DENVER All 11 Pioneers scored as the University of Denver women’s basketball team defeated the visiting University of New Orleans Lady Privateers 72-44 Sunday afternoon at Magness Arena.

 

Denver honored its four seniors, forwards Sara Benham (Muleshoe, Texas) and Jenna Cole (Lincoln, Neb.) and guards Brooke Meyer (Denver, Colo.) and Alisha Godette (Colorado Springs, Colo.) in the final regular season home game of the season.

 

“We couldn’t have had a better senior day,” head coach Pam Tanner said. “We played great team ball. We shared the basketball really well today.”

 

Denver (11-16, 6-10 SBC) received 14 points from Godette and nine from both Benham and Meyer. Godette was just one rebound short of her sixth career double-double as she led all players with nine boards and also recorded five assists. Meanwhile, Benham tied her season high with three blocks.

 

Junior guard Andie Mason (Gilbert, Ariz.) led all players with a career high 17 points in the victory.

 

New Orleans (12-15, 6-10 SBC) received 21 points from Brittany Helm.

 

Mason scored six of DU’s first eight points, converting on a layup and foul situation and draining a three as Denver jumped to an 8-4 lead in the opening four minutes.

 

A layup by freshman Britteni Rice (Pampa, Texas) followed by two free throws by junior forward Nnenna Akotaobi (Thornton, Colo.) put Denver ahead 15-6 with 13:21 remaining in the half.

 

UNO pulled to within five at 19-14 on a layup by Helm with 4:58 remaining in the opening half. Denver answered with an 8-0 run to pull out to a 13 point lead, capped by another three by Mason.

 

Back-to-back baskets by UNO’s Ty Felder cut the lead to single digits but Godette recorded consecutive lay-ins for DU, giving the Pioneers a 31-18 lead at half.

 

Godette led all players with 10 points and five rebounds in the first half. Bents also had five boards through the opening 20 minutes. Helm led New Orleans with eight first-half points.

 

The Pioneers started the second half where they left off at the close of the first. They opened the second period with a 6-2 run with baskets be Akotaobi, Benham and Mason.

 

Rice sunk a three-pointer to put the Pioneers up by 20 at 47-27 with 12:46 to play, beginning a 17-3 DU run. Mason capped the point streak with her third three-pointer of the game and put the Pioneers ahead by 31 at 61-30 with 7:55 remaining.

 

The Lady Privateers trimmed Denver’s lead to 24 at 61-37 with a 7-0 run, but Cole nailed a three-pointer to put DU back up by 27 with 3:52 to play.

 

DU shot 55.6 percent (15-of-27) from the field in the second half after sinking 37.9 percent (11-of-29) of its shots in the opening half for a game total of 46.4 percent (26-of-56). UNO shot 30.9 percent (17-of-55) in the game.

 

“We are playing our best basketball of the season here in February,” Tanner said. “I’m hopeful that the way we’re playing now will work as a springboard for the SBC Tournament.”

 

Denver wraps up its regular season next weekend on the road, beginning with UALR on Thursday, Feb. 28 at 4:15 p.m. in Little Rock, Ark.