Feb. 4, 2006

Box Score

LAFAYETTE, La. - The University of Denver made only 10 field goals, three in the second half, and struggled on offensive all night as the Pioneers dropped a 49-38 decision to Louisiana-Lafayette at the Cajundome tonight. Senior center Yemi Nicholson (Aurora, Colo.) led DU with 14 and junior forward Antonio Porch (Aurora, Colo.) added 12 points as the Pioneers fell to 12-11 overall and 5-5 in the Sun Belt Conference. The Ragin' Cajuns improved to 7-14 overall and 3-7 in the SBC.

"You can't win shooting 10-for-53. It was just one of those nights when we were getting good shots and the ball just didn't drop," said head coach Terry Carroll. "We had the effort, the game plan and the defensive intensity to win, but when the orange ball doesn't go through the orange hoop it is very difficult to win."

DU was a dreadful 10-of-53 (.189) from the floor, including 4-of-23 (.174) from behind the arc.

Michael Southall had 18 points to lead ULL. Dwayne Mitchell added 17.

Things got ugly but interesting and four consecutive points by Denver put the score at 26-24 Cajuns with 15:53 left in the game. ULL went on a 13-0 run over the next three minutes to put the margin at 37-24. DU would only get as close as 11 during the contest's last 12 minutes as the Pioneers made only one of their last 17 shots.

Mitchell had 11 and Southall had 10 second-half points. The Pioneers were only 3-of-23 (.130) from the field in the second half including 1-of-9 (.174) from downtown. DU also had 11 second-half turnovers.

The Pioneers were a bit tepid shooting the ball in the early going with the scored tied 4-4 at the 15:20 mark of the first half. Denver's offense continued to sputter and a 5-0 run by the Ragin' Cajuns made the score 9-6 with 10:59 remaining. DU only scored four more points over the next five minutes as ULL's lead grew to 17-10.

The Cajuns' lead got a big as 11 but back-to-back-to-back 3-pointes by junior guard Alex Cox (Queensland, Australia), sophomore guard Steve Wetrich (Ottumwa, Iowa) and Porch put the score at 22-20 at the 2:17 mark. ULL scored the half's final bucket and carried a 24-20 advantage into the locker room.

The Pioneers were only 7-of-30 (.233) from the field in the first half including 3-of-14 (.214) from behind the arc.

The Pioneers return home with the nation's fifth-longest home winning streak and host Sun Best East leader Western Kentucky on Thurs., Feb. 7, at 7 p.m.