Box Score
DENVER,
Colo.—Shanika Butler knocked down two clutch free throws with
15.1 remaining to assist the UALR women's basketball in the team's second-straight
Sun Belt Conference victory 49-46 at Denver Sunday. The Trojans improve to 8-5 overall and 2-0 in
SBC action.
Butler led the team in
points with 14 and also contributed five assists and a team-high of four
steals. Chastity Reed recorded ten points and four boards, while Marian Kursh led the team in rebounds
with six.
UALR
won the tip and scored the first field goal on a jumper by Reed. Denver (9-6, 1-1 SBC) answered back with a
three-pointer by Brianna Culberson for the 3-2 lead at the 16:41 mark.
Culberson
knocked down another three, before a three-pointer by Janette Merriex sparked a 5-0 run by the Trojans to take the 7-6
advantage with 13:55 on the clock.
Both
teams exchanged points including a three by Merriex and a steal and fast break
by Butler for the 12-10 UALR lead. With
10:25 until the half, the Pioneers scored seven-straight points including three
from Culberson for the 17-12 lead.
After
free throws by Kursh, a steal by Butler followed by a three-pointer by Rolfe
tied the score at 17 and recorded the team's first field goal in nearly four
minutes. The Trojans regained the
advantage on a jumper by Rolfe with 6:22 on the clock.
DU
scored four-straight points on layups, before a layup by Butler broke a four
minute scoreless streak for the Trojans and tied the score at 21. The Pioneers scored on a layup by Emiko
Smith, but Butler answered back with a three-pointer for the 24-23 lead at the
1:27 mark.
A
last second three-point shot by Butler lifted UALR to a 27-23 half-time lead.
Both
teams exchanged points to open the second half, before back-to-back baskets by
Britteni Rice tied the score at 29 with 16:03 on the clock. After jumpers by Reed for UALR and Kaetlyn
Murdoch for DU, a three-pointer by Merriex sparked a 7-0 run by the Trojans
including four from Kursh to bring UALR's lead to 38-31 at the 12:44 mark.
Both
teams exchanged points, before the Pioneers scored four-straight to cut the
Trojan advantage to 40-38 with 7:55 remaining.
After a three-pointer by Asriel Rolfe,
DU out scored UALR five to two to cut the Trojan lead to two.
Reed
knocked down a jumper for the Trojans, before a three-point basket by Quincey Noonan
brought the Trojans lead to 47-46 with 2:30 remaining.
Butler
knocked down two free throws with 15.1 seconds to give UALR the 49-46
lead. With seconds remaining, a
three-point attempt by Rice was blocked by Reed then a last second jumper by
Culberson missed for the 49-46 Trojan win.
UALR
opens home conference action on Saturday as the Trojans host Troy. Tip-off for the double-header is set for 4:30
p.m. at The Jack Stephens Center.
