COLORADO SPRINGS – The University of Denver women's basketball team opened the season with a bang on Wednesday, knocking off Air Force 72-56 at Clune Arena in head coach Doshia Woods' debut. The Pioneers picked up their fourth season-opening victory in the last five years with the win.

Significant Stats:
- First career win for Woods

Inside the Box Score:
- Sophomore Meghan Boyd poured in a career-high 20 points to go with five rebounds.

- Uju Ezeudu finished with 16 points on a perfect night shooting off the bench.

- Tsimba Malonga's nine rebounds and four assists were career bests.

Quotable:
"We competed. I loved the way we pushed the ball in transition. Defensively, especially in the first half, I thought we did a great job of contesting shots, rebounding and pushing the ball up the floor." -  Coach Woods

Turning Point:
A 14-0 run midway in the fourth quarter that pushed game from 58-55 Denver to back into double-digit contest for good.

As it Happened:

First Quarter:
Denver jumped out to a 20-14 lead in the first 10 minutes thanks to the strong start from Boyd. DU had it going on defensive end, holding the Falcons to 6-for-20 shooting (30 percent).

Second Quarter:
Pioneers had their best quarter of the night, outscoring AF 24-15, highlighted getting into the paint and converting at the foul line to take a 44-29 lead into halftime.

Third Quarter:
Cold shooting and turnovers caused Denver issues to start the half, finishing with just eight points on 2-for-12 shooting (16.6 percent).

Fourth Quarter:
The Pioneers fought off an early run by Air Force, who closed to within three at 58-55 at the 5:53 mark, with a game-breaking 14-0 run over the next 4:38 to extend the lead to 17.

Up Next:
DU meets up with Northern Colorado in Greeley on Dec. 1

CORONAVIRUS INFORMATION

For the latest University of Denver updates on the coronavirus, click here.

SHOP PIONEERS:
Get dressed for Game Day! Get your Pioneers gear at ShopPioneers.com, the official online store of University of Denver Athletics.

DONATE:
Fans interested in making a donation to the women's basketball program can do so by CLICKING HERE. Your contribution will make a direct impact on the success of YOUR Pioneers. Thank you in advance for your unwavering support of our student-athletes and their quest for excellence.  

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