BOCA RATON, Fla. Senior center Adam Tanner (Melbourne, Australia) scored a game-high 21 points, but the University of Denver men’s basketball team fell to Florida Atlantic in a 70-68 heartbreaker in overtime at the de Hoernle Center on Thursday night.

 

“We need to keep getting tougher, because toughness is what it takes to win on the road,” head coach Joe Scott said. “I am encouraged to see how well the team has played since losing David Kummer. We are continuing to get better, even after losing a player as valuable as David.”

 

Tanner scored the game’s first four points, sparking an 11-2 run by Denver (8-10, 4-3 SBC). Florida Atlantic (7-13, 3-6 SBC) countered later in the half with a 13-5 run and clawed to within one, as the Pioneers headed to halftime with a 24-23 lead. Tanner led all scorers in the first half with 11 points.

 

The second half started with the teams trading buckets and the lead through the first four minutes, but the Owls went on an 8-0 run before Tanner hit a pair of free throws and a three-pointer to cut the deficit back to two.

 

Sophomore forward Nate Rohnert (Parker, Colo.) hit four-straight free throws to tie the game at 45-45 with 6:09 remaining.

 

Junior forward Joe Jackson (New Orleans, La.) gave the Pioneers the lead with a three-pointer with 2:54 left in the contest.

 

Florida Atlantic ripped off a 6-0 run until Jackson hit a pair of free throws with 46 seconds remaining. FAU’s Sanchez Hughley missed two free throws with 14 seconds left, keeping the game within a DU basket.

 

As the clock wound down, freshman guard Xander McNally (San Francisco, Calif.) calmly drained a three-pointer with three seconds on the clock, tying the game and sending it into overtime.

 

Overtime was a battle of free throws, as Denver hit 5-of-6 while FAU nailed 10-of-12 from the line in the extra period.

 

Florida Atlantic led by as many as four points during overtime, but Jackson buried a three-pointer with 1:17 left to cut the deficit to one, and Tanner tied the game with a pair of free throws with 33 seconds left.

 

Paul Graham was fouled as he drove the left side of the lane with five seconds remaining and nailed both free throws for the Owls’ winning margin.

 

Denver continues its road trip in Mobile against South Alabama on Sunday, Jan. 27 at 2 p.m. MT.