Jan. 22, 2004

Box Score

JONESBORO, Ark. - Senior guard Ryan Goral (Westminster, Colo.) hit a 3-pointer with eight seconds remaining to give the Denver Pioneers a 66-65 Sun Belt Conference win over Arkansas State tonight (Jan. 22) in the Convocation Center in Jonesboro, Ark. Denver improves to 10-6, 2-2. ASU falls to 11-5, 2-3.

"This group of young men deserve something like this to happen to them," said head coach Terry Carroll. "My hat is off to our guys, what heart, character and guts."

Arkansas State opened an early 6-0 lead, but a 3-pointer by senior forward Zeljko Zupic (Sinj, Croatia) pulled the Pioneers to within one (8-7) with 15:54 remaining in the first half. Denver remained on the doorstep as a dunk by sophomore center Yemi Nicholson (Denver, Colo.) with 11:31 left pulled the Pioneers to within 16-14.

The Pioneers' shooting went south, but a layup by junior point guard Rodney Billups (Denver, Colo.) kept Denver close at 19-16 with 8:48 remaining in the stanza. The Indians extended their lead to 10 (33-23) off a put-back layup by Chris Moore at the 3:22 mark. ASU's J.J. Montgomery hit the only basket in the final three minutes to give Arkansas State its biggest halftime lead, 35-23.

Denver used two 3-point buckets from junior guard Erik Benzel (Spokane, Wash.) to pull within five, but a jumper by Kim Adams put the Indians up seven (42-35) with 15:06 left in the game. A Moore layup at the 11:30 mark allowed ASU to keep the lead at seven, 48-41. Arkansas State continued to build on its momentum, extending its lead to 56-46 off a Dewarick Spencer basket with 8:17 remaining in the game.

The Pioneers used a 13-2 run to take their first lead (59-58) since the 14-minute mark of the first half. Montgomery stopped the bleeding for the Indians with two free throws at the 3:40 mark. ASU went up two, but Goral hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Pioneers a one point victory, 66-65.

Benzel led all scores with 25. Senior forward Carvell McAlister (Fresno, Calif.) added 17 for the Pioneers. Montgomery had 22, Spencer and Adams added 12.

ASU won the rebounding battle, 41-31. Spencer led the way with eight. Zupic had six to led the Pioneers.

The Pioneers end their two-game road swing on Sat., Jan. 24. Denver will face Arkansas-Little Rock at 6 p.m. MT.