DENVER  – The University of Denver women's basketball program will close out its home-opening weekend of Summit League play on Saturday when the Pioneers welcome Western Illinois to Hamilton Gymnasium. Tip against head coach Doshia Woods alma mater is set for 1 p.m. MT.  
 
The Four W's
Who: Denver (6-8, 2-1 Summit League) vs. Western Illinois (6-10, 1-4 Summit League)
What: Game 15 of the 2022-23 Regular Season - Denver Women's Basketball Pride Game
Where: Hamilton Gymnasium (Denver, Colo.)
When: Saturday, January 7, 2023 – 1 p.m. MT
TV: Pioneer Vision
 
SERIES HISTORY:
Western Illinois has a 15-4 edge in the series, but it was the Pioneers that took last season's final match-up, a 77-55 win in Hamilton Gymnasium. Denver is 4-4 at home against Western since joining the Summit League in the 2013-14 campaign.
 
LAST TIME OUT – Denver 66, St. Thomas 60
Denver hit 13-of-31 attempts from beyond the arc, shooting 41.9 percent from deep in a 66-60 victory over the St. Thomas Tommies inside Hamilton Gymnasium Thursday.
 
The Pioneers had three players score in double figures, led by Ally Haar, who had 15 points and four assists. Emma Smith added 15 points, five assists and two steals and Mikayla Brandon chipped in as well with 14 points, six rebounds and four assists.
 
NOTES:

• Freshman Emma Smith leads the Pioneers in scoring, averaging 13.2 points per game.
• Senior Makayla Minett is nearly averaging a double-double, checking in at 9.6 points and 10 rebounds per game entering play on Saturday.
  • Minett entered the New Year as one of four players in the country to be averaging a double-double with at least 30 blocks.
  • Minett is 10^th in the country in blocks (35) and blocks per game (2.5).
• Denver finished with single-digit turnovers on Thursday for the second time this season, committing just nine.
• The Pioneers have made 120 three-pointers this season, including a season-high 13 in their last two home games against Colorado Christian (December 12) and St. Thomas (January 5).
  • Denver ranks 17^th in the country in three-point attempts per game (26.5) and 23^rd in the country in three-point makes per game (8.6).

 
LONG BALL ELITE:
Back for a second season, the Denver women's basketball program has restarted its Long Ball Elite fundraiser this campaign. 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. Denver has made 120 triples in its first 14 games.  
 
TICKET INFORMATION:
Tickets for the 2022-23 season are available now, and can be purchased here.
 
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