Jan. 8, 2005

Box Score

LAFAYETTE, La. - The University of Denver men's basketball team opened Sun Belt Conference play with a huge 72-66 road win over preseason favorite Louisiana-Lafayette in the Cajundome on Saturday night. Junior center Yemi Nicholson (Aurora, Colo.) and senior guard Rodney Billups (Denver, Colo.) led the Pioneers with 22 points and 12 assists, respectively. The Pioneers snap a three-game losing steak and improve to 6-6 overall and 1-0 in SBC play. The Ragin' Cajuns drop to 6-7, 0-1.

"Tonight I have never seen Rodney (Billups) play as well as he did," said head coach Terry Carroll. "My hat is off to him and the rest of the team, we never quit in practice or in any game. Now we have to go back home and build off of tonight."

Both squads lacked energy as Denver jumped out to an early 4-3 lead with 16 minutes remaining in the first half. The Pioneers used an 8-2 run to extend their lead to 12-5, but a 9-0 run by the Ragin' Cajuns gave them their first lead of the game at 14-12 at the 8:33 minute mark. An old-fashioned 3-point play by junior forward Terrence Gordon (Denver, Colo.) and a 3-pointer by junior guard Andrew Carpenter (Toronto, Ontario) end Denver's drought, as DU regained the lead at 18-17 with 6:55 left in the half.

The Pioneers went a 9-0 run of their own, but Louisiana-Lafayette responded by going on another 9-0 run to regain the lead at 26-24 at the 1:50 mark. In a half of runs, Denver finished the stanza on a 7-2 run that ended with a 50-foot 3-poiner at the buzzer by Billups giving DU a 31-26 advantage at the half.

Denver distributed the ball very well in the first half, registering 10 assists on 13 field goals.

The Cajuns slimed only one point off the margin in first four minutes of the second half, closing the gap to 39-35. ULL continued to battle back as a 3-point shot by Tiras Wade put the Cajuns up by two at 46-44 at the 11:40 mark.

The two teams traded baskets over the next four minutes as a layup by Nicholson put Denver back ahead, 53-50 with 7:42 remaining in the game. The Pioneers doubled their lead (63-57) as Billups made two free throws at the 3:50 mark. ULL got as close as three, but Denver made its free throws down the stretch to seal the 72-66 win.

Denver made 54.0 percent (27-of-50) of their attempts. Nicholson led the Pioneers with 22 points off 10-of-13 shooting. Billups added 13 points and a career-high tying 12 assists. Benzel contributed 11. The Cajuns were 47.5 percent (28-of-59) from the floor. Wade had 17. The Pioneers won the rebounding battle, 30-27.

The Pioneers finally return home after a 30-day, five-game road trip to host Sun Belt Conference rival North Texas on Thursday, Jan. 13, at 6:30 p.m.