Jan. 9, 2007

Box Score

DENTON, Texas - Freshman Brianna Culberson (Jefferson City, Mo.) hit both free throws in a one-and-one situation for the Pioneers with 20.7 second left in the game, as the University of Denver women's basketball team defeated North Texas Tuesday evening, 51-48, in Sun Belt Conference action. Denver improves to 8-6 overall and 3-2 in the SBC, while North Texas falls to 4-10 and 1-3.

"What a fantastic road win," head coach Pam Tanner said. "It was a great team effort. We came together when we needed to. We had some tremendous defensive stops to win the game and Brianna's free throws were great."

Sophomore Sara Benham (Muleshoe, Texas) recorded 11 points and nine rebounds for Denver, while junior Brooke Meyer (Denver, Colo.) scored 11 points and had five rebounds.

Trailing by one with 3:56 left in the game, sophomore Sara Bents (Billings, Mont.) got the offensive rebound and the lay-in to give DU back the lead. UNT missed the front end of a one-and-one situation and junior Alisha Godette (Colorado Springs, Colo.) pulled down the rebound but DU turned over the ball at its end of the court. A rebound by Benham at the North Texas end gave DU back the ball with under a minute remaining. Culberson was fouled and went to the line, hitting both, icing the game for the Pioneers.

To start the second half, the Pioneers allowed the Mean Green back into the game, as UNT went on an 11-5 run and tied the game at 37-37 with a three-pointer. UNT continued their run, scoring nine unanswered points, a time in which DU was scoreless for 6:56, but the drought ended on a pull-up jumper by senior Tyesha Lowery (Arlington, Texas).

In the first half, Denver got out to an eight-point lead over the Mean Green. Meyer hit back-to-back threes in that run. UNT went on an 8-2 run to get within two points of the Pioneers, but DU held off the Mean Green and went into the locker room up 31-26.

DU (8-6, 3-2) remains on the road, traveling to Miami, Fla., to take on Florida International (9-6, 3-2) in SBC action Saturday, Jan. 13 at 3:30 p.m. MT, part of a doubleheader with the men's basketball team. The game can be heard on www.denverpioneers.com.