DENVER The University of Denver women’s basketball team (10-9, 5-3) defeated the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (11-8, 5-4 SBC) on Saturday afternoon in Magness Arena. The win marks the first time in school history that the Pioneers have defeated the Lady Toppers.

 

Freshman Kaetlyn Murdoch (Temple, Texas) led the Pioneers with 15 points and 10 rebounds for her fifth double-double of the season. Also finishing in double figures was junior Ashly Robinson (Bloomington, Minn.) and senior Nnenna Akotaobi (Thornton, Colo.) as both finished with 12 and 11 points, respectively. Akotaobi finished the night perfect from the field on 4-of-4 shooting, while also remaining perfect from beyond the arc (1-1) and the free-throw line (2-2).

 

Also contributing for Denver was senior Andie Mason (Gilbert, Ariz.) with eight points and sophomore Britteni Rice (Pampa, Texas) with seven points. Rice also added four rebounds, two assists two blocks and two steals in her first game back from injury.

 

For the game, the Pioneers shot 43.4 percent from the field and 41.2 percent from three-point range. Denver shot 7-of-17 from long distance making it the fourth game in a row that the Pioneers made five or more treys in a game. 

 

Denver out-rebounded the Lady Toppers 46-27 and held the advantage in the blocks category 5-1.

 

The Pioneers started the first half on a 7-0 run, holding the Lady Toppers scoreless until the 18:08 mark when Jessica Magley converted a lay-up in the paint. The Hilltoppers came back to within one just two minutes later and eventually took a one-point lead with 15:04 remaining on a jumper by Teranie Thomas.

 

However, the Pioneers answered right back as Akotaobi added her first two of the game to give Denver a 12-11 lead. WKU would take the lead for the final time in the game as Hope Brown drained a three-pointer with 11:14 remaining to give the Lady Toppers a 17-15 cushion.

 

Just 22 seconds later, however, Denver tied the score off an Akotaobi lay-up and eventually took the lead on the following play as Akotaobi made her only three of the game. The Pioneers continued to battle the Lady Toppers throughout the rest of the half, heading into the break with a seven point lead.

 

Denver continued to build upon its lead in the second half as they rattled off eight straight points to take a 43-28 lead just over two minutes in. The Pioneers extended its cushion by as much as 18 points in the second half as they shot 43.4 percent from the field in the second stanza. In the closing 3:30, the Pioneers’ defense denied the Lady Toppers a basket, while grabbing six rebounds and tallying one block.

 

Denver remains at home and will host South Alabama on Wednesday Jan. 28 in Magness Arena. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. and will be broadcast live via Pioneer Vision.

 

- PIONEERS -