Box Score MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - University of Denver women's basketball senior forward Brianna Culberson (Jefferson City, Mo.) scored her 1,000th career point during a double-double performance, but the Pioneers were edged 71-68 by Middle Tennessee at the Murphy Center on Sunday afternoon.
"That was a great game with two very talented teams going head-to-head on television," head coach Erik Johnson said. "Our players fought hard, but you have to give credit to Rick Insell and his team. They are young, but he's got them playing very well. We know the NCAA Tournament goes through Middle Tennessee, and we hope to get another shot at them in Hot Springs at the Sun Belt Tournament."
Junior Kaetlyn Murdoch (Temple, Texas) led all players with 25 points, and senior Britteni Rice (Pampa, Texas) added 12 points. Sophomore Emiko Smith (Los Angeles, Calif.) led all players with nine assists.
Culberson had 17 points and 13 rebounds for her seventh career double-double and her third this season.
The Pioneers (12-8, 4-3 SBC) trailed by nine points with 2:13 to play, but Murdoch scored the game's next seven points to pull the deficit to 68-66 at the 41 second mark. However, the Blue Raiders (16-4, 7-0 SBC) sealed the game with three free throws down the stretch.
Denver opened the second half with the first four points, giving DU a two-point lead, but MTSU ripped off a 24-6 run over the following 10 minutes to take a 14-point lead with 8:37 remaining.
In the game, Middle Tennessee outrebounded Denver 39-26, including 17 offensive rebounds that led to 20 second chance points. The Pioneers shot 52.2 percent (24-of-46) from the field, while holding the Blue Raiders to 41.4 percent (25-of-58).
In a frantic first half, the lead changed seven times and there were four ties, as both teams shot well. The Pioneers hit 12-of-21 (57.1 percent) from the field, including 3-of-6 from beyond the arc, and the Blue Raiders were 14-of-27 (51.9 percent) from the floor.
Five of Middle Tennessee's 16 first half rebounds were offensive, leading to nine second chance points, and MTSU took a 38-36 lead to the locker room.
MTSU freshman forward Ebony Rowe had 24 points and 17 rebounds, including 10 on the offensive glass. Anne Marie Lanning scored 18 points, and Elie Icelyn recorded 16 points, including 10 in the second half.
The Pioneers return home for a game against North Texas on Saturday, January 29 at 1:30 p.m. MT. The game can be seen and heard live on Pioneer Vision at www.DenverPioneers.com.
Notes: Culberson became just the 21st Pioneer to eclipse 1,000 points in her career, but she is the third this season, joining Rice and Murdoch...MTSU's Anne Marie Lanning also recorded her 1,000th career point during the first half.
