#7 Denver faced #2 UMKC Saturday night in the quarterfinals of the Summit League Tournament in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Denver took the floor following a three-game malaise, getting blasted three games in a row, once by UMKC. Denver bowed up Saturday night and called on their veterans to lead a second-half charge, bolstered by a stingy defense, as they overcame a double-digit halftime hole to win on an Isaiah Addo-Ankrah three-point bomb and Pedro Sanvicente block to stun UMKC, 61-60.

Let’s just get the shot from Addo-Ankrah out of the way before we tell the whole story.

Yes, this game was all about great defense from a team, Denver, near the bottom of the NCAA in points allowed.

Denver played a miserable first half on the offensive end but somehow they only trailed 33-21. DU leading scorer Tommy Bruner was held scoreless and struggled on the court with a bum ankle. The Pioneers were shooting 27.5% from the field, 1-5 from the free throw line and 28.6% from three-point range. It was a horrible stat line and looked like a continuation of the previous three games – all double-digit losses. But there was a glimmer of hope. Denver was playing good defense. That’s right – good defense. All this despite falling behind early in the game 11-3 and blowing a 2-point deficit in the final three and a half minutes to trail by a dozen at halftime.  Their offense in the first half was poor but they were making stops.

Denver turned the tables in the second half as Bruner came to life, slashing and burying shots. Suddenly, it was the Roos who couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn as a scrambling Pioneer defense put the clamps on KC. UMKC shot 33% from the field, 15% from three-point range, and 62% from the line in the half.  Meanwhile, Bruner canned 16 points in the 20-minute frame. Jaxon Brenchley hit big shots and DeAndre Craig scored critical points down the stretch as the Roos lead collapsed.

With 54 seconds remaining, UMKC took the lead on a Jayson Petty layup, 57-56. Following a miss from Bruner, UMKC was fouled and sunk two free throws to go up by 3 points. With 23 seconds left, Denver got the ball back and freshman DeAndre Craig was fouled with 23 seconds left and hit both of his free throws to pull Denver within one point, 59-58. Denver intentionally fouled and the Roos Khristion Courseault went one for two from the line as UMKC led by two points with 21 seconds remaining. As the game clock ran under 10 seconds, Denver’s DeAndre Craig drove to the hoop and went airborne, flipping the ball to the far side of the court to Isaiah Addo-Ankrah by the sideline. Addo-Ankrah hoisted the ball toward the rim and it floated through the hoop for three, 61-60, with five seconds left. UMKC drove the full length of the court for a sure lay-up but DU’s Pedro Lopez-Sanvicente raced back to the bucket and swatted the game-winning UMKC shot to DeAndre Craig who dribbled out the game, 61-60.

The late-game heroics would have gone for naught without an outstanding overall defensive effort. Tommy Bruner turned the final 20 minutes into ‘Tommy Time’ and led the team in minutes played (36) despite his ankle injury. Jaxon Brenchley was a true veteran on the floor with 15 points and 3 rebounds. DeAndre Craig had a fantastic game at the point guard spot with 13 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists. Touko Tainamo barely showed up in the stat line but he had an excellent game clogging up the middle along with Isaiah Carr to limit UMKC’s inside penetration. It was the bang-bang plays to win the game by Isaiah Addo-Ankrah and Pedro Lopez-Sanvicente that ultimately were the difference. However, a relentless defense for forty minutes by the Pioneers set up the game-winning heroics.

DU will be in the semifinal game on Monday with details to be announced.

The defensive swat from Pedro for the win!

The Magic three-point shot by Isaiah Addo-Ankrah