Feb. 7, 2005

Box Score

GREELEY, Colo. - Senior guard Rodney Billups (Denver, Colo.) led three Pioneers in double figures as Denver defeated the Northern Colorado Bears, 72-53, tonight at Butler-Hancock Pavilion in a rare February nonconference game. The Pioneers' third consecutive victory improves their record to 14-7 overall. The Bears fall to 6-17.

Billups led all scores with 17. Juniors Andrew Carpenter (Toronto, Canada) and Yemi Nicholson (Aurora, Colo.) each had 16. The Pioneers recorded 10 steals.

Denver scored eight early second-half points to extend its lead to 45-23 with 15:25 left in the game. Northern Colorado trimmed into the lead but a tip in by Carpenter at the 10 minute mark kept the Pioneers up, 54-35.

The Bears kept clawing back, but a reverse layup by Carpenter put the score at 56-41 with just over seven minutes remaining. UNC would get no closer as the Pioneers won 72-53.

Both teams struggled early, combining for just seven field goals in the game's first nine minutes. Junior guard Brett Seger (Omaha, Neb.) keyed an early Denver run with a layup off an offensive rebound and a baseline jumper giving the Pioneers a 12-6 lead with eight minutes remaining in the half.

A fast-break layup by Carpenter at the four minute mark pushed the margin to 22-12. Denver ended the first half with a 15-5 run capped off by a 3-pointer by Billups giving the Pioneers a 37-17 lead at the break.

Billups lead all scores with 12 as the Pioneers made 50 percent (14-28) of their shots including 4-of-7 (.571) from downtown. Denver's defense caused 14 Northern Colorado turnovers while holding the Bears to only 32.0 percent (8-25) shooting.

The Pioneers return to league play on Thursday when they travel to Bowling Green, Ky. to take on the best team in the east, Western Kentucky.