SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The University of Denver women's basketball team will begin the Summit League tournament on Sunday when it takes on North Dakota at 1:30 pm MT.

The Pios ended the regular season 17-12 overall and 10-6 in league play, marking DU's first winning league record since joining the Summit League in 2013-14. Denver is looking for its first league tournament win since the 2013-14 season when the Pioneers made it all the way to the championship prior to falling to South Dakota. Head coach Jim Turgeon's team proved the ability to score a will during the regular season, averaging a league-best 81.1 points per game (eighth in the NCAA).  

The Pioneers feature five players who average double-figures in Madison Nelson (16.2 points per game), Lauren Loven (14.5 points per game), Samantha Romanowski (12.0 points per game), Claire Gritt (10.8 points per game) and Courtney Smith (10.4 points per game). Nelson, a junior from Dover, Minn., was named second-team all-league after recording a league-high 10 double-doubles while ranking third in the league in scoring. DU also leads the league in 3-point percentage, shooting 39.4 percent from downtown which ranks third in the NCAA.

North Dakota finished with a record of 11-18 overall and 6-10 in the Summit League. After starting league play 3-1 the Fighting Hawks have dropped nine of their final 12 games including two losses to DU. Senior Lexi Klabo leads UND averaging 18.5 points and 8.2 rebounds per game while Jill Morton adds 9.2 points per game. Head coach Travis Brewster's team averages just 65.3 points per game and allows opponents to score nearly 73 per game while shooting 42.8 percent from the floor.

The Fighting Hawks hold league wins over Purdue Fort Wayne (2x), Oral Roberts, Omaha (2x) and North Dakota State. In four of their six league wins, UND has slowed the tempo of the game and held its opponent to 60 points or less.

The teams met twice in the regular season with Denver sweeping the series. The Pios won 87-66 in the Mile High City and won 92-91 in overtime in Grand Forks.

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