Feb. 5, 2003

Box Score

The University of Denver women's basketball team lost an inter-divisional Sun Belt Conference contest to Western Kentucky (77-63) Wednesday at Magness Arena. Denver falls to 12-11, 6-3, while WKU improved 13-8, 7-2.

Denver trailed by just two points at half (35-33), but the Lady Toppers began the second half with a 16-4 run to break the game open with a 15-point lead (51-37). The Pioneers fought back to within seven points with just under 10 minutes to play when sophomore Tasha Jones converted a conventional three-point play. WKU responded with a three pointer and quickly got the lead back to 13 points. Denver could get no closer.

"We played well in the first half and executed the game plan," head coach Pam Tanner said. "But in the second half, we led a couple of their runs and our own frustration effect our chemistry. We have to play as a team in order to be successful."

Denver led the majority of the first half, earning their biggest lead early at 15-9 when Ragan Neblett buried a three pointer to cap a 10-0 Pioneer run. Western finished the half with an 8-2 run, including a bucket at the buzzer from Tiffany Porter-Talbert that gave the Toppers a two-point lead.

Shala Reese led all scorers with 30 points and had 13 rebounds. Tasha Jones and Sarah Cyran each contributed 13 points for the Pioneers, and Ashley Atkinson added 10 points. Atkinson tied the all-time school record for career three pointers with two long-range buckets on the night. She increased her total to 227 to tie Melissa Garcia.

The Pioneers regained the services of starting forward Stephanie Hart who sat out the last two games due to illness. The team's leading rebounder, Hart played 22 minutes and had seven rebounds and two points.

The Pioneers remain tied with New Mexico State for the lead in the West Division and will attempt to earn an important league victory at Middle Tennessee State on Saturday at 6 p.m.