Dec. 31, 2006

Box Score

DENVER - Junior Jenna Cole (Lincoln, Neb.) recorded 10 of her 14 points in the second half and the University of Denver women's basketball team forced 17 steals, as DU dropped Fairleigh Dickinson 67-58 Sunday afternoon in Hamilton Gymnasium. Denver improves to 6-5 overall, as FDU falls to 3-8.

"I think Fairleigh Dickinson was a pesky team that just wouldn't go away," head coach Pam Tanner said. "You want to have a non-conference schedule that prepares you for league play and FDU plays a similar defense to Lafayette. We found a way to exploit them and I think it's a good tune-up for our next game."

Senior Tyesha Lowery (Arlington, Texas) had a career-high eight steals and added six assists and four rebounds. Junior Sara Benham (Muleshoe, Texas) had 14 points. Junior Alisha Godette (Colorado Springs, Colo.) added nine points and five rebounds.

"I thought Ty, Cole and Godette saved us in the second half," said Tanner. "Ty had a huge steal when we needed it and Cole was the silent assassin who put the ball in the hole."

FDU opened the second half on a 6-1 run to tie the game at 30-30. DU recorded back-to-back three-pointers to go up 38-34. Denver fought off a Knight comeback, allowing Fairleigh Dickinson to get within one point, but DU went on an 8-0 run late in the half, highlighted in that run was a jumper by Cole and Lowery's eighth steal of the contest.

In the first half, DU put the pressure on FDU early, forcing five turnovers before the first media timeout at 14:54. The Knights and Pioneers were locked up for most of the first half, with DU leading by as many as three before Benham hit a three-pointer from the top of the key to give DU a 21-15 lead.

Freshman Brianna Culberson (Jefferson City, Mo.) gave Denver its largest lead of the game, 27-19, hitting a three-pointer from the corner. DU went into the locker room up 29-24. Fairleigh Dickinson outrebounded DU 24-18 in the first half.

Gayle Coats led FDU with 14 points. Culberson had nine points and seven rebounds on the day.

DU (5-5, 1-1) hits the road to take on Louisiana-Lafayette (10-4, 2-1) in Sun Belt Conference action Wednesday, Jan. 3 at 6 p.m. in Lafayette, La.