MACOMB, ILL.  – The University of Denver women's basketball team nearly rallied from down 19 points on Saturday before falling late to Western Illinois, 90-82 in Western Hall. Senior Claire Gritt made some history of her own, becoming the 27th player in program history to reach 1,000 career points.

Inside the Box Score:

• Anna Jackson and Uju Ezeudu each had a team-high 20 points.
• Gritt recorded 16 points to go with five assists.
• Meghan Boyd added 14 points in 29 minutes before fouling out.
• Danni Nichols displayed the all-around game for the Leatherneck, pouring in a game-high 24 points to go with five rebounds and five assists.

Significant Stats:

• Gritt surpassed the 1,000 point career mark, becoming the 27th player in program history to do so.
• The Crimson and Gold tied a season high with 12 made 3s in the contest, fifth time this year with that many.

Turning Point:
A late 8-2 run from WIU to pull away for good in the final 1:41 in regulation.  
 
As it Happened:
First Quarter:
Both teams traded baskets in the opening quarter, with Western Illinois building a four-point lead by the first media timeout. The Fighting Leathernecks pushed the lead to seven, 26-19 by the end of the 10-minute span. Hot shooting from deep was key for WIU, going 4-of-8 from beyond the arc.

Second Quarter:
Western Illinois made its move to start the quarter, going on a 7-0 run in the first 2:31 to build its lead to 14 at 33-19. Pioneers couldn't find the offense in the opening stretch, going 0-for-3 while also having some careless turnovers. The Leathernecks closed out the half leading, 51-35.
 
Third Quarter:
DU took its first quarter of the game to start the second half, outscoring WIU 24-29. The solid 10 minutes of action was highlighted by Gritt, who recorded her 1,000th career point after making two free throws at the 3:18 mark.

Fourth Quarter:
The Crimson and Gold's furious rally started with a 21-12 run at the start of the quarter before being capped off by a basket from Ezeudu to make it a two-point contest at 82-80. The sophomore forward sparked the big run, scoring eight points during the 8:02 stretch. Western Illinois, however, found a way to close after multiple reviews, ending the contest with an 8-2 run in the final 1:22 to seal the victory and get the sweep.

Up Next:
Denver (5-13, 3-7 Summit League) heads off to Kansas City for a showdown series with the Roos. First game is set for Feb. 5 with a 1 p.m. MT tip-off.  
 
CORONAVIRUS INFORMATION
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