Men’s basketball: The Pioneers finally got the monkey off their back and put an end to their 11-game losing streak with a 76-65 victory over Sun Belt foe Louisiana Monroe on Saturday. DU (2-14, 1-5) was led by freshman guard Tyler Bullock who put in a career high 22 points and is now averaging 10.6 points per game for the season. Senior guard DaShawn Walker added 15 points and senior forward Antonio Porch added 13 in the winning effort. Denver is off to its worst start since the 1968-69 campaign and to make matters worse, the team is currently without head coach Terry Carroll because of personal matters. The Pioneers had recorded four straight winning seasons entering this year, but things will be different this season with only 11 games remaining. Denver will next play at Florida International this Saturday at 5:30 p.m. MT, the Panthers are 6-9, 1-4 on the season.
Women’s basketball: Denver got back to its winning ways on Saturday with a 51-33 win over Louisiana Monroe and have now won four of their last six games. The Pioneers (7-6, 2-2) were led by junior Sara Benham who threw down 14 points and collected six rebounds, junior transfer Alisha Godette had eight points and 11 rebounds, red shirt sophomore Jenna Cole had a solid game of five points and rebounds and four assists and junior Brooke Meyer contributed with eight points.
DU opened the new year with a 72-52 loss on the road to Louisiana-Lafayette after previously beating Farleigh Dickinson (67-58) and New Orleans (68-48) both at home. Senior Tyesha Lowery is leading the way on the season for Denver averaging 12.1 ppg and 3.0 rpg, while Benham is close behind at 10.8 ppg and 4.8 rpg.
The women will next play tonight at North Texas at 6 p.m. and again on Saturday at Florida International at 3:30 p.m.
Men and women’s swimming and diving: The men defeated Missouri State this past weekend 165-133 at a meet held at the University of Arkansas. The swimmers won eight of 14 individual events. Junior Marcus Christianson won two breaststroke events, junior Aaron Feight won both diving events and senior Craig Jollands won the 1650-freestyle.
At the same meet, the women defeated Missouri State 161-139, but fell to Arkansas 168-130. Denver was led by talented junior Kelsey Totura who won the 100-yard backstroke, 50-yard freestyle and 200-yard backstroke, also freshman Amanda McNally won the 1650-yard freestyle and sophomore Michele Lowery won the 400-yard IM.
Both men and women will next be in the pool Jan. 19, when they host the University of Washington at 3 p.m.
Women’s gymnastics: The team opened its season this past weekend at the Super Six Challenge in Fayetteville, Arkansas and finished fifth behind champion Florida.
Denver posted a team score of 192.975 behind the Gators championship score of 196.550.
Sophomore Jessica Lopez posted the school’s highest all-time mark on the uneven bars with a score of 9.975. Lopez also had a 9.85 on the floor excercise along with a 9.85 from junior Sasha Sullivan in the same event. Sophomore Liz Meals scored a 9.85 on the vault along with a 9.725 from freshman Kelley Hennigan.
Denver will continue its season schedule this weekend with a home meet against in-state opponent Air Force at 6 p.m. on Saturday.
