March 7, 2005

Box Score

DENTON, Texas - Erik Benzel scored 19 points and Denver earned a spot in its first Sun Belt Conference tournament championship game by beating Western Kentucky 77-68 in the semifinals Monday night.

Neither team led by more than six points until Denver went on a 15-4 run to take a 55-45 lead with 8:34 left. Benzel had a 3-point play and a 3-pointer during the run.

Yemi Nicholson gave Denver (20-9) its biggest lead at 66-53 with 4:14 left. The Hilltoppers got within six in the final minute, but the Pioneers hit 6-of-8 free throws in the final minute to ice the game.

Courtney Lee scored 18 points and Elgrace Wilborn added 17 for Western Kentucky (21-8).

Denver's Rodney Billups had 15 points and Nicholson scored 14 points and had seven rebounds.

Western Kentucky scored the first six points of the game before Denver answered with a 12-0 run.

Antonio Haynes, who had 14 points, hit a pair of free throws to give the Hilltoppers a 26-23 lead. The Pioneers closed the half with a 7-0 run to lead 30-26 at the break.

Denver will play the Florida International-Louisiana Lafayette game winner in the championship game Tuesday night for an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.

The Pioneers have never been to the NCAA Tournament and their only postseason appearance as a Division I team was in the 1959 NIT. Denver was an NAIA member and a Division II team in basketball from 1979-1998.