NEW ORLEANS - Le'Della English made the final four points, but the most important was the game-winning jumper in the paint with 26 seconds left as the University of New Orleans women's basketball team took a 54-53 home win over University of Denver on Thursday night.
UNO (9-6, 3-1 SBC) was led by English who scored 15 points on the game including 10 in the second half. Talishia Young netted her third double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds while Cookie Johnson added 10 points.
DU (5-10, 0-4 SBC) was led by Brooke Meyer and Celena Otero who scored 15 and 13 points, respectively on the game.
The Lady Privateers took advantage of rebounding in the game on a poor-shooting night by both teams. UNO outrebounded DU 39-28 which played a major role in the Lady Privateers' 20-4 advantage in second-chance points.
UNO got off to a strong start on the defensive end. Following an opening DU three-pointer, the Pioneers missed four straight shots and had four turnovers during a stretch which saw the Lady Privateers take an early 10 point lead just over four minutes into the game on 5 of 8 shooting.
With 11:11 left in the opening half, the Lady Privateers lead peaked at 20-9 on an Ashley Alexander lay-up. The visiting Pioneers climbed back into the game as UNO only made 3 of their final 17 shots to close the opening half to power a 15-4 run for DU as both teams left the floor at the break with the score tied at 24.
Both teams got off to a slow start in the second half from the field, a Meyer three-pointer broke a 28-28 tie in DU's favor. An English fast break basket and ensuing free throw tied it up once more before Meyer drained another three-pointer that helped the Pioneers take a five point lead.
An English three-pointer brought UNO within two points at 42-40 before the Pioneers received another three-pointer to push the lead back to five. UNO would take the lead after a 6-0 run that saw Young score four straight points before a Johnson put back of a Lady Privateers miss to make it 48-47.
The two teams exchanged leads with an English jumper in the paint making it 52-51 with 1:14 remaining in the contest. Otero would make a lay-up on the next possession to put DU back in the driver's seat with a 53-52 lead before English's heroics at the end.
The Pioneers had one final chance, but a last second jumper by DU's Sara Benham rimmed out and English grabbed the rebound to close out the game.
The Lady Privateers return to action at the HPC on Saturday against South Alabama in a Sun Belt tilt. Tip is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.
