Dec. 11, 2004

Box Score

DENVER - Six Pioneers scored in double figures, including 19 from senior guard Erik Benzel (Spokane, Wash.), to lead the University of Denver men's basketball team to an 83-69 victory over South Dakota State this evening in Magness Arena. The Pioneers are now 4-0 at home this season, bringing their overall record to 4-2, while the Jackrabbits fall to 1-7.

Benzel added four points in a quick 6-0 run to begin the first half. South Dakota State pulled within one point of the Pioneers before Denver opened a 10-2 run, putting the score at 18-9, with 13:22 remaining in the half. Senior guard Rodney Billups (Denver, Colo.) tallied two steals during the first stanza, giving him 111 career steals and ranking him ninth on Denver's all-time list. Benzel hit back-to-back 3-pointers to extend Denver's lead to 10, and leave the Jackrabbits trailing 35-25, with 2:41 remaining. A pair of free throws and a long-range bucket from junior guard Brett Seger (Omaha, Neb.) had the Pioneers leading 40-27 at the half.

The Pioneers were 51.6 percent from the field (16-of-31), while South Dakota State was 45.5 percent (10-of-22). Benzel led all scorers with 16 points. Denver's defense also caused nine steals and forced South Dakota State to commit 15 turnovers in the first half.

The Pioneers continued to dominate on offense in the second half. After a 3-point bucket from the Jackrabbits' Joe Green, two baskets from sophomore forward Antonio Porch (Denver, Colo.) and a long-range bucket from Billups gave the Pioneers a 20-point lead, and put the score at 50-30, with 18:15 left in the game. South Dakota State mustered up a 5-0 run, but the Pioneers came back in domineering fashion, extending their lead again to 20 points and leaving the score at 60-40, with 11:45 remaining. Sophomore center Yemi Nicholson (Denver, Colo.) hit a slam-dunk off a feed from Billups, putting Billups seventh all-time on Denver's career list with 251 assists.

Three consecutive long-range buckets by the Pioneers put the game out of reach for the Jackrabbits, leaving the score at 77-50, with 7:09 left. A 3-pointer by freshman guard Steve Wetrich (Ottumwa, Iowa) gave Denver its biggest lead of the game, 28 points, with 6:07 remaining in the game. Despite four consecutive buckets by South Dakota State, the Pioneers held on for an 83-69 victory.

Denver shot 48 percent (14-of-29) from the field while South Dakota State was 44 percent from the field (16-of-26). Benzel led all scorers with 19 points, while Billups tallied 15 and Seger added a career-high 13 points. Porch contributed 12 points, while Nicholson and junior Andrew Carpenter ( Toronto, Ontario) added 10 apiece. The Pioneers made 15 steals and forced the Jackrabbits to commit 24 turnovers in the game. Billups was also 5-for-6 from beyond the arc.

"We came out and took care of business," said head coach Terry Carroll. "Our defensive pressure forced 24 turnovers, which allowed us to get easy baskets, which was the key to the game."

The Pioneers will be back in action in Magness Arena on Monday, December 13, 2004 for the PACK THE HOUSE game against Stanford University with tipoff at 7 p.m.