Feb. 13, 2007

Box Score

DENVER - The University of Denver women's basketball team went 11-of-19 from three-point range to drop Sun Belt Conference West division leader Arkansas State, 87-70, Tuesday night in Hamilton Gymnasium.

Denver (16-9, 10-5 SBC) hit 57.9 percent for the game from three-point range, the first time the Pioneers have hit at least 55 percent from there since Jan. 23, 2003 against South Alabama.

"We played inspired defense in the second half and I believe that was the difference in the game," head coach Pam Tanner said. "The increase in the defense's intensity led to us being about to make transition baskets, which was ultimately the difference in the game."

Junior Jenna Cole (Lincoln, Neb.) led all scorers with a career-high 24 points. Cole was 8-of-10 from the floor, 6-of-7 from behind the arc. Sophomore Sara Bents (Billings, Mont.) had a career-high nine points. Senior Tyesha Lowery (Arlington, Texas) contributed 16 points, nine assists, two blocks and two steals in the game. Lowery moved into ninth on DU's all-time assists list, with 278 in her four years. Lowery scored her 800th point in the contest, pushing her total to 810.

"I thought our guards shot extremely well," said Tanner. "It was important that they shot so well tonight so our post players could focus on guarding Adrianne Davie."

Junior Brooke Meyer (Denver, Colo.) recorded one three in the game, moving her into a tie for fifth on DU's all-time three-pointers made list. Meyer had eight points in the game. Junior Sara Benham (Muleshoe, Texas) moved into seventh on the Pioneers all-time blocks list with three against the Lady Indians, pushing her career total to 74.

The Lady Indians (17-9, 10-5 SBC) stayed with five points at the beginning of the second half, but solid defense and timely shooting led DU to outscore ASU 49-37 in the half. Denver shot 54 percent from the field for the game. The Pioneers led by as many as 20 late in the game.

Carried by the three-ball, Denver extended their lead to 13 points at 9:08 in the first half before the Lady Indians went on a 12-0 run to cut DU's lead to one. Freshman Brianna Culberson (Jefferson City, Mo.) hit a three-pointer to end Denver's 4:17 scoreless drought. DU got back out to a 10-point lead, but Culberson fouled Ali Carter with 1.3 seconds left in the half, sending her to the line for three shots. Carter hit all three, cutting the Pioneer lead to five. Denver went to the locker room up 38-33 at the half.

DU continues its homestretch on Thursday, Feb. 15 against North Texas (7-16, 4-9 SBC), the early game of a doubleheader with the men's team, beginning at 5 p.m. in Magness Arena. The game can be seen on ESPN's Game Plan and heard locally on KEPN AM 1600 and on www.denverpioneers.com with Mitch Hyder and Mary Kay Mauro calling the action.