Dec. 31, 2004

Gonzaga - 63
Denver - 39

SPOKANE, Wash. - The Gonzaga University Bulldogs are off to the best start in school history after the Bulldogs rolled past the University of Denver, 63-39, to ring in the New Year with a Friday afternoon victory at McCarthey Athletic Center. Gonzaga has now won six straight to improve to 10-2 on the season while Denver dropped to 2-9.

Gonzaga ran out to a 15-2 lead to open the game while Denver was held without a field goal for the first 10:33 of the game before Sara Benham banked in a jumper with 9:27 left in the first. Gonzaga continued to build its early lead extending the margin to 28-8 with 4:01 left as Anne Bailey scored a team-high 7 points in the first half.

The Bulldogs limited Denver to just 25 percent shooting and six field goals as they built a comfortable 36-14 advantage. Gonzaga shot 48 percent for the first twenty minutes and held a 24-12 rebound advantage.

It was more of the same in the second twenty minutes as Gonzaga pushed out to as high as a 27-point lead with 11:33 remaining on another jumper by Bailey as the junior forward was one of three Gonzaga players to finish with 11 points. Raeanna Jewell and Stephanie Hawk also chipped in 11 points as Gonzaga had 11 players play at least 12 minutes in the contest.

"This was another good non-conference win for our team as we prepare for West Coast Conference action," said Graves after his team won its 10th game of the season. "It was a good chance for some of our players who don't normally see a lot of playing time to get into a game and play meaningful minutes. My only disappointment with the win was how we protected the ball with a big lead as we committed 16 second half turnovers."

Those turnovers lead to some easy Pioneer baskets as Denver shot 37 percent in the second half. Venice Adams was the top Denver player with 10 points as Gonzaga held Denver to 31 percent for the game. The Bulldogs also dominated play on the boards winning the rebound battle 43-25.

Gonzaga returns to action on Monday night with their final non-conference game of the regular-season. The Bulldogs host Sacramento State University at 7 p.m. at McCarthey Athletic Center.

No. 25 New Mexico - 63
San Francisco - 52

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - Jana Francis scored a career-high 14 points with a sprained ankle, leading No. 25 New Mexico past San Francisco 63-52 on Friday night.

Francis had 10 points after the break, including eight free throws, when New Mexico (9-1) managed just three field goals. Francis played a career-high 31 minutes and tied her rebounding high with seven.

"She had a sprained ankle all week long, but she gutted it up," said New Mexico coach Don Flanagan, who earned his 200th victory. "She showed a lot of toughness this week."

Mandi Moore added 10 points for the Lobos.

Dominique Carter had 14 points and Toni Russell added 10 points, including three 3-pointers, for San Francisco (6-7).

After taking a 36-21 halftime lead, New Mexico hit just one of its first 15 shots from the floor to open the second half. San Francisco pulled to 43-36 after a 3-pointer by Russell with 11:05 left.

Francis then scored all the Lobos' points in a 7-0 run, with five coming from the line. New Mexico finished 26-of-33 from the line, while the Dons were 6-of-9.

The Lobos shot 14 percent from the field during the second half, compared to San Francisco's 41 percent.

"All of sudden we can't shoot," Flanagan said. "It's hard to find highlights in there."

Moore acknowledged that the Lobos were tentative on the offensive end, but she said she wasn't worried.

"This team responds to challenges," Moore said. "If somebody comes at us hard, we'll get it together and go right back at them."