DU women’s basketball dropped conference match-ups to Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) (11-12; 6-4) and Oral Roberts (12-12; 6-5) this past week, sending the Pioneers (7-17; 4-6) back to seventh in the Summit League Conference.
Denver lost a hard-fought game at home in Magness Arena to the IUPUI Jaguars on Feb. 4 68-64 with the game coming down to the final possessions. It all started well for Denver. A 7-0 run to begin the game meant that the Pioneers kept the lead for the first 10 minutes until IUPUI was able to catch up with nine minutes left in the first half.
From then on out, the game was back and forth, but IUPUI kept control of the lead for the rest of the first half. DU was able to pull within four points to end the half and took the lead on a three-point shot by senior guard Morgan Van Riper Rose six minutes into the second half.
However, IUPUI would quickly regain the lead and keep control of the score. The Pioneers were down only two points with a minute left in the game, but the combination of a missed shot by Denver sophomore guard Jacqlyn Poss and IUPUI’s ability to knock down both of their free throws clinched the game for the Jaguars.
“We have to credit IUPUI. They came up big,” Denver head coach Kerry Cremeans said. “They hit some big shots and that’s really how the game boiled down. As you go into the second part of the conference season, you’re going to have many ball games that come down to one or two possessions.”
Van Riper Rose led DU in scoring on Feb. 4, totalling 17 points. Sophomore guard Paige Bradley and Poss had 12 points each. Bradley posted six rebounds and two steals, as well, before she fouled out with 1:14 remaining in the game. Sophomore forward Alecia Espinoza led the team with 12 total rebounds.
The Pioneers had previously beaten Oral Roberts at Magness Arena in January, but came up short against the Golden Eagles on Feb. 8, falling 65-44 on the road.
“They’re going to be ready for us,” Cremeans said. “They have a difference-maker in a player who’s 6’7”.”
The game was close for most of the first half, but Oral Roberts went on a run to end the first half that continued for the remainder of the game.
Bradley was on the only player to score in the double digits for the Pioneers with 15 points.
Espinoza led the team in rebounds again with seven. Although she only scored six points Saturday night, Van Riper Rose moved into twelfth place on the Pioneers’ all-time scoring list, finishing the game with 1,236 career points.
“We feel that our ability to shoot from the outside is our number one strength offensively, and that’s something that we’ll take with us into the latter part of the season,” Cremeans said.
With these last two losses, DU has now lost four of their last five.
Denver finishes out their home schedule with their upcoming game before ending the season on the road. Their final home game is Feb. 11 at 7 p.m. against South Dakota State at Magness Arena.
