunk two free throws for FAU with 32 seconds remaining before Murdoch made a lay-up to keep DU within one, 62-61 with 23 seconds to play.

 

The Owls ticked nine seconds off the clock before Brittany Bowe was fouled and made both attempts with 14 seconds remaining. Culberson then hit a three with four seconds remaining to tie the game at 64 and send the conference opener to overtime.

 

The Pioneers grabbed the lead for the first time in the game as Robinson converted a tough lay-up less than a minute into overtime. FAU tied the score on the following trip down the court as Bowe dished in a lay-up of her own.

 

An FAU turnover then gave Denver the ball back, and a jumper by Murdoch gave the home squad the advantage again 68-66.

 

Rice then stole the ball and set up an Otero lay-up to fuel a four-point Denver lead, 70-66 with 1:31 to play. Murdoch was sent to the line with 1:06 to play, making both shots for a 72-66 Pioneer lead. Rice and Mason added four free throws in the final 40 seconds to propel DU to a 10-point lead and the 76-66 victory.

 

The Pioneers outscored the Owls 12-2 in the overtime stanza en route to their fourth win over the season. Florida Atlantic recorded 24 turnovers in the game, including seven during overtime.

 

DU shot 28-for-60 (46.7 percent) from the field in the game, including hitting 16-for-26 (61.5 percent) field goals in the second half. Meanwhile, Florida Atlantic slipped to 8-for-26 (30.8 percent) in the second half and a game total of 21-for-60 (35.0 percent) from the field.

 

The Pioneers continue their four-game homestand by hosting North Dakota State in a 7 p.m. tip-off on Monday, Dec. 15 at Magness Arena.

 

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