DENVER – The University of Denver women's basketball team had its three-game winning streak snapped by North Dakota by a count of 82-67 on Thursday night inside Hamilton Gymnasium.
The Pioneers (10-15, 6-8) had three players score in double figures, led by Emily Counsel, who had 15 points and two steals. Emma Smith tacked on 13 points and six rebounds and Ally Haar chipped in as well with 10 points and four assists.
Makayla Minett pulled down seven offensive rebounds to pace an offense that racked up second chance opportunities for Denver, grabbing 15 boards and turning them into 11 second chance points.
Denver forced 16 North Dakota turnovers while committing 11 themselves in Thursday's game. The Pioneers turned those takeaways into 19 points on the other end of the floor. Counsel's two steals led the way for Denver.
How It Happened
Denver struggled out of the gate, falling behind 25-9 at the end of the first quarter.
The Pioneers and Fighting Hawks then played an even second quarter making the halftime score 47-31 in favor of North Dakota.
North Dakota continued to increase its lead after halftime, building a 63-40 advantage before Denver went on an 8-0 run, punctuated by a basket from Haar, to trim its deficit to 63-48 with zero seconds to go in the third, a score which remained until the end of the third quarter. Denver took advantage of six North Dakota turnovers in the quarter, scoring five points off of takeaways.
UND kept widening its lead in the fourth, constructing an 80-59 advantage before Denver went on a 5-0 run, finished off by Counsel's layup, to shrink the deficit to 80-64 with 1:43 to go in the contest. The Pioneers kept their comeback going, but North Dakota managed to hold on for the 82-67 win. Denver took advantage of its opportunities in the post, scoring 12 of its 19 points in the paint.
GAME NOTES:
- Emma Smith finished with 13 points, getting into double figures for the 16th time in her freshman campaign.
- Emily Counsel finished with a season-high 15 points.
- Counsel finished in double figures for the first time this season and the fifth time in her Pioneer career.
- Makayla Minett pulled down 11 rebounds.
- Minett finished in double figures in rebounds for the second-straight game, the 12th time this season and the 18th time in her career.
- Ally Haar finished with 10 points.
- Haar finished in double figures for the 13th time this season and the 36th time in her career.
UP NEXT: Denver will play its final home game of the 2022-23 season on Saturday when the Pioneers welcome North Dakota State to Hamilton Gymnasium. The Pioneers will honor their five seniors after the game. Tip is set for 1 p.m. MT.
TICKET INFORMATION: Tickets for the 2022-23 season are available now, and can be purchased here.
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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This article was created using technology provided by Data Skrive
