Dec. 18, 2001

Box Score

Ashley Atkinson, a native of Springfield, Mo., returned to her hometown and scored 19 points to lead the University of Denver women's basketball team to a 70-50 victory over 2001 Final Four participant Southwest Missouri State Tuesday at the Hammons Center in front of crowd of 6,833. The victory was head coach Pam Tanner's 100th career coaching victory.

Denver used a 17-5 run, spanning the last six minutes of the game take control of the game late in the second half after fighting off two Lady Bear runs. After trailing by 11 points at the half, SMS opened the second half with five straight points to get the game within six points (38-32) just two minutes into the half. Denver came back with seven straight points from Nikki Weddle (Denver, Colo./Montbello) to get the lead back to 10 at 45-35. Atkinson hit her fourth three of the game to in an 8-1 Denver run to increase the Pioneers lead to 12 at 48-35. SMS countered with a 10-4 run, going inside to score, to close the gap to seven points (52-45) with nine minutes to play. Garcia hit back-to-back three pointers, her third/fourth and the teams 10th, to give the Pioneers a 13-point lead (58-45) with five minutes to play in the game.

"This is a big win for us," head coach Pam Tanner said. "We needed something to jump start this season and hopefully this will be it. I am thrilled for Ashley. She has given so much for the program and for us to give something back to her was very special."

"I was very proud of the team. Even when we were struggling offensively, we didn't give up easy baskets and we fought off two big runs. It was a really good team game in a difficult situation."

Melissa Garcia added 18 points and matched Atkinson's three-point total with five. Weddle added 17 points and seven assists. Carolyn Weirick led the Lady Bears with 14 points. SMS shot just 26.9 percent from the field.

In the first half, Atkinson scored the Pioneers' first five points to help lead Denver to an early 8-4 lead just three minutes into the contest (17:33). After SMS rallied to take a 9-8 lead, Garcia got the Pioneers back on top with a three pointer from the left side of the key and Sarah Cyran (Broomfield, Colo./Broomfield) converted an offensive board into the two points to give the Pioneers a 13-11 lead. SMS tied the game at 13, but the Pioneers mounted a furious 21-7 run over the next seven minutes to earn their largest lead of the half at 37-20 with two minutes to play in the period.

Atkinson nailed back-to-back three pointers just seconds apart to give the Pioneers a 19-13 lead to start the run. Melissa Garcia (Thornton, Colo./Thornton) gave the Pioneers a nine-point lead when she stole the ball and went coast to coast for the layup with six minutes in the half (26-17). Nicky Eason (Carpentersville, Ill./Carpentersville) stole the ball and gave the ball to Stephanie Hart who was streaking to the basket to increase the Pioneer lead to 32-19 with four minutes to play in the half. Cyran hit a short jumper from the baseline as the shot clock expired to cap the Pioneer run. The Lady Bears converted five free throws and Erica Vincente scored a layup to close within 11 points (38-27) at the half.

The Pioneers will return home to face the waiting Monarchs of Old Dominion on Thursday, Dec. 20 at 6:30 p.m. at Magness Arena. The game will be televised live by Fox Sports Rocky Mountain and hear on AM 950 The Fan.