Feb. 15, 2007

Box Score

DENVER - Junior Alisha Godette (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and senior Tyesha Lowery (Arlington, Texas) combined for 37 points as the University of Denver women's basketball team defeated North Texas, 72-63, in Sun Belt Conference action on Thursday evening in Magness Arena.

Denver (17-9, 11-5 SBC) outshot North Texas (7-17, 4-10 SBC) 48.4 to 35.4 percent. DU forced the Mean Green into 19 turnovers and had combined for 14 steals. The Pioneers scored 40 points in the paint.

"While it wasn't our best performance of the season we were able to counter all the North Texas runs with small runs of our own to keep the lead comfortable," head coach Pam Tanner said.

Godette led all scorers with 20 points and added seven rebounds. Lowery recorded her first double-double of the season with 17 points and 10 assists. Lowery also came up with seven steals. Sophomore Nnenna Akotaobi (Thornton, Colo.) added 11 points.

"Godette was the difference offensively," said Tanner. "When we were having trouble scoring she took the offensive load on her shoulders and hit some key baskets."

Lowery had consecutive lay-ins to begin the second half, putting Denver up 17. North Texas cut the Pioneer lead to seven on a three-pointer by Amanda Quattrocchi but Godette scored six straight points for Denver pushing the lead back to 13. The Mean Green clawed to within six with 6:01 left, but Godette and Lowery combined for Denver's next seven points to give the Pioneers back a double-digit lead.

In the first half, the Pioneers and Mean Green stayed close in the early part of the game but DU, led by Lowery, went on a 10-0 run over a span of 2:31 to take a 22-11 lead. Lowery had seven of the Pioneers points in the run, including consecutive steals and lay-ins. DU kept the pressure on UNT by extending its lead to 14 points at 3:45 remaining in the half. North Texas got within eight late in the half but back-to-back baskets by Akotaobi, including a three-pointer at the buzzer, sent Denver to the locker room with a 40-27 lead.

North Texas outrebounded Denver 46-to-34 and was led by Brittney James with 18 points. ¬

DU wraps up its home season on Sunday, Feb. 18 against SBC West Division leader Louisiana-Lafayette at 1 p.m. in Hamilton Gymnasium. The game will be carried on www.denverpioneers.com and locally on KKFN AM 950 "The Fan" with Mitch Hyder and Mary Kay Mauro calling the action.