Zeljko Zupic had a team-high 13 points and nine rebounds.
Bulldogs Bite Pioneers, 90-58
Benzel, Zupic each score 13
Nov. 24, 2003
Box Score
SPOKANE, Wash. - Senior forward Zeljko Zupic (Sinj, Croatia) scored 13 points on 4-of-8 shooting, but it was not enough as the Denver Pioneers fell to the No. 16 AP, No. 21 ESPN/USA Today Gonzaga Bulldogs, 90-58, tonight (Nov. 24) in Kennel. Denver falls to 0-1, while the Zags improve to 2-1.
Junior guard Erik Benzel (Spokane, Wash.) hit two early 3-three pointers to give the Pioneers an early 13-6 lead with 15:27 remaining in the first half. The Zags closed the gap, but a free throw by Benzel at the 10:37 mark gave Denver a 24-20 advantage.
"I was really happy the way we came out tonight," Denver head coach Terry Carroll said. "Our foul problems and inability to rebound the basketball allowed Gonzaga to take control of the game. We showed signs tonight of what kind of basketball team we can be."
A lay-up by Bulldog point guard Blake Stepp tied the score at 28-28 with six minutes remaining in the first frame. Cory Violette's 3-point play gave Gonzaga its first lead (34-32), with just four minutes left in the first half. The Bulldog pressure just intensified as the Zags ended the first half with an 11-3 run and a 45-35 advantage.
The Pioneers began the second half just as they did the game, with lots on intensity. Junior point guard Rodney Billups (Denver, Colo.) fed off the intensity and hit a running lay-up to cut the lead to nine (53-41) with 15:15 remaining in the game. Gonzaga came out just an intense, using several Denver mistakes to open up a 61-44 lead on a fade-away jump shot by Adam Morrison at the 12 minute mark.
Two free throws by Ronny Turiaf with eight minutes left in the contest extended the Zags lead to 24 (72-48).Two more free throws, this time by Richard Fox, gave the Bulldogs an 84-52 advantage with 3:44 remaining in the game.
Turiaf led all scores with 21 points. Stepp added 14 and Morrison added 12 for the Bulldogs. Benzel added 13 for the Pioneers.
Gonzaga won the rebound battle, (42-28), including 12 from Morrison. Zupic had nine for Denver.
The Pioneers play the second game of their three-game road trip on Wed., Nov. 26. Denver will face Eastern Washington at 8:45 p.m. MT.
http://denverpioneers.ocsn.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/112403aaa.html
