BOX SCORE PHOTO GALLERY

OMAHA, Neb. - The University of Denver women's basketball hung tough for a half, but couldn't keep up with a red-hot Omaha team from the 3-point line in a 67-55 loss on Sunday afternoon at Baxter Arena.

The Pioneers fought hard, but couldn't keep pace with the blistering shooting from the outside by the Mavericks, who knocked down a school-record 15 3s in the win with Remy Davenport leading the charge with a career-high 10 3s, also a school record.

Alecia Espinoza (Hacienda Heights, Calif.), making her first start of the year, finished with a season-high 13 points. The junior also added five rebounds to go along with two blocks and two steals.

Jacqlyn Poss (Shoreview, Minn.) scored 13 points in 38 minutes.

Davenport, shooting exclusively from the 3-point line, finished with a season-high 30 in the contest, one off her career best.

Mikaela Shaw, the Summit League's leading scorer, racked up a double-double for UNO with 10 points and 11 rebounds.

Denver came out the gate fast, opening with an 8-3 run in the first 2:37, highlighted by the Pioneers assisting on three of their first four made shots.

Omaha, though, closed with a flurry of 3-pointers -- a theme throughout the entire contest -- going on a 13-8 run in the final 5:17 to take a 19-16 lead after 10 minutes. The Mavericks' run was highlighted by four made 3s from beyond the arc.

In the second quarter, each team continued to attack with its unique style, DU getting to the basket for points in the paint, while UNO continued to do it from deep with the 3. Neither team was able to get ahead by more than three points in the quarter. Ciera Morgan (Parker, Colo.) tied things up late with a layup for Denver, but Omaha's Davenport drilled a half-court shot at the buzzer to give them the 35-32 lead at the break, her fifth 3-pointer of the afternoon.

The first half was all about contrasting styles, with the Pioneers doing it from the paint with good ball movement and finishes, outscoring the Mavericks 22-4. UNO did it from long range, hitting nine 3s in the half - they made only 12 field goals total.

A rough-shooting start hurt DU to open the third, allowing for Omaha to start with a 13-6 run, which again consisted of numerous makes from beyond the 3-point line, with Davenport again leading the charge with two more to add to her total. Denver continued to struggle from the field the rest of the quarter, scoring just eight points.

In the final quarter, the Pioneers were able to hang with the Mavericks, being outscored 16-15, but could never get within single digits the rest of the way, securing the win for UNO.

Always a Silver Lining
Despite the loss, DU showed flashes of playing its best basketball of the season in the first half with great ball movement and excellent shot selection. Denver, finally getting key healthy players back, has consistently shown improvement throughout the season, and will continue to give unprepared teams fits with its arsenal of injured players finally becoming available to use together for the first time all year.

Up Next
Denver (4-15, 2-4 SL) continues its five-game road trip with a game at Oral Roberts next Saturday. Tip is set for 11 a.m. MT.

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