Tough Second Half Drops Trojans

Wednesday, December 28

Denver, Colo.

8:00 p.m.

Troy University

University of Denver

Photo by: Cass Davis

12/28/2011 10:09:00 PM | Basketball (W)

By: Matt Mays

Box Score

DENVER, Colo. – The Troy women's basketball team played a good game but ran into one of the Sun Belt's top teams on the road in their conference opener as they fell to Denver, 73-51, on Wednesday night at Magness Arena.

DeAngela Sword led the Trojans with19 points on 7-of-10 from the floor as the Trojans shot 36.4 percent (20-of-55) as a team. The Trojans held Denver to just 26.3 percent shooting in the first half as the two sides entered the locker room tied up at 25-25.

“Our defensive effort was great and we were just a little shorthanded down the stretch,” said head coach Michael Murphy. “I think we can bring some positives to North Texas with us, especially defensively.”

Troy however couldn't stop the Pioneers offense in the second as Denver shot 58.1 percent (18-of-31) in the final frame.

Sun Belt Preseason Player of the Year, Kaetlyn Murdoch, scored 15 to lead Denver while Emiko Smith registered six assists to become the Pioneers all-time leader.

Jamesha Blake was the Trojans second leading scorer with eight while Ieva Nagy led the Trojans on the glass with eight rebounds. Denver out-rebounded the Trojans 51-31 on the night, including 17-4 on the offensive glass.

The Trojans return to the floor on Saturday when they travel to take on North Texas at the Super Pit in Denton, Texas.

DENVER 73, TROY 51

The Trojans valued their possessions in the first half as they committed just six turnovers to go along with great defense in holding Denver to 26.3 percent (10-of-38) in the first frame. The Trojans post defense held the Sun Belt Preseason Player of the Year, Katelyn Murdoch, to just two points on 1-of-6 shooting in the first half.

Sword led the Trojans in the first half with 11 points as she made four of Troy's nine first-half field goals. The Trojans struggled themselves from the floor in the first half as they shot just 31.0 percent (9-of-29) to enter the locker room tied at 25-25.

Murdoch and the Pioneers would find their offense to open the second half as they hit 7-of-9 to open the half with Murdoch scoring 11 point in just over six minutes. The Pioneers took a 41-33 lead with 13:27 to go thanks to the hot shooting.

The Trojans would hold the deficit at eight points at 52-44 at the 7:58 mark, but Denver would finish the game on a 21-7 run to push the final score to 73-51.