The women’s basketball team (5-15, 3-4 SBC) made a comeback attempt in its 46-43 loss to the Denver University Pioneers on Thursday at the Fant-Ewing Coliseum.
ULM shot under 14 percent on 5-36 shooting from the field in the first half and went into their locker room trailing by 12 points.
“We are depending on these guards who aren’t shooting the ball well, and it’s very frustrating,” head coach Mona Martin said. “We aren’t going to win ball games if they keep shooting like that.”
Sophomore guard Jasmine Shaw scored the first bucket for ULM on a tip-in layup in the opening minutes. Shaw’s two points were all the Warhawks had through the first ten minutes of the game until freshman guard Taylor Maricle knocked down a three-pointer.
Two possessions later Maricle came back with another threepointer to put the Warhawks down six, but DU’s (12-8, 4-2 SBC) Jordan Johnston replied with three’s of her own to keep ULM out of striking distance. DU led 17-8.
Maricle finished the game with a team-high and career-high 11 points on 3-5 shooting from the three-point line.
Maricle said, “I knew I had to shoot the ball and get myself open, but I’m just trying to get stronger and smarter on defense so I can contribute on both ends of the court.”
Senior forward Marion Zollicoffer worked hard for the Warhawks in the paint. She dribbled her way to the lane and was fouled on a made shot that put her on the free throw line to add one more. She missed the shot and ULM continued to trail by nine.
“The other post players should get scores, because they are doubling Larrie (Williams) every time, and that’s what I tell them but they miss the easy shots.”
Zollicoffer finished the night with six points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots.
In the second half, ULM’s senior guard Eli Torres put the team within nine with a three-pointer after DU’s Morgan Van Riper-Rose scored from downtown on their previous possession.
Maricle scored another threepointer to cut ULM’s deficit to seven making the score 33-26.
Sophomore guard Elexar Tugler helped bring the Warhawks within five points with less than 12:30 to play in the second half with a layup.
Later senior forward Larrie Williams cut the lead to three with a mid-range jumper pushing the score to 37-34.
ULM got within two points after Zollicoffer was fouled and sent to the foul line for two shots. She made them both. DU led 46-44.
Torres knocked down a three with less than a minute to play in the game to keep ULM’s chances of winning alive.
With less than ten seconds remaining, Torres came back with another three to try and tie the game and force an overtime, but the shot rimmed out.
