DENVER – Sophomore guard Kailey Edwards (Broomfield, Colo.) scored a team-high 14 points as the University of Denver women’s basketball team fell to league leaders South Dakota State 69-55 on Thursday night at Magness Arena.

 The loss drops the Pioneers to 6-22 overall and 4-9 in The Summit League. The Jackrabbits climb to 21-8 overall and a 12-1 record in conference play.

 Edwards received help from senior forward Alison Janecek (Omaha, Neb.) with her game-high 11 rebounds to go along with six points, an assist and a block, while sophomore guard Paige Bradley and senior forward Desiree Hunter (Cypress, Calif.) each put up seven points.

 Freshman forward Alecia Espinoza (Hacienda Heights, Calif.) had a DU-high six points in the second half to lead all Pioneer scorers in that span.

 The Jackrabbits were paced by guard/forward Megan Waytashek with her game-high 17 points, including 14 in the second half. Waytashek was supported on offense by guard Steph Paluch’s 12 points and the 11-point performances of forward Mariah Clarin and guard/forward Chynna Stevens. Guard Gabby Boever topped all players with six assists.

Three-point shooting proved to be the difference maker in the contest as the Jackrabbits shot an impressive 48.0 percent, going 12-for-25.

Emerging out of the intermission down a point, 31-30, the Pioneers aimed to take the momentum back from the Jackrabbits. Unfortunately, SDSU gradually grew its lead to as high as 18 when Paluch drained a three-pointer to give the Jackrabbits a 58-40 advantage.

Undaunted by the deficit, the Pioneers proceeded to shrink the point spread to 11 with a 7-0 run. The drive was spearheaded by Bradley’s trey and capped by junior guard Jordan Johnston (Waterloo, Iowa) off a jumper with 4:28 to go in the game to make the score, 58-47.

DU cut the lead down to as few as 10 on three occasions. The last of which occurred when sophomore guard Michaela Neuhaus (Lone Tree, Colo.) sank both of her free throws, 65-55, with 1:12 left in regulation.

The Pioneers started the contest with a 10-0 run in which Edwards and junior forward Theresa Wirth (Mesa, Ariz.) both contributed four points. DU’s lead was as large as 13 when a jumper by Edwards gave the Pioneers a 17-4 advantage with 10:18 remaining in the half.

However, SDSU reduced its deficit significantly with an 11-0 run in which the Jackrabbits started to get dangerous from three-point range. The Jackrabbits came within a point of Denver, 19-18, when Paluch drilled a trey with 6:17 left in the first half to cap the run.

South Dakota State later tied and eventually took the lead, 23-22, on Clarin’s successful trip to the free-throw line at the 5:21 mark of the first half, midway through an 8-0 scoring drive.

For the game, the Jackrabbits outshot the Pioneers from the field, making 22-of-58 (37.9 percent). The Pioneers converted 18-of-51 (35.3 percent) in the paint. DU did have a superior outing at the free-throw line, where it hit 18-of-21 (85.7 percent). SDSU made 13-of-18 (72.2 percent) from the charity stripe.

The Pioneers conclude the regular season on Saturday at 1 p.m. MT when they host North Dakota State (6-22, 2-11 Summit) on Senior Day.

KERRY CREMEANS POSTGAME INTERVIEW VS. SOUTH DAKOTA STATE

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