March 7, 2003

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BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - Senior captain B.J. Pratt (San Antonio, Texas) scored a season-high 34 points to lead the Denver Pioneers to an 82-76 win over Arkansas State in Sun Belt Conference (SBC) Tournament play this afternoon in E. A. Diddle Arena on the campus of Western Kentucky.

Denver improves to 16-14 overall, while Arkansas State falls to 13-15.

"It is a credit to our team," Denver head coach Terry Carroll said. "We got off to a bad start, but were able to overcome and pull out the victory."

Both teams felt each other out during the first four minutes of the contest with the Pioneers holding a two-point advantage (8-6) on a Pratt runner. An old-fashioned three-point play by Paris London capped off a 10-0 Indian run, making the score 16-8 with 11:48 left to play in the first half.

Denver finally regrouped as two free throws by Ziggy Zupic (Sinj, Croatia) cut the margin to six (19-13) at the 7:48 mark. ASU held off the Pioneers and reopened a 28-18 lead off two charity tosses by London with just 3:37 remaining. A spinning layup by senior guard Leslie Richardson II (Aurora, Colo.) cut the lead to five (35-30) in a half where Denver only shot 31.4 percent (11-or-35).

The two teams traded five point runs during the first four minutes of the second half, but a three-pointer by Pratt pulled the Pioneers within four at 44-40. Denver refused to go away as another three by Pratt kept the deficit at four (59-55) with 11:07 left. Pratt and the Pioneers tied the score at 63-63 on two freebies from the stripe at the 7:53 mark.

Denver took its first lead since an 8-6 margin early in the first half and two more free throws by Pratt gave Denver a five point lead (68-63) with only 3:48 remaining. Pratt continued to carry the team and his 11th and 12th free throws sealed the Pioneers' first SBC Tournament victory.

B.J was the only Pioneer in double figures. Richardson had nine and Stakery and Zupic contributed with eight each. The Pioneers made 66.7 percent (14-21) of their shots in the second half.

Tevoris Thompson led ASU with 21, Paris added 20.

Denver will face Louisiana-Lafayette in the quarterfinals of the SBC Tournament tomorrow, Saturday, March 8. Tip-off is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. MT and can be heard live on AM 1600 or over the Internet at DenverPioneers.com.

NOTES: Before the contest, juniors Ryan Goral (Westminster, Colo.) and Starkey sand sophomore Erik Benzel (Spokane, Wash.) were named to the SBC Commissioner's List for earning a 3.5 grade-point-advantage or higher during the 2002-03 school year.