The Pioneers gave coach Rodney Billups the game ball after his first win as a college head coach. Photo: University of Denver
The Denver Pioneers shot an excellent 56% on the road, and including a blistering 9 for 10 from the field in the final ten minutes of the game to hold off a determined San Jose State Spartan team at the San Jose (Calif.) Events Center, 74-69. The win, which was close for the duration, was Rodney Billups’ first career win as the Pioneers’ head coach. The victory was clinched by a pair of Thomas Neff free throws in the final two seconds, as SJSU had cut the DU lead to three points with 1:13 left.
Denver leveled its season record at 1-1, while SJSU from the Mountain West Conference, fell to 1-2 on the young season.
While the Pioneers blew out San Jose in shooting percentage (56% to 40%) and rebounding (36-26), the game was close all the way (never more than a eight point differential either way) due to the Pioneers’ propensity to give up turnovers, as DU gave away 21 balls, while the Spartans only gave away 13 on the night. For a Pioneer team learning to play a fast, new style of basketball this year, turnovers will likely be a part of the Pioneers’ identity for the foreseeable future as the players adjust to the new style.
Super Sophomore Joe Rosga led the Pioneers with 15 points, 11 of which came in the second half. The Pios were also able to get a clutch bench performance from redshirt junior Duke Douglas, who had a career high 12 points, including 5-5 from the field, a dunk with 6:40 left which sent the Pioneers on the clutch shooting tear down the stretch, and a big steal in the final moments. Junior Jake Pemberton helped steady the backcourt with a solid 10-point outing, and Australian Abiola Akintola chipped in with six points in his first-ever Pioneer action.
DU’s Christian Mackey had the go-ahead basket for DU with 8:17 left in the game and had a total of six points filling the lane when starting center Daniel Amigo (7 points) ran into foul trouble and had to sit for large chunks of the game. Jake Krafka (4 points) and Brad George (2 points) also cracked the scoresheet for the Pios for the first time in their careers.
The Pioneers return from California to face Utah Valley University of the WAC on Wednesday, Nov. 23 at Magness Arena.
It was a very nice win – I was pleasantly surprised that SJSU offered free streaming of the game, I hadn’t planned on being able to watch. I don’t think the SJSU announcers did their homework though because they seemed a little surprised by Rosga’s shooting abilities!
Great to get a road win early in the season. These guys have been working hard and got rewarded for their effort. Cool that Rodney got the game ball, too!
Nice first win for Rodney and his crew. We won’t always shoot so well; thus turnovers must be lowered.
It was a very nice win – I was pleasantly surprised that SJSU offered free streaming of the game, I hadn’t planned on being able to watch. I don’t think the SJSU announcers did their homework though because they seemed a little surprised by Rosga’s shooting abilities!
Great to get a road win early in the season. These guys have been working hard and got rewarded for their effort. Cool that Rodney got the game ball, too!
Nice first win for Rodney and his crew. We won’t always shoot so well; thus turnovers must be lowered.
Watching the game last night, the Pios were at their best when they ran misdirection and back cuts in the offensive end with isolation on the weak side. They still need to better figure out their spacing and how to run in the right layers to get defenses to collapse on themselves and so they don’t run into situations where they’ll get stripped for turnovers. The Pios also had some problems managing aggressive guarding on the 3/4 court press SJSU put on them late, but eventually figured it out by stretch passing.
Watching the game last night, the Pios were at their best when they ran misdirection and back cuts in the offensive end with isolation on the weak side. They still need to better figure out their spacing and how to run in the right layers to get defenses to collapse on themselves and so they don’t run into situations where they’ll get stripped for turnovers. The Pios also had some problems managing aggressive guarding on the 3/4 court press SJSU put on them late, but eventually figured it out by stretch passing.
Nice win for Pios, they were persistent and showed the good depth that can be a hallmark of this team. SJSU is terrible, as in 25-loss terrible. Announced attendance was 1481. On the TV feed, I generously counted about 70 fans in the three sections behind the team benches. I guess they count every time someone gets up off their seat and sits back down?
Nice win for Pios, they were persistent and showed the good depth that can be a hallmark of this team. SJSU is terrible, as in 25-loss terrible. Announced attendance was 1481. On the TV feed, I generously counted about 70 fans in the three sections behind the team benches. I guess they count every time someone gets up off their seat and sits back down?