DENVER ? Andie Mason had 17 points and Alisha Godette scored 14 as Denver took a 72-44 win over the University of New Orleans women's basketball team on Sunday afternoon at Magness Arena.
Mason was 6-of-8 from the field and added four 3-pointers, as the Pioneers (11-16, 6-10 Sun Belt) handed the Lady Privateers (12-15, 6-10 Sun Belt) their fifth straight loss.
It was also UNO's worst losing margin since a 67-30 defeat against Arkansas-Little Rock in last year's Sun Belt Tournament.
Denver, which avenged a Jan. 10 loss at UNO earlier this year, shot 46 percent from the field and was 10-of-21 from 3-point land. The Pioneers held UNO to just 30.9 percent shooting, including 27 percent in the first half.
UNO junior Brittany Helm had a season-high 21 points but was the lone Lady Privateer in double figures.
“My hat goes off to Brittany Helm,” said UNO head coach Amy Champion, whose team fell two games behind in the race for the No. 8 seed and a home game in the first round of the Sun Belt Tournament.
“She showed a lot of character today. She's a special player, the type every coach hopes to get once in a while.”
UNO struggled from the onset, falling behind 17-6 less than eight minutes into the game. The Lady Privateers never got the lead under 10 after the 3:58 mark of the first half. Denver led 31-18 at halftime and led by as many as 31 with 7:55 to play.
“We have a lot of talented players on this team but we are struggling individually and collectively as a team,” Champion said. “I just don't think this team realizes the situation they are in. They have a chance to host a first-round home game, but it is just not sinking in for whatever reason.”
UNO will continue Sun Belt play at 7 p.m. on Wednesday at South Alabama.
