Dec. 9, 2002

Box Score

Tempe, Ariz. - Senior guard Ashley Atkinson (Springfield, Mo./Kickapoo) continued her four-game streak of double digit scoring games with 16 points, but it was not enough to power the University of Denver women's basketball team past PAC-10 opponent Arizona State Monday night at the Wells Fargo Arena (76-53). Denver falls to 2-5 on the season while ASU improves to 6-1.

"If you could take the first seven minutes of both halves, I thought we did some good things," head coach Pam Tanner said. "I thought we played we played well in spurts, but you can't spot any Division I team 15 points and hope to win."

Arizona State started the game by scoring the first 11 points as Denver took just five shots and turned the ball over three times. Atkinson got the Pioneers on the board with back-to-back three pointers five minutes into the contest to close the gap to 11-6. ASU mounted a 13-2 run to get out to a 16 point lead (24-8) midway through the half before Nicky Eason (Carpentersville, Ill./Barrington) scored six points in a 13-10 Pioneer run at the end of the first half to cut the Sun Devil lead to 13 points (38-25). Atkinson scored 11 points, including three treys, in the first half to pace the Pioneers.

The Sun Devils opened the second half with an 18-4 run, much the same way they started the game. Denver responded by scoring five straight points, including consecutive scores from Kellie Carwell in the paint and Eason with a drive to the basket. Denver continued on a 17-10 run to close the gap to18 points as Ragan Neblett (Arvada, Colo./Pomona) earned a layup on a back door cut.

Eason joined Atkinson in double figures with a season-high 11 points on 3-4 shooting from the field and 5-6 from the line. Denver shot 42.6 percent from the field and 62.5 percent from long range. ASU was led by Jill Noe who had 17 points and added nine rebounds and nine assists.

The Pioneers will continue their two-game road trip, traveling to Iowa City, Iowa to take on the University of Iowa Hawkeyes Thursday, Dec. 12 at 6 p.m. MT.