University of Denver
6-5
Duquesne
3-7
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duquesne | 29 | 19 | 48 |
| University of Denver | 24 | 25 | 49 |
Pioneers Take Third In San Juan Shootout
12/22/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec 22, 2002
CAGUAS, Puerto Rico - The University of Denver men's basketball team opened the second half with a 13-3 run and then survived an almost seven-minute scoring drought to beat Duquesne 49-48 for third place in the San Juan Shootout on Sunday. With the victory the Pioneers improve to 6-5, while the Dukes fall to 3-7.
"Duquesne was very aggressive in the first eight minutes," said head coach Terry Carroll. "It would have been easy for us to pack it in, but we decided to get down and guard instead. Our play for the last 32 minutes of the game proves that you can win ball games if you struggle on the offensive end of the floor."
Senior captain B.J. Pratt's (San Antonio, Texas) long 3-pointer with 7:45 left got Denver within 41-40 and was the first score for the Pioneers since his layup and free throw with 14:24.
Sophomore guard Erik Benzel (Spokane, Wash.) then a steal which led to junior forward Carvell McAlister's (Fresno, Calif.) inside basket that put Denver back in the lead for good. Duquesne was within 49-48 when Brad Midgely hit a 3-pointer with 1:23 left, but nobody scored after that.
The Dukes had their chance after Benzel missed a shot and then traveled with 36 seconds left. Kevin Forney drove for a shot, but it bounced off the rim. Benzel then missed a free throw with 3 seconds left, but Ron Dokes' desperation 3-pointer was short at the buzzer.
Junior center Brett Starkey (Lakewood, Colo.) had 10 points to lead the Pioneers, which shot 35 percent (17-of-48). Forney had 13 points for Duquesne.
Senior Dusty Wadlington (Cedar Rapids, Iowa), Denver's 5-foot-5 point guard, keyed the run that started the second half. After Starkey's layup, Wadlington had a steal that he turned into a layup, hit a 3-pointer and assisted on a basket by Benzel with 16:40 left that gave the Pioneers their first lead, 34-32.
The Dukes were not able to take full advantage of Denver's scoring drought, going ahead by only four points. Duquesne had its own six-minute scoreless streak before Ron Dokes' one-handed slam with 10:31 left.
The Dukes led throughout the first half, twice building 10-point leads before settling for a 29-24 halftime score. Tricco had a 3-pointer and Forney made a layup in the first minute to put Duquesne ahead.
The Pioneers have a week off before they return home to battle Drake. Game time is set for 1 p.m. and can be seen on Fox Sports Rocky Mountain.
