DENVER – The University of Denver women's basketball program fell to Air Force 67-63 in both teams' season opener on Monday night inside Hamilton Gymnasium.
The Pioneers (0-1) had three players score in double figures, led by Ally Haar, who had 19 points, six rebounds and two steals. Mikayla Brandon added a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds and Emma Smith chipped in as well with 11 points in her collegiate debut.
Led by Brandon's seven offensive rebounds, Denver crashed the offensive glass, pulling down 16 boards that resulted in 13 second chance points.
Denver did a great job disrupting Air Force shots in the contest, coming away with five blocks. Cheyenne Forney led the way individually for the Pioneers with two rejections.
How It Happened
Denver started off strong, putting together a 17-14 lead heading into the second quarter.
The Pioneers surrendered their lead in the second quarter and entered halftime with the score tied 31-31. Denver was strong from deep in the period, knocking down two three-point shots to account for six of its 14 points.
Air Force proceeded to claw their way ahead after halftime, leaving Denver trailing 46-44 as the game entered the fourth quarter. Denver turned nine offensive rebounds into nine second chance points on the way to scoring 13 total points in the quarter.
Denver cut a nine-point deficit in the fourth down to as little as two in the final seconds, but Air Force knocked down its free-throws down the stretch to take the six-point victory.
Game Notes
» Mikayla Brandon notched a double-double for the Pioneers with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Brandon's 11 rebounds were a game-high.
» Ally Haar led the Pioneers with a game-high 19 points, the 24th game she has finished in double figures in her career.
» Brandon's double-double was the fourth of her career. She finished in double figures for the 12th time and in double digits in rebounds for the 12th time in her career.
» Denver held a 42-36 rebounding advantage.
» The Pioneers were active in affecting shots on the defensive end, tallying five blocks as a team.
» Denver cleaned up on the offensive glass, collecting 16 offensive boards in the game.
This article was created using technology provided by Data Skrive.
UP NEXT: The University of Denver women's basketball team will take on Northern Colorado on Friday at 6 p.m. MT. The game will be broadcast live on Pioneer Vision.
TICKET INFORMATION: Tickets for the 2022-23 season are available now, and can be purchased here. Season tickets start at just $59.
LONG BALL ELITE: Back for a second season, the Denver women's basketball program is running its Long Ball Elite fundraiser in 2022-23. Fans in a position to donate, consider pledging a dollar amount per 3-pointer made by the DU Pioneers this season. Join the Long Ball Elite campaign today.
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