SBC Post-game Press Conference

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Sophomore Kaetlyn Murdoch (Temple, Texas) recorded a double-double with 20 points and a season-high 15 rebounds, and junior Britteni Rice (Pampa, Texas) also had 20 points to lead the University of Denver women's basketball team (18-12, 12-6 SBC) to a 69-57 victory over Louisiana-Monroe (10-19, 4-14 SBC) in the Sun Belt Conference First Round on Saturday morning in the Summit Arena.

"Our two all-conference players played like all-conference players today," head coach Erik Johnson said of Murdoch and Rice, who received All-SBC First Team and Second Team honors earlier this week, respectively. "ULM played us hard in all three games this season and had a two-point lead at halftime today. But our players made adjustments and came out strong after halftime."

Trailing 28-26 at halftime, the Pioneers came back from the lockerroom sizzling, opening the second half with an 18-2 run and making eight of their first 11 shots to pull away. In the game, DU shot 47.1 percent (24-of-51) from the field, while holding the Warhawks to 40.4 percent (23-of-57).

Denver was 18-of-19 from the free throw line with the only miss coming in DU's final attempt of the game, and the Pioneers dominated the glass, outrebounding the Warhawks 42-24.

Murdoch went 7-for-10 from the field, while adding four assists and three blocks, as she scored at least 20 points for the third-straight game. Freshman Emiko Smith's (Los Angeles, Calif.) had a game-high six assists and added 11 points.

The Pioneers scored the game's first four points, but the Warhawks went on a 20-8 run to take an eight-point lead at the 8:25 mark in the first half. However, Denver clawed back and trailed just 28-26 at the break.

DU shot just 38.5 percent from the field in the first half, but solid defense helped limit ULM to 41.4 percent from the field.

Denver advances to face No. 12 seed New Orleans in the SBC Tournament Quarterfinals on Convention Center Court on Sunday at 11:15 a.m. MT. The game will be broadcast live on ESOB Radio AM 1600 and www.DenverPioneers.com. Live video and live stats are available at http://www.sunbeltsports.org/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=4100&ATCLID=204783267.

Pioneer Notes:

• With her 20 points, Murdoch extends her consecutive games in double figures to 20 games. She has led the Pioneers in scoring in 14 games so far this season. Her 20-plus-point performance marks the eighth time this season that she has finished with such a performance.
• Murdoch also finished the night with three blocks for her 10th consecutive game with one or more blocks.
• Smith finished the night with six assists for her 16th game with multiple assists. Smith has led the Pioneers in assists in 23 games this season.