Jan. 29, 2005

Box Score

Three Pioneers recorded double-doubles to give the University of Denver women's basketball team a 46-44 victory over Sun Belt Conference West Division foe South Alabama today in Hamilton Gymnasium. The win marks Denver's first conference victory and puts the Pioneers' record at 3-16 (1-6 SBC). The Jaguars fall to 9-10 (3-4 SBC).

Venice Adams (Luling, La.), Sarah Cyran (Broomfield, Colo.) and Jennifer Whetten (Evergreen, Colo.) each tallied double-doubles in the victory. Whetten led all scorers with a career-high 17 points and had 11 rebounds. Adams contributed 14 points and 13 rebounds, while teammate Cyran added 10 points and a game and career-high 14 boards. The Pioneers shot 31.6 percent (18-57) from the field, compared to the Jaguars 26.5 percent (18-67). Denver outrebounded the Jaguars 58-37.

The Pioneers dominated on offense and defense in the overtime period, sparking a 5-0 run and holding the Jaguars without a basket for the first three and a half minutes. Whetten made a basket from beyond the 3-point arc to give the Pioneers a 44-38 lead before USA's Valencia Boswell made two baskets to tie the score at 44. With one second remaining in the overtime period, Whetten fought for an offensive rebound and forced in a layup to seal a 46-44 win.

"We showed great composure tonight," Head Coach Pam Tanner said. "We played solid defense tonight and we were able to avoid scoring droughts we've had in the past. We saw some mental toughness tonight that we haven't seen this season. Jennifer played the way we have always expected her to. I couldn't be happier with her play; she made really good decisions."

In the second half, Whetten and Cyran each added a basket to pull the Pioneers within one and put the score at 22-21, with 11:35 remaining in the game. The game went back-and-forth until freshman point guard Brooke Meyer (Denver, Colo.) sunk a long-range bucket to tie the game at 28 apiece. Meyer continued to push on offense, making a jumper to give the Pioneers a 30-28 lead with 8:09 left to play.

The teams went basket-for-basket in the second half before USA's Wheeler hit a pair of free throws and two baskets to put the Jaguars ahead 36-33, with 4:36 left in the game. Cyran sunk a 3-point basket and Whetten made a driving layup to even the score at 38 with 48 seconds remaining. The Pioneers could not convert on a last-minute attempt and sent the game into overtime.

In the first half, Denver held USA without a basket and forced two turnovers in the opening five minutes of the game. A free throw by Cyran and a driving layup by junior forward Adams finished the half with the Pioneers trailing 16-12. Denver's defense forced the Jaguars to shoot 19.4 percent (6-31) from the field.

The Pioneers continue conference play next Thursday, Feb. 3, at 6 p.m., when they play host to Louisiana-Lafayette.