The Pioneers endured a slow start, going scoreless for the first six-and-a-half minutes. UMKC took advantage, building a 5–0 lead at the first media timeout. Coryn Watts ended the drought with a corner 3-pointer, but back-to-back Roos layups pushed the deficit to 15–4 and Denver trailed 16–6 at the end of the first quarter.
Denver found a rhythm in the second. Watts knocked down another 3 and Medina converted an and-one to spark quick offense and cut the deficit to 18–12. The Pioneers' defense clamped down, holding UMKC scoreless for more than three minutes. After a brief Denver scoring drought, buckets from Ana Conde and Watts, combined with a defensive stop, trimmed the Roos' lead to 26–25 heading into halftime.
The Pioneers carried momentum into the third, as Watts scored quickly to give Denver its first lead of the night. A key block by Anna Rosenberger highlighted Denver's defensive effort, though UMKC briefly reclaimed a three-point advantage. Both teams went cold offensively, with Denver scoreless for more than five minutes while still holding the Roos without a basket for over three minutes. Watts broke the drought, and a quick bucket by Brooke Murrell put Denver back in front, 35–34, midway through the quarter. The teams traded baskets down the stretch, including another Medina and-one, as Denver took a 42–41 lead into the final period.
Denver seized control early in the fourth, opening with quick offense to build its largest lead of the night at 46–41. A 3-pointer from Monclova stretched the margin to 51–43, and a 10–2 run capped by a Watts triple pushed the lead to 56–45. The Pioneers continued to build offensive momentum while holding UMKC scoreless for more than two minutes. Although the Roos closed with a late 6–0 run, Denver stayed composed down the stretch to secure the 64–54 win.
UP NEXT: The Pioneers host Oral Roberts on Saturday at 11 a.m. MT in Hamilton Gymnasium
