Nov. 26, 2003

Box Score

CHENEY, Wash. - Junior point guard Rodney Billups (Denver, Colo.) scored a career-high 25 points, but it was not enough as the Eastern Washington Eagles defeated the Denver Pioneers men's basketball team 77-73, at Reese Court in Cheney, Wash. Denver falls to 0-2, while the Eagles improve to 1-2.

"This game really hurt," Denver head coach Terry Carroll. "I can live with anything in a game, but lack of effort and during the first half they took the fight to us."

Alvin Snow scored EWU's first six points, but junior guard Erik Benzel (Spokane, Wash.) countered with a 3-pointer that tied the score a 6-6 with 16:15 remaining if the first half. A Snow 3-pointer ignited an 11-0 Eagle run over the next four minutes, but five more points by Benzel pulled Denver to with in 17-13 at the 11 minute mark.

Eastern Washington reopened its big lead, but the Pioneers clawed back and two free throws by Billups with 7:28 remaining in the first frame made the score, 27-17, EWU. Marc Axton hit a fall-away jump shot to put the Eagles up 36-25 with just 2:33 left in the half. Eastern Washington used 13 first half Denver turnovers to increase the margin to 15 (40-25) at the half.

Axton scored the Eagles first four second-half points, extending the lead to 17, but Benzel responded, hitting a twisting one-hander that made the score 44-31 with 16:23 remaining in the game. The Pioneers pulled to within 10, but two free throws by Matt Nelson put EWU up by 12 (51-39) at the 11:40 mark.

Two more free throws, this time by Josh Barnard pushed the margin to 16 (65-49) with 7:05 left in the contest. Billups scored Denver's next 13 points as the Pioneers preceded to go on a 13-6 run to pull within 69-62 at the 3:51 mark. Denver got as close as two with 24 seconds remaining and had a chance to tie the game but could not close the gap.

Benzel scored 17 points for the Pioneers who shot 26-of-44 (59 percent). Barnard has 19 and Snow had 17 for Eastern Washington.

The Pioneers play the third game of their three-game road trip on Sat.., Nov. 29, when they face Chicago State at noon MT.