Jan. 12, 2014

Final Stats

DENVER - Theresa Wirth scored 26 points while Morgan Van Riper-Rose added 22 points to lead the Denver Pioneers past the South Dakota women's basketball team 91-84 on Sunday at Magness Arena.

Wirth was 8-of-12 shooting and led Denver (3-13, 1-0) in rebounding with eight, while Van Riper-Rose was 8-of-13 shooting and 6-of-9 from 3-point range. Paige Bradley also reached double-digit points for the Pioneers with 14.

The Pioneers scored the highest-point total against the Coyotes (9-7, 0-1) this season with the previous high being 89 from Drake on Nov. 21. Denver shot 60 percent (15-of-25) and held South Dakota to just 28 percent (11-of-39) shooting in the second half, and was 51 percent (31-of-60) shooting over the game. Denver also had 20 assists in the game while USD had nine.

Raeshel Contreras led USD with 21 points while Margaret McCloud added 14 points and seven rebounds. Nicole Seekamp scored 13 points in her first game back from an ankle injury against Nebraska on Dec. 21, Polly Harrington tallied 13 points and Tia Hemiller had 11 points and seven rebounds.

South Dakota shot 52 percent (12-of-23) in the first half, but trailed 42-38 at the break due to Denver scoring 14 points off nine USD turnovers.

Despite the loss, South Dakota held advantages in rebounds (45-29), offensive rebounds (22-9), bench points (35-20) and in made free throws (32-21).

South Dakota will play at IUPUI on Thursday at 6 p.m.