DENVER - The University of Denver mens basketball team dropped its Sun Belt Conference opener to Western Kentucky on Sunday at Magness Arena, 80-61. The Pioneers go to 4-7 (0-1 in the Sun Belt Conference) on the season while WKU improves to 8-4, 1-0 SBC.
In the first half, Denver got off to a fast start with a 10-4 run after Western scored the first basket of the game.
The Pioneers led the majority of the period behind the hot 3-point shooting of Arthur Ireland (Las Vegas, Nev.) who made 3-4 from long range to lead the team with 12 points at the half. The Pioneers saw their five-point advantage evaporate as Western finished the half with a 14-2 run and took a 39-32 lead to the locker room.
Western Kentucky opened the second half with a 17-10 run in the first eight minutes to build a 14-point lead, 56-42. The Hilltoppers continued their pressure as Denver could not get any closer than the nine-point difference of 56-47 at 10:55. WKU cruised to the 80-61 league victory.
Leading the way for Denver was Ireland, who added a team-high 17 points. Junior guard Sherman Rochell (Oklahoma City, Okla.) added 14 points for Denver, scoring 11 of those in the second stanza. Rochell also handed out nine assists and turned the ball over just once, while playing 37 minutes. Junior center Steve Simmons (Salt Lake City, Utah) added 10 points and a team-best six rebounds.
The Pioneers shot just 37.5 percent from the field while WKU hit 43.6 percent of its shots. The Pioneers also struggled from the free throw line, connecting on just 10-of-25 (40 percent) of their charity shots.
Another big factor in the outcome of the game was WKUs 7-foot-1 center Chris Marcus. Marcus, the Sun Belt Conference preseason Player of the Year, poured in 21 points and hauled down 14 rebounds to lead all players. He also blocked five shots.
The Pioneers are back in action Thursday January 4th vs. Louisiana Tech at 7 p.m., at Magness Arena.
