GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- The University of Denver women's basketball team struggled to maintain momentum in the final frame and fell to North Dakota, 73-72, in Grand Forks on Saturday afternoon. 

Jocelyn Medina led the Pioneers with a season-high 23 points alongside six rebounds, three assists and three steals. Coryn Watts added 16 points, three assists and a takeaway. 

The opening quarter was marked by defensive pressure and offensive struggles on both sides. Denver forced an early shot-clock violation but went scoreless for more than three minutes before tying the game at 8-all midway through the period. The teams remained even at 12-12 with under two minutes to play, but North Dakota connected on a late 3-pointer and held Denver scoreless over the final 2:38 to take a 15-12 lead after one.

North Dakota stretched its advantage early in the second quarter with back-to-back 3-pointers to go up 24-18. Denver answered with an 8-0 run, highlighted by triples from McLeod and Medina, to knot the score at 24-24 midway through the frame. A Monclova three briefly put Denver back in front, but a late 6-0 North Dakota run — aided by a nearly three-minute Denver scoring drought — sent the Pioneers into halftime trailing 36-33.

The teams traded baskets to open the third quarter before Denver again went cold, going more than two minutes without a field goal until Murrell finished at the rim. Denver flipped the game with a 9-0 run to take a 47-44 lead at the four-minute mark and capitalized on consecutive North Dakota turnovers to extend the advantage. A pair of steals by Medina fueled the surge as Denver pushed the lead to 63-51 heading into the final period.

Momentum shifted quickly in the fourth. Denver was held scoreless for more than three minutes as North Dakota put together an 11-0 run to cut the deficit to 65-62 midway through the quarter. Watts halted the run with a key bucket out of a timeout, and Denver briefly rebuilt a double-digit lead. But the Pioneers went cold again, failing to score for more than four minutes as North Dakota responded with a 9-0 run to pull within one in the final minute. North Dakota took its first lead of the quarter at 73-72 with 20 seconds remaining. Denver was unable to answer, finishing the game scoreless over the final five minutes and came up short, falling to the Fighting Hawks, 72-73.

UP NEXT: The Pioneers return to Hamilton Gymnasium on February 5 to take on South Dakota at 6 p.m. MT.

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