Denver men’s basketball (5-6) swept two D2 teams this week and faces Cal State Fullerton (D1) Saturday at Hamilton Gym at 2:00 pm MT. After earlier ‘buy-games’ against teams like Colorado State and #1 Arizona, these games against D2 teams serve two purposes. First, they provide a chance to run offensive and defensive sets and schemes with less resistance while breaking bad habits that may have been developed in prior games. Second, they build confidence as the team barrels toward Summit League play which begins at the end of this month.
Against Colorado Christian on Tuesday, Denver shot 61% and held the Lions to 37% shooting from the field. DU built a 46-29 halftime bulge and coasted to the win. Denver had balanced scoring with five players in double digits, led by Logan Kinsey’s 21 points and Gabe Oldhams’ 10 rebounds.
It was a similar story Thursday night as the Pioneers whipped Alaska Anchorage, 97-61. Denver pulled away in the final five minutes of the first half to a 45-31 edge. The second half was academic as Denver racked-up 52 more points en route to a 97-61 win. Sean Wysocki poured in 32 points and gathered 6 rebounds in the rout. The Seawolves were held to 41% shooting from the field while DU’s offense hummed at 52%.
DU looks to be fielding a competitive team, ready for Summit League play this season. Considering the team is fielding almost an entirely new roster and coaching staff, the progress so far has to be considered beyond expectations by fans and cynics alike. DU has four nonconference games remaining – three D1 games and one D2 game. Even more progress will be shown if Denver can finish 3-1 and pull their record to .500, prior to the start of conference play. If so, that would put a definitive stamp on progress.
No doubt, local interest is low for these D2 tilts – both games had fewer than 1,000 attendees. And, as usual, DU students are on break from Thanksgiving through New Years. These D2 games are, essentially, scrimmages but they provide valuable opportunities to address weaknesses. In Denver’s case, team defense is an area of vulnerability. Once Denver transitions to the West Coast Conference (WCC) next season, there is likely to be a dramatic increase in the difficulty of the non-conference schedule. In the interim, Denver Men’s Basketball is taking the necessary steps to prepare for its final season in the Summit League.
These D2 opponent games don’t really help DU at all, other than artificially inflating the team’s W/L record, and perhaps pumping a small amount of cash/profit into the DU coffers.
DU fans don’t want to watch these games, either.
DU is playing them because most DI teams don’t wish to play DU in Denver.
A win is expected, a loss is crushing. End of rant…
Every team in America plays games that doesnt excite fans like this. This is the equivalent of Arizona playing Denver. You think their fans were excited to play Denver? Not at all. They were just excited to see their team play.
As a coach, you have to have games like this to be able to work on things, especially after compiling what was the 16th toughest schedule in the country up to that point. A DU fan can’t fault the team or coach for accepting a major challenge this non-conference season so far.
These games can help teams, especially new ones like this, work on important things like defensive rotations, offensive sets, presses, press break, etc. Arizona didn’t play us for the challenge, they play us for a chance to work on things.
And it can help a player like Wysocki, who has been up and down, get some confidence and possibly launch him to the level of play he has flashed.
It can potentially allow for guys to heal a little and/or catch their breath after a whirlwind start.
It gets some home games for the team who has traveled all over including to some hard to get to places like Laramie. Low mid-majors can have a hard time scheduling home games, especially when you have a unique challenge at home like the elevation issue. Other teams are also trying to protect their season records.
5B seems to understand this. Doesn’t surprise me that some others may not.
This season’s schedule was put together for a low mid-major team preparing for Summit League play. Next season’s non-conference schedule is sure to be more difficult as DU moves up the ladder to a high-major. Still, for a new team and coaches, I think several D2 games are a benefit IMO.