Feb. 17, 2005

Box Score

Senior Tasha Jones (San Antonio, Texas) scored a team season-high and career-high 23 points and was perfect from the free throw line (10-10) as the University of Denver women's basketball team defeated New Mexico State, 57-47, tonight in Magness Arena. The Pioneers improve to 5-19, 3-9, and stand tied for fourth place with New Mexico State in the West Division, while the Aggies fall to 8-16, 3-9.

"Overall it was a solid performance," said head coach Pam Tanner. "We had intensity when we needed it, especially in the second half. Jones was in control of her game and Sarah Cyran's attitude and effort was contagious to everyone."

The Pioneers took a two point lead to the locker room at half, but the Aggies managed to go ahead by five points on the strength of two long-range bucket. Sparked by 13 points from Jones, the Pioneers mounted a 17-4 run to earn a 13-point lead with less than five minutes to play (51-38).

New Mexico State's Jenean Ford jump-started New Mexico State early in the second half sinking a pair of 3-pointers to put the Aggies up 26-24, but senior Sarah Cyran (Broomfield, Colo.) replied with one of her own to give the lead back to the Pioneers 27-26 with 16:26 left in the game. The Aggies went on an 8-0 run with 12:30 left, until freshman Sara Benham (Muleshoe, Texas) scored a layup and the foul to put the score within two points at 33-31. Jones sunk a pair of free throws to spark a 13-2 run to put Denver ahead by nine points, 46-37, with 6:15 remaining in the game. Jones then passed her career-high 18 points with a layup to give Denver a 10-point advantage with 5:18 remaining. Free throws by freshman Brooke Meyer (Denver, Colo.) and Jones gave Denver its biggest lead of the game, 13 points (51-38), with 3:40 left in the game.

The Aggies tried for a comeback with consecutive 3-pointers from Cecili Russell-Nava and Tristan Baker, but it was not enough as Denver went on to win the game 57-47.

The Pioneers ended the first half leading by two, 22-20, with a buzzer-beater from freshman Jennifer Whetten (Evergreen, Colo.). Both teams got off to a slow start with the Aggies and Pioneers making just three of their attempts each from the field with 7:51 left in the first to put the score tied at 10 points apiece. From there, Denver and New Mexico State traded baskets and Pioneers ended the half shooting 44 percent from the field (8-18), with senior Tasha Jones scoring eight of those points including two 3-pointers.

Jones led all scorers with 23 points and her 10 free throws is a school record. Benham added 11 points and was five of six from the free throw line, while Whetten scored seven points and pulled down six boards. Trecha Kennedy led the Aggies with 10 points.

The Pioneers return to action on Sunday when they honor their seniors and face North Texas in their last regular-season home game in Hamilton Gymnasium at 2 p.m.