Dec. 15, 2001

Box Score

The University of Denver women's basketball team held the lead for the majority of the game, but ran out of steam midway in the second half to allow Brigham Young University to take control of the game and earn a 81-67 victory in the second game of the Pioneer Classic Saturday at Magness Arena.

The Pioneers extended their losing streak to seven games and fall to 2-7 on the season while BYU improved to 7-3.

Denver broke open a nine-point lead midway in the first half, using a 15-6 run, capped by Ashley Atkinson's (Springfield, Mo./Kickapoo) third trey of the game. Holding a 24-15 lead, BYUs Erin Thorn nailed three of her five three pointers in the last eight minutes of the first half to chisel Denver's lead to two points at the intermission.

"I don't like to lose, but I think we made some progress tonight," Denver head coach Pam Tanner said. "We ran out of gas at the 13-minute mark, but we played better than we have, even in the last two days. So, we go from here and look forward to January."

In the second half, Denver hung on to its lead until about 12 minutes remaining to play when BYU used a 16-3 run to break the game open 61-47. Thorn capped the game-turning run with her fifth three pointer.

Denver earned 29 opportunities from the free throw line (22-29) and made 76 percent, but shot just 38.0 percent from the field (19-50). BYU shot 54.5 percent from the field, including 42.9 percent from three-point range. Melissa Garcia (Thornton, Colo./Thornton) led the Pioneers with 14 points and Atkinson ended with 12. Thorn finished 19 points on 6-9 shooting from the field, including 5-5 from long range to lead BYU. Jennifer Leitner added 17 for the Cougars.

The Pioneers will play Arkansas-Pine Bluff Sunday at Noon to conclude the second annual Pioneer Classic. UAPB is 1-3 on the season and relinquished a 90-50 decision to BYU on Friday.