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DENVER (AP) -- Yemi Nicholson had 28 points and 11 rebounds to lead the University of Denver to a 79-72 win over Louisiana-Lafayette in a Sun Belt Conference game Saturday night.
It was Nicholson's third double-double in four games.
Rodney Billups also had a double-double with a career-high 15 assists and 12 points, while Erik Benzel added 22 points, including six 3-pointers for Denver, (13-7, 8-1 Sun Belt).
Denver and Louisiana-Lafayette (13-8, 7-2) were tied 67-67 with 5:56 to go, but Nicholson and Benzel gave the Pioneers a 72-67 lead with five minutes remaining.
Orien Greene scored a 3-pointer to chip away at Denver's lead before Nicholson added three points over two possessions to push Denver's lead back to five.
Dwayne Mitchell's tip-in with 1:55 left cut the score to 75-72, but Louisiana-Lafayette couldn't score again.
