JONESBORO, Ark. - Junior point guard Emiko Smith (Los Angeles, Calif.) tallied eight points, eight assists and five steals, while senior forward Kaetlyn Murdoch (Temple, Texas) scored a game-high 23 points, as the Pioneers defeated the Arkansas State Lady Red Wolves 58-49 at The Convocation Center in Jonesboro, Ark., Wednesday night.

Freshman guard Morgan Van Riper-Rose (Eden Prairie, Minn.) scored 14 points in just her fourth start this season, adding two assists and two steals. Van Riper-Rose also shot a blistering 4-of-9 (44.4 percent) from three-point range. With the win Denver improves to 10-7 overall and 2-1 in the SBC, while Arkansas State moves to 5-10, with a 0-3 record in SBC play.

"Emiko Smith came up huge for us all game," said head coach Erik Johnson. "The fact that we were able to go on a run and hold off Arkansas State's strong play near the end, combined with consistent play from Kaetlyn, all bodes really well for us as we continue conference play."

 

 

Denver began the game on a 7-0 run after missing its first four shots from the field and turning the ball over twice. Murdoch scored five of her 12 first-half points in that span, including a conventional three-point play.

The Red Wolves used a strong offensive rebounding effort to go on an 8-2 run beginning at the 15:15 mark in the first half, and the teams traded ties three times as the half approached. Murdoch continued her tear late in the half, scoring the final four points for the Pioneers, including a lay-up as time expired to give Denver the 26-25 lead going into halftime.

Denver came out of the half much more aggressive, using a 15-2 run to extend its minimal lead to 14 points with 10:08 remaining in regulation. The Red Wolves used their own run to cut the Pioneer lead to as little as four points, but solid free throw shooting and great ball control allowed Denver to escape with the victory.

Denver held Jane Morril, who was averaging 16.3 points per game coming into tonight's contest, to a team-high 13 points.

Denver continues its two-game road trip Saturday as it travels to Mobile, Ala., to take on South Alabama at 12 p.m. MT. Fans can listen live as the game will be broadcast on Pioneer Radio with Mitch Hyder providing the play-by-play commentary. Saturday's game will also be tape delayed until Sunday at noon, and air live on the Sun Belt Network.

Visit DenverPioneers.com for the most comprehensive coverage of Denver women's basketball, as well as all of DU's 17 athletic programs.

NOTES: With her 23-point perfromance, Kaetlyn Murdoch surpassed Tania Ford for fourth all-time in scoring at DU. Murdoch has currently scored 1,601 points in her career. Denver's win tonight was the first in Jonesboro, Ark. since Jan. 16, 2003.