MOBILE, Ala. — Demetric Bennett scored a game-high 24 points to lead South Alabama to a 71-33 victory over Denver on Sunday.
Daon Merritt added 12 and Domonic Tilford scored 10 for the Jaguars (17-3, 9-0 Sun Belt Conference).
Nate Rohnert had 10 for Denver (8-11, 4-4) — the team’s only player in double figures.
South Alabama had a 41-14 lead at halftime and outscored Denver 30-22 in the paint.
“It’s hard to win anywhere on the road, but it’s especially hard against a team like South Alabama,” Pioneers coach Joe Scott said. “We did not play the way we should play, but you have to credit the way South Alabama came out and played really well today.
“They showed why they have won 13 games in a row and are in first place in the conference.”
DENVER (8-11, 4-4 Sun Belt)
Rohnert 5-11 0-1 10, Tanner 2-8 3-4 7, K. Lewis 1-9 0-0 3, Jackson 2-6 2-2 6, McNally 2-7 0-0 4, R. Lewis 1-3 1-2 3, Peter-Denman 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 13-45 6-9 33.
SOUTH ALABAMA (17-3, 9-0)
Coleman 1-2 6-6 8, Davis 3-4 2-2 8, Ford 0-3 0-0 0, Merritt 5-10 1-1 12, Bennett 9-11 1-4 24, Hayles 1-2 0-0 2, Tilford 2-7 5-6 10, Ross 1-3 0-0 2, Chesser 0-0 1-2 1, P. Tabet 1-1 0-0 2, Ivany 0-1 0-0 0, Douglas 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 24-46 16-21 71.
Halftime — SAU 41-14. 3-point goals — DU 1-16 (K. Lewis 1-4, R. Lewis 0-1, Peter-Denman 0-1, Rohnert 0-2, Tanner 0-2, Jackson 0-3, McNally 0-3), SAU 7-17 (Bennett 5-6, Merritt 1-2, Tilford 1-3, Ivany 0-1, Ross 0-2, Ford 0-3). Fouled out — R. Lewis. Rebounds — DU 21 (McNally 6), SAU 37 (Davis 10). Assists — DU 6 (Peter-Denman 2), SAU 12 (Merritt 6). Total fouls — DU 15, SAU 12. A — 6,993.
Women
Senior Alisha Godette had her second double-double of the season with a game-high 14 points and 10 rebounds, but the Pioneers had 21 turnovers in a 48-40 loss to the Lady Jags that snapped DU’s three-game winning streak.
“We just didn’t play well,” coach Pam Tanner said. “We need to learn to play quality back-to-back road games so that we can be successful.”
The Pioneers were 0-for-9 to open the game until freshman Abbey Leichliter hit a short-range jumper at the 13:01 mark. DU trailed by as many as nine points in the half, but a 6-0 run closed the margin to 17-14 at halftime.
DENVER (7-12, 2-6 Sun Belt)
Akotaobi 2-8 3-4 7, Bents 3-5 0-0 6, Otero 0-1 0-1 0, Meyer 0-1 0-0 0, Godette 4-16 6-6 14, Rice 0-3 0-0 0, Cole 1-3 0-0 2, Robinson 3-6 0-0 6, Mason 0-0 0-0 0, Leichliter 2-2 1-1 5, Benham 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 15-48 10-11 40.
SOUTH ALABAMA (14-6, 5-4)
Sproal 3-9 0-0 7, Brunner 2-6 1-2 5, Nettles 3-8 2-2 8, Tucker 2-9 1-2 5, Jones 4-12 4-5 13, Banks 0-3 0-0 0, Rutledge 2-4 0-0 4, Starling 1-8 0-0 3, Leonard 1-3 0-0 3. Totals 18-62 8-11 48.
Halftime — SAU 17-14. 3-point goals — DU 0-6 (Akotaobi 0-1, Otero 0-1, Benham 0-1, Godette 0-3), SAU 4-26 (Leonard 1-2, Sproal 1-5, Jones 1-7, Starling 1-7, Nettles 0-2, Tucker 0-3). Fouled out — None. Rebounds — DU 40 (Godette 10), SAU 40 (Brunner 17). Assists — DU 10 (Rice 3), SAU 9 (Tucker 3). Total fouls — DU 14, SAU 11.
