Box Score LITTLE ROCK, Ark.?Despite recording their first half time deficit of the season, the UALR women's basketball team outscored Denver 38 to 29 in the second half to win their fifth straight 58-53 Sunday at the Jack Stephens Center. The Trojans improve to 19-4 overall and 11-1 in conference action and have a four game lead the Pioneers in the Sun Belt Conference West Division.
“In the second half, I thought we played much smarter against the zone,” said head coach Joe Foley. “I thought we did a good job of getting the ball inside and getting some put backs. Marian [Kursh] did a good job in the paint. Chastity [Reed] did a good job of getting inside against the zone.”
Chastity Reed recorded her second straight 20 point game leading all scorers with 21 points. Anshel Cooper recorded 14 points, while Marian Kursh knocked down eight points and led the team in rebounds with ten.
Denver (12-11, 7-5 SBC) opened the first half on a 5-0 start including a three-pointer by Brittteni Rice. UALR scored their first field goal of the half at the 15:57 mark on a jumper by Reed.
Reed scored all eight of the Trojans opening points including six over the next three minutes, while the Pioneers scored five points to cut the Denver lead to two with 12:37 on the clock.
With 10:40 until half-time, Cooper knocked down a layup followed by a three-pointer by Asriel Rolfe to give UALR their first lead of the game 13-10.
Over the next five minutes, Denver out scored the Trojans nine to four with UALR's points coming from Kursh and Cooper to regain a 20-17 lead with 3:35 until the half.
In the remaining 2:44 of the half, Channon Haywood and Cooper combined for three points, while the Pioneers scored four points on a put back by Kaetlyn Murdoch and a jumper by Rice to take the 24-20 half-time lead.
UALR opened the second half with four straight points by Reed, before a three-pointer by Celena Otero regained a 27-24 lead for Denver with 16:53 on the clock.
After a 4-1 run by the Trojans, Murdoch knocked down five straight points for Denver including a three-point play to extend the Pioneers advantage to 33-28 with 13:35 remaining.
Both teams exchanged baskets, before a three-pointer by Kim Sitzmann brought the Trojans with one. After a jumper by Rice, a steal and fast break layup by Reed followed by a put back by Kursh gave UALR their first lead of the half 37-36.
Over the next three minutes, the Trojans knocked down eight points to the Pioneers' five to gain a 45-41 advantage with 6:36 on the clock.
After a jumper by Rice, UALR scored seven straight points while holding Denver scoreless over three minutes to extend their lead to 54-43 with 1:16 remaining.
In the remaining 1:01, Denver knocked down ten points including two three-pointers, but the Trojans scored on free throws by Reed, Cooper, and Sitzmann to win 58-53.
UALR continues conference action on Wednesday as they travel to Jonesboro, Ark. to face Arkansas State. Tip-off is set for 7:05 p.m.
