Feb. 5, 2005

Box Score

DENVER - Junior center Yemi Nicholson (Aurora, Colo.) and senior guard Rodney Billups (Denver, Colo.) each tallied double-doubles to lead the University of Denver Pioneers to a 79-72 win over Sun Belt Conference-rival Louisiana-Lafayette tonight in Magness Arena. The Pioneers' win improves their record to 13-7 overall and a league-leading 8-1 in the SBC. The Ragin' Cajuns fall to 13-8, 7-2.

Nicholson led all players with 28 points and 11 rebounds, his third double-double in Denver's last four games. Billups added a career-high 15 assists and 12 points, while senior guard Erik Benzel (Spokane, Wash.) added 22 points, including six three pointers.

Tied 67-67 with 5:56 remaining, the Pioneers' held the Cajuns to just two baskets the remainder of the game.

As they had all game, Nicholson and Benzel answered for the Pioneers, propelling Denver to a 72-67 lead with under five minutes to play.

After a triple from Orien Greene cut the Cajuns deficit to two points, Nicholson added three points over two possessions to boost Denver's lead back to five.

Dwayne Mitchell's tip-in cut the score to 75-72 with 1:55 to play, but the Cajuns would not score again in the contest. The Pioneers' defense forced 21 Cajun miscues.

The Pioneers made 58.3 percent (14-24) of their first-half baskets, giving them a 40-35 lead at the break. UL was just 13-of-29 (.448) from the field and committed 13 turnovers.

Denver travels to Greeley, Colo. on Monday for a rare February nonconference game against Northern Colorado.