DENVER, Colo. – The Omaha women's basketball team posted a 70-60 win over the Denver Pioneers on Saturday afternoon in their regular season finale. The Mavericks improved to 14-14 overall and 7-9 in Summit League play. Denver dropped to 5-24 overall and 3-13 in league play.
Junior Mikaela Shaw had a double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds, while freshman Caroline Hogue scored 14 points and sophomore Remy Davenport added 13 points and seven rebounds.
Denver had four players in double figures led by 15 points from Samantha Romanowski. Paige Bradley had 14 points, while Jacqlyn Poss scored 11 and Jordyn Alt had 10 points and eight rebounds.
Omaha opened the game with a Davenport 3-pointer off an assist from Shaw. Alt scored Denver's first basket of the day on the ensuing possession. UNO would extend its lead to six over the next 4:13 on two Hogue jumpers, a Shaw layup and a made free throw from Vanessa Barajas. Denver closed to within three on a free throw from Bradley, but Omaha would score the final three points of the quarter for a 13-7 lead.
The Mavericks and the Pioneers battled in the second quarter, with Denver making it a three point game early in the period. UNO responded with a 10-4 run over the next 4:52 to take a 23-14 lead midway through the half. Shaw had six of the Mavericks points during the run on a 3-pointer and an old-fashioned three-point play. Even though Denver would outscore Omaha 8-6 the rest of the quarter, UNO led at the half 29-22.
UNO opened the second half on a 6-0 run pushing its lead to 13, 35-22. Hogue, Shaw, and Abi Lujan all scored during the run. Denver was not ready to let the game get out of hand as it held Omaha scoreless for over three minutes. During that time, the Pioneers erased the Mavericks 13-point lead and tied the game 35-35 midway through the quarter. Denver had a chance to take the lead, but Romanowski's 3-point attempt glanced off the back of the rim. Shaw gave the lead back to Omaha moments later with a layup. DU would tie things up again with two free throws with 3:47 left in the third. A Lujan bucket kick-started an 8-2 Omaha run to end the quarter with the Mavericks leading 45-39.
Omaha jumped back out to a 12 point lead as Shaw found Amber Vidal open for a 3-pointer, giving UNO a 55-43 lead. Denver continued to fight as it cut Omaha's lead to four points late in regulation, but UNO kept its composure pushing the lead back to nine-points after two Vidal free throws made it 63-54 with 1:13 left in regulation. DU was able to make it a five-point game with 41 seconds left on the clock. The Pioneers were unable to cut away at UNO's lead with the Mavericks hitting clutch free throws down the stretch to secure its 70-60 win.
With the win, Omaha is the No. 6 seed in next week's Summit League Tournament. The Mavericks return to action at the Summit League Tournament, March 5-8, in Sioux Falls, S.D. A full tournament bracket will be released at the conclusion of regular-season play on Saturday, Feb. 27.
