Nov. 13, 2004

Box Score

DENVER - Senior guard Rodney Billups (Denver, Colo.) scored 23 points to lead the University of Denver men's basketball team to a 76-68 win over Mesa State in exhibition play on Saturday afternoon in Hamilton Gymnasium. Junior center Yemi Nicholson (Denver, Colo.) and sophomore forward Antonio Porch (Denver, Colo.) also tallied double-doubles, combining for 28 points and 25 rebounds.

"I saw some good things, saw some bad things but I did get a chance to see some different lineups," said Denver head coach Terry Carroll. "Overall I thought Mesa State came out and played a very physical game."

The Pioneers jumped out to a 16-0 lead, led by four points from Billups. Denver held the Maverick without a basket for the first five minutes of the game. A dunk by Nicholson and quick touch-in off a Billups shot gave the Pioneers their biggest lead of the half, 20 points, and put the score at 29-9, with 8:52 remaining in the half. Denver continued its dominance on offense and defense, as the Pioneers forced the Mavericks to commit 13 turnovers and outrebounded Mesa State, 20-14. The Pioneers ended the half leading 41-26.

The Pioneers started the second half with a quick 9-2 run, led by junior guard Andrew Carpenter's (Toronto, Ontario) four points. The Mavericks' Darnell Jones and Adam Wall combined for four 3-pointers in a little over a minute to pull Mesa State within eight points of the Pioneers, with 13:05 remaining in the game. Two buckets by the Mavericks put the score at 56-50, before Billups hit a bucket and a free throw to give Denver another eight point lead with 8:47 left in the game.

Mesa State's Dwayne Horn and Wall combined for three long-range buckets in the last minute of the game, but made free throws by Billups, senior guard Erik Benzel (Spokane, Wash.) and Porch clinched the 76-68 win for the Pioneers.

Billups led all scorers with 23 points. Denver's Nicholson contributed 15, Porch added 13 and Benzel tallied 11. Nicholson had a game-high 14 rebounds, while teammate Porch notched 11. The Pioneers forced the Mavericks to commit 25 turnovers in the game and outrebounded Mesa State, 39-31.

The Pioneers begin regular-season play next Sunday, Nov. 21, at 2 p.m., when they face North Dakota State.