DENVER – The Westminster women's basketball team fell behind early and couldn't make up the deficit as they lost at MSU Denver, 67-58, on Saturday night.
 
Westminster (7-12, 5-10 RMAC) failed to hold a lead for a second straight night as MSU Denver (13-9, 9-6 RMAC) opened the game with a 10-2 run. The Griffins cut that deficit to 10-9 before the home team mounted a 27-5 run, including 17 consecutive points to lead them to a 42-18 halftime advantage.
 
The Griffins refused to go away as they chipped away at the deficit throughout the second half. After winning the third quarter, 14-7, Westminster got nine points from Sydnee Taylor and five from Aubrie Vale during a 17-3 burst that had them within 53-58 with 1:20 remaining.
 
Westminster got a stop and had possession wen Taylor was called for an offensive foul with 32 seconds to play. MSU Denver sealed the Griffins fate by hitting all four of their free throw attempts in the final minutes and Denise Gonzalez and Max Shelley missing on 3-point attempts.
 
On the night, Westminster shot 40.7 percent from the field and they controlled 14 offensive rebounds. They never found the range from deep, going just 5 of 17 from beyond the arc. MSU Denver shot 49.0 percent and scored 17 points from 15 Griffin turnovers.
 
Taylor led the Griffins with 16 points for her 10th double-digit scoring effort of the season. It was her highest scoring night of the eight games played since the calendar turned to 2017. She made 7 of her 11 shot attempts and grabbed three rebounds.
 
Vale finished with her third double-double of the year after getting 10 points and 11 rebounds. Lancee Whetman had nine points and eight rebounds off the bench.
 
MSU Denver had 10 makes from three and shot 52.6 percent from deep. Georgia Ohrdorf scored 20 points to lead the Roadrunners.
 
Westminster will return to the road next weekend for the final time this season. The Griffins play at Western State Colorado on February 3 to begin the trip. That game tips at 5:30 p.m. MS and can be seen live on the RMAC Network.