Denver men’s basketball (7-7) faced the University of Northern Colorado (UNC) Saturday afternoon in Greeley, Colorado. The Pioneers were facing a 6-game losing skid against the Bears and trailed by 11 points in the second half before storming back behind Zane Nelson’s 32 points. Denver has one non-conference game remaining with a chance to finish above .500 before conference play begins.
In the first half, DU fell behind 13-9 at the first officials’ timeout. UNC built a 19-16 lead, mostly on the back of a +6 rebound edge. A Zane Nelson layup-and-one, pulled the teams even 21-21, with 8:45 remaining. The teams were knotted again with five minutes left, 32-32, off a Logan Kinsey hook in the paint. A Carson Johnson three gave DU their first lead, 35-32. UNC leveled the score and took the lead back before a Zane Nelson three-point make in the waning seconds pulled the Pioneers even, 40-40, at the break.
DU shot 54% from the field. The Bears beat Denver on the offensive boards 10-1 and held a 4-rebound advantage against the Pioneers in the first half.
Jeremiah Burke opened up the scoring in the second half with a bucket-and-one, 43-40, Denver. UNC forward Ibu Yamazaki got his third foul early, and headed to the UNC bench (and eventually fouled out with six minutes remaining). The teams were even at the first timeout of the second half, 49-49. A run by the Bears built a five-point lead, and a Zane Nelson three-point make from distance cut the deficit to two, 57-55 with 13 minutes remaining. The Bears went on a scoring run, building a 66-55 lead, midway through the second half. Denver came storming back, capped by a Julius Rollins steal and runout which cut the lead to five points with six minutes remaining. Following another Denver scoring run, Zane Nelson nailed a three-point shot, his 27th point of the game, as DU pulled even, 72-72. Nelson followed with another three to give DU a 75-73 lead with under five minutes. A Jeremiah Burke three-point make from the right corner gave DU an 81-77 lead with under two minutes. The teams traded buckets until consecutive layups by Gabe Oldham and Burke built a six-point edge for DU with only 14 seconds remaining. A Julius Rollins free throw finished the scoring and Denver seized the road win, final score 86-79.
DU men’s basketball travels to Tulsa on Monday for a 1:00 game to complete their non-conference schedule.
Big win for the team! Defense was much better. Not fixed, but a definite show of improvement!
More progress! GO BERGY!!
Nice work. Zane Nelson is on his fourth school in four years. Glad he went off today!
What’s his GPA?
Why does his GPA matter to you?
The kid has been climbing the basketball ladder from Community College, to
D2 to better D2 to D1! Well done Zane.
Frankly, most of us don’t care what name you want to give Coach Bergstraser. We have waited more than a lifetime for a team that can compete for championships. Just win baby!
Very good road win. Glad to see some defensive improvement, too.
Keep winning, and everything takes care of itself.
Go Pios!
New DU colors are red & gold? Crimson is gone?
Denver has played with various colors over the past 25 years. They have used yellow instead of gold in the past. Also, crimson (a dark purplish red) now is a brilliant pinkish red. Most alumni and fans hope they just settle on a consistent brand pallet.
Agree. Executive decision by AD?
No, the color change was part of a brand study commissioned by the University at large. The athletic department had to fight to save the arched Denver which was not originally part of the University-wide rebrand.
Wow, good to know. The arched Denver is the thing I like. The DU thing not so much!