Box Score DENVER - The University of Denver women's basketball junior Kaetlyn Murdoch (Temple, Texas) scored a game-high 20 points, becoming just the 20th DU player to eclipse 1,000 points, as the Pioneers beat Texas-El Paso 72-63 at Magness Arena on Wednesday night.
"It was a one possession game until the final 30 seconds, but thankfully we have Quincey Noonan on our team, and she had two steals and two layups to put the game away," head coach Erik Johnson said. "UTEP is a very good basketball team. They've got great inside play and can shoot from the perimeter, and they gave us a great battle tonight. It was a quality win against a quality team."
The Pioneers (8-5) led by as many as 12 points with 13:25 left in the game, but UTEP (7-4) fought back, cutting the Denver lead to just one point at 61-60 with 2:05 remaining.
Sophomore Emiko Smith (Los Angeles, Calif.) buried 5-of-6 free throws to stretch the lead back to six points, but UTEP's Anete Steinberga converted on a three-point play with 33 seconds left, and Denver's lead was back to just three points.
Senior Britteni Rice (Pampa, Texas) was fouled on the ensuing possession and converted both free throws for two of her 19 points, and freshman Quincey Noonan (Broomfield, Colo.) sealed the win with two steals and layups in the final 14 seconds.
Senior Brianna Culberson (Jefferson City, Mo.) added 15 points, five assists and eight rebounds, while Murdoch also pulled down eight boards.
Denver jumped to an early 8-0 lead, and took a 38-31 lead into halftime. Rice and Culberson both had 13 points before the break.
Ashley Milian led the Miners with 14 points, while Steinberga and Gloria Brown had 13 each, including 11 by Brown in the second half.
Following a holiday break, the Pioneers begin Sun Belt Conference action against Louisiana-Lafayette on Wednesday, Dec. 29 at 7 p.m. MT. The game can be seen live on Pioneer Vision at www.DenverPioneers.com.
