Box Score LITTLE ROCK, Ark.?After a slow first half, UALR shot 71.4 percent in the second half going 15-of-21 from the field to win their second conference contest over Denver 68-56 at the Jack Stephens Center Saturday. The Trojans (8-3, 2-0 Sun Belt) won their sixth straight home contest this season and seventh contest in a row at home.
“I think tonight we learned patience playing both offensively and defensively,” said head coach Joe Foley. “In the first half, I thought we were very impatient on both offense and defense. We were trying to steal the ball and trying to shoot too quickly. In the second half, I thought we played with some patience. It was two different halves and two different games.”
Freshman Kim Sitzmann led all scorers with 20 points going 6-of-10 from the filed, 2-of-5 from the arc, and 6-of-9 from the free throw line. Sitzmann also led the team with six assists and four steals.
Nikya Hughes knocked down 14 points and led all rebounders with nine, while Anshel Cooper contributed 12 points and a team high of four steals. Andrea Keys also knocked down 12 points going 4-of-4 from the field and free throw line.
For the fifth time this season, the Trojans recorded 52.2 percent from the field for the game while for the ninth time this season held their opponent to under 50 percent with Denver recording 40.8 percent from the field.
Denver started the game on an 8-0 run. The Trojans first points were at the 16:34 mark when Love knocked down a three-pointer.
After the teams exchanged baskets, the Pioneers out scored the Trojans 8-2 to keep their 19-7 lead.
At the 8:31 mark, Sitzmann stole the ball and knocked down a layup for UALR. After a Denver basket, the Trojans scored 13 straight points including five by Sitzmann to take their first lead of the game 22-21.
With 52.5 seconds, Brianna Culberson knocked down a jumper to regain the lead, before Cooper scored two after a steal to give the Trojans the 24-23 half-time lead.
Sitzmann opened the second half with a three-pointer followed by a steal and a layup up to give the Trojans a 29-23 lead.
Denver kept within one until the 11:51 mark when free throws by Andrea Keys sparked a six point run for the 46-39 UALR lead.
At the 3:04 mark, the Pioneers cut the UALR lead to seven with free throws, before Keys knocked down back-to-back jumpers off of Trojan steals.
Denver cut the lead back to seven with 1:27 remaining on a layup by Tyesha Lowery and after a UALR basket at the 1:13 mark with a jumper by Sara Benham.
Over the remaining minute, Sitzmann went 5-of-6 from the foul line, while the Trojan defense kept Denver scoreless as UALR won their second conference contest 68-56.
UALR hosts non-conference Stephen F. Austin at the Jack Stephens Center Tuesday December 19. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
