DU men’s basketball (8-8, 1-0) opened conference play on New Years Eve afternoon at Hamilton Gym. The Pioneers lead throughout the game and coasted to a double-digit victory, 87-74. Sure, UMKC is a struggling team but Denver did exactly what they needed to do in a complete team win. DU fans will learn even more when Denver travels to Minnesota to play St Thomas Sunday, the preseason favorites in the Summit League. Continue reading DU Coasts by UMKC in Conference Opener, 87-74 →

Denver men’s basketball (7-8) traveled to Tulsa (12-1) on Monday afternoon to play the once-defeated Tulsa Golden Hurricanes. The non-conference finale was the final dress rehearsal before DU’s Summit League opener on New Year’s Eve. Tulsa pulled away in the final five minutes of the game but not before Denver threw a scare into the Golden Hurricanes, responding time and again, in a display of resilience. DU played one of its most complete games of the pre-season, despite going 6-23 from three-point range. Continue reading Denver Finishes Strong but Falls to Tulsa, 90-85 →

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. Continue reading DU Snaps 6 Game Skid to Northern Colorado, Wins 86-79 →

Denver men’s basketball (5-7) faced the Cal State Fullerton Titans (5-7) on Saturday afternoon at Hamilton Gym. The Titans were the third team this season to score more than 100 points against Denver in the 105-86 Pioneer loss. Denver actually outscored the Titans in the second half, 58-54, but the Pioneers were torched in the first half, 51-28. Continue reading Cal State Fullerton Joins the Century Club, Downs DU 105-86 →

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. Continue reading Denver Sweeps D2 foes – Prepares for Non-Conference Finish →

DU men’s basketball (3-6) travelled to Pocatello, Idaho, and played the Idaho State University Bengals (6-4) on Saturday afternoon. The Pioneers can certainly score points. However, their leaky defense continues to be surprisingly poor. Idaho State had its highest scoring output of the season in the game. Denver could not get stops against the Bengals in the disappointing 93-79 loss. It is no longer just a size issue for Denver, either. Idaho’s three leading scorers were guards. The game was a step backwards as Denver fell to #350 out of #361 NCAA DI teams in defense, allowing 87.4 points per game. Continue reading Defense Evades Pioneers in Loss to Idaho State University, 93-79 →

This game featured two similar teams, both struggling to define their identity and stack wins. The Eastern Washington Eagles were 1-6 and DU 2-5 heading into the game at Hamilton Gym on Wednesday night. The Eagles were led by Don Monson with 445 DI wins, 9 NIT’s, 4 NCAA Tournaments and 4 Coach of the Year honors. On paper, it looked like a coaching mismatch but Tim Bergstraser matched Monson and seized the win down the stretch, his third coaching victory of the young season. Continue reading Bergstraser Leads Denver Over Monson and Eastern Washington, 93-89 →

Wednesday evening, the Denver Pioneers men’s basketball (2-) traveled to Laramie, Wyoming to face the University of Wyoming Cowboys (6-1). Denver trailed by 10 points at halftime but faded dramatically in the second half, eventually falling by 42 points. The Cowboys operated in the paint, scoring 52 of their 101 points and were +13 on rebounds while shooting a sizzling 56.1%. The margin of defeat against Wyoming was the worst in 160 meetings between the two teams. Continue reading Wyoming Thrashes Denver in Laramie, 101-59 →

Monday night, DU men’s basketball traveled to Tucson, Arizona to take on the 5-0 #2 Arizona Wildcats. This game followed a signature program win at undefeated Colorado State’s Moby Arena. Arizona proved to be a much tougher opponent at McKale Memorial Center. The Wildcats talent and athleticism were on full display in the 103-73 victory over Denver. Surprisingly, in a sign of toughness, resilience and fight, Denver only trailed the Wildcats’ scoring by two points in the second half. Continue reading Arizona Powers Past Stubborn Denver, 103-73 →