Post-Game with the Pioneers (Video)

DENVER - Sophomore Kaetlyn Murdoch's (Temple, Texas) grabbed her 100th career block and finished with her 10th career double-double to help the University of Denver women's basketball team (8-5, 3-0 SBC) to a 65-60 win over the Arkansas State Red Wolves (5-8, 0-2 SBC) on Wednesday night in Magness Arena. The win extends the Pioneers win streak to seven games and keeps them a perfect 3-0 in Sun Belt Conference action heading into the New Year.

"I knew coming into tonight's game that I was going to have to really step up my defense because they have really good post players, so I just dug in and made sure that I was there defensively for my team," Murdoch said. "It's a great win for us and a great way to head on the road for our first conference contest."

Almost a year ago, Murdoch turned in a 13-block performance against the Red Wolves in Magness Arena to become the first freshman in NCAA history to accomplish such a feat. She turned in another great performance for the Pioneers tonight as she finished with six blocks, 12 points and 12 rebounds. The forward's sixth block tallied on the night marked her 100th career block through 44 games played with the Pioneers and moves her to sixth all-time in career blocks in the DU record books.

Leading the way in points for the Pioneers was junior Britteni Rice (Pampa, Texas) as she finished with 20 points making it her second 20+ point performance of the season, while junior Brianna Culberson (Jefferson City, Mo.) added 15 points. Nine of Rice's 20 points came from the line as she finished perfect from the charity stripe for the sixth time this season.

Helping out defensively for the Pioneers was senior Ashly Robinson (Bloomington, Minn.) as she grabbed 10 defensive boards, giving her 12 on the night.

Denver's defense held ASU to 28.8 percent shooting from the field and 42.9 percent from long distance, while the Pioneers shot 44.4 percent from the floor and 40.0 percent from beyond the arc.

Next up, the Pioneers travel to Troy, Ala., for another SBC game against the Trojans. Tip-off is scheduled for 4:15 p.m. MT and fans can follow the action live on Pioneer Vision at www.DenverPioneers.com.

Pioneer Notes:

• Murdoch extended her consecutive games with one or more blocks to 20 games as she finished the night with six blocks.
• Culberson's 15 points extends her consecutive games with double figures to 13. Culberson has finished in double figures in each of the Pioneers' game this season. The forward also finished with six assists, tying her career high which she previously set against UC Davis on Nov. 21, 2008.
• Murdoch finished the night with 12 points and 12 rebounds for her 10th career double-double, second of the season.
• With 20 points on the night, Rice extends her consecutive games in double figures to eight games. This is her second 20+ point performance of the season.
• Denver is now 8-0 all-time in Magness Arena when playing the Red Wolves and leads the all-time series standings 9-7.
• The Pioneers are now 6-3 when scoring first and 6-3 when leading at the half.
• Denver held the advantage in rebounds (44 to 39) and blocks (9 to 5) over ASU.
• Denver is currently sporting a seven-game win streak heading into its first SBC road contest of the season.
• After the Red Wolves pulled to within three points of the Pioneers with 4:27 remaining in the first, the Pioneers went on a 9-3 run that spanned 3:54 to take a 34-24 lead into the break.
• After going up by as much as 17 points with 7:15 left to play in the second half, the Red Wolves began to chip away at the Pioneers' lead, going on a 14-5 run that spanned 3:54 to pull within 58-51. ASU continued to apply the pressure and with less than a minute remaining the Red Wolves' Quinishia McDowell added a lay-up in the paint to cut DU's lead to five, 58-53.
• However, after a quick time out, the Pioneers drew up a fast-break play that found Rice streaking down the court, converting the lay-up and getting the and-one foul call to put the Pioneers up 60-53. Rice drained the subsequent free-throw with .53 seconds remaining to give DU an eight-point cushion, however ASU answered right back cutting the lead to four points with .17 second remaining as Ebonie Jefferson and McDowell both scored for the Red Wolves.
• DU's Laura Palmere put the Pioneers back up by six as she converted her two free-throws, but ASU's Meghan Lewis drilled an open three-pointer to pull within three points, 63-60.
• Rice provided the final points of the game as she converted both her free-throw attempts to finish a perfect 9-of-9 from the line.

- PIONEERS -