Jan. 5, 2006

Box Score

DENVER - Senior center Yemi Nicholson (Aurora, Colo.) had another dominating performance going 9-of-19 (.473) from the field for 22 points, as the Pioneers defeated New Orleans, 67-48. Nicholson also added 16 rebounds good for his seventh double-double of the season. Senior guard Brett Seger (Omaha, Neb.) and sophomore David Kummer (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) both had a career nights. Seger scored 15 points and was 5-of-6 (.833) from the field. Kummer added 14 points in the Pioneer victory. The Pioneers improve to 7-6 overall (1-0 SBC), while the Privateers fall to 3-9 overall (0-1 SBC).

"The second half was one of the best team efforts that we've had this season," head coach Terry Carroll said. "The way the team played in the second half really showed what this program is built upon - hustle, pride and determination. The seniors really sparked us tonight, especially Seger who had a great night."

The game started slowly as both teams had problems finding net in the early going. Senior guard Andrew Carpenter (Toronto, Ontario) scored the Pioneers first bucket, but New Orleans rattled of four consecutive points to take an early 6-2 lead. Kummer answered with a jumper to cut into the Privateer lead. The offensive struggles continued for both teams, as neither team could put the ball in the net despite having several good looks. New Orleans seemed to find its offense first putting up four unanswered points to take a 10-4 lead at the 12:47 mark. Seger got the Pioneers going by hitting a trey to cut the Privateer lead to one-point. Wayne Williams had an answer and extended the Privateer lead to 12-9 with a jumper from just inside the arc midway through the first frame.

The teams traded buckets and a quick jumper from junior forward Antonio Porch (Denver, Colo.) pulled the DU to one off the lead. Carpenter tied the game at the 7:03 mark with a free throw. The teams traded buckets down the stretch which produced several lead changes. Kummer gave DU its first lead since the opening minutes of the game with a jumper but Williams had an answer and tied the game at 20 with just over 3:20 remaining in the first frame. The Pioneers used defensive pressure to gain some momentum and tallied four consecutive points to take a 24-20 lead at the 2:42 mark. The Privateers hit a 3-pointer but DU capitalized at the charity stripe to take a 27-23 lead into the locker room.

Statistically speaking, the game was even. The Pioneers shot 38.5 percent (10-26) from the field compared to the Privateers 39.3 percent (11-28). Both teams had 17 boards and Nicholson led all scorers with nine points and three blocks in the first half.

The Pioneers started the second half with the same intensity that they used to close out the first half. Nicholson started it by dumping in a layup and sophomore guard Steve Wetrich (Ottumwa, Iowa) hit a long range jumper to extend the Denver lead to 31-23 in the early goings of the second frame. The Privateers wouldn't go away and scored two quick buckets to cut the Pioneer lead to 31-27 with just under 17 minutes left to play. New Orleans battled back to take a one-point lead, but a bucket by Nicholson kept the game close and the lead at 33-32 Denver.

A Privateer free throw tied the game at 33 but a jumper and a dunk by Nicholson pushed the lead to 37-33. Kummer hit a crucial trey from just outside the arc to extend the lead to seven points. The Privateers got close several times but several critical 3-pointers by Seger and Kummer along with the dominating inside presence of Nicholson was too much as the Pioneers cruised to a 67-48 victory.

The Pioneers posted their best shooting half this season in the second half going 17-of-24 from the field for 65.4 percent and with the victory head coach Terry Carroll becomes tied for fourth with Clyde Hubbard on the all-time winnigest coaches list (66).

The Pioneers conclude their three-game homestand and look for revenge when they host Louisiana-Lafayette on Sat., Jan. 7 at 8 p.m. ULL defeated DU in the Sun Belt Conference Championship game last season.