DENVER – The University of Denver women's basketball team came up short against South Dakota State, falling 86-79 on Thursday night in Hamilton Gymnasium.

Freshman Uju Ezeudu led the way for the Pioneers with her fourth career double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds.

Seniors Madison Nelson and Lauren Loven each scored in double-figures in the loss. Nelson added 16 points, while Loven scored 14.

Denver opened the game on a 13-6 run over the first 5:10 of play to go into the media timeout with the lead. Alexius Foster hit a jumper with 3:59 to play in the opening quarter to put DU up by nine, its largest lead of the game. After Paiton Burckhard went 2-of-2 from the free throw line for South Dakota State with less than a minute to go, the teams went to the second quarter tied at 15-15.

SDSU took a 32-27 lead to the media timeout after going 7-of-7 from the field over a 3:44 span. The Pioneers made it a one point game with 2:15 to go in the opening half after going on a 1:51 6-0 run. In the final 1:38 of the first half, the two teams traded baskets before going to the break knotted at 40-40 after SDSU's Megan Bultsma finished a layup at the buzzer.

Denver and SDSU saw three lead changes and five ties to open the third quarter as the Jackrabbits eventually took a 57-55 lead to the media timeout at the 3:29 mark. South Dakota State took a four point lead to the final quarter following a 3 from DU's Meghan Boyd with 48 seconds remaining in the third.

Ezeudu tied the game at 67-67 just 57 seconds into the final quarter. Lindsey Theuninck hit a 3 only 21 seconds later as the Jackrabbits regained the lead and never looked back on their way to the win.

UP NEXT
The Pioneers travel to Macomb, Illinois for a 1 pm (MT) matchup against Western Illinois on Jan. 12.

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