Feb. 19, 2004

Box Score

DENVER - Junior guard Erik Benzel (Spokane, Wash.) had 19 points, including five 3-pointers to lead Denver to a 66-62 Sun Belt Conference win over North Texas on Thursday night in Magness Arena.

Sophomore center Yemi Nicholson (Denver, Colo.) added 18 points and 10 rebounds as the Pioneers (14-10, 6-6 Sun Belt) snapped a three-game losing streak. The victory guaranteed Denver its second consecutive winning season.

For the Mean Green (11-13, 6-6), Michael DeGrate recorded a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds.

After scoring a season-low 18 points in the first half, and recording just two field goals in the first 12:08 of the game, the Mean Green fought its way back and made the Pioneers fight for the win in the second half.

Denver's largest lead came at the half, with the Pioneers up 30-18, despite shooting only 31.7 percent (13-41) in the first while the Mean Green shot a dismal 20.6 percent (7-34).

North Texas would narrow the Pioneer lead to seven right out of the break and got within two points with 8:29 remaining, but a dunk from Nicholson would put the Pioneers back up by four.

North Texas' Will Smith shot two-of-four from the free throw line in the final two minutes and Leonard Hopkins missed a wide-open game tying three with 10 seconds remaining.

Calvin Watson notched 10 points for the Mean Green, who have lost four of its last five.

Senior center Brett Starkey (Lakewood, Colo.) added eight points for the Pioneers while junior point guard Rodney Billups (Denver, Colo.) dished out nine assists and scored seven of his own.