DENVER Junior guard Nate Rohnert (Parker, Colo.) scored 12 points and made the game-winning basket with five seconds left to lead the University of Denver men’s basketball team to a 56-54 victory over South Alabama at Magness Arena on Thursday night.

 

Rohnert led all players in points and added two rebounds, two steals and a block in 38 minutes of play.

 

Denver (9-11, 4-5 SBC) also received double-digit scoring efforts from sophomore forward Rob Lewis (Colorado Springs, Colo.) with 11 points.

“When you get into league play, teams know each other better and have a game plan against, but we came through and made some big plays in the end,” head coach Joe Scott said. “I thought Rohnert played well, and it was good to see him make a big play for us at the end.”

 

Trailing by four points with 1:55 remaining in the game, sophomore Nigel Peter-Denman (Seattle, Wash.) went to the free throw line to replace Rohnert, who was forced to the bench due to blood, and sank both shots.

 

Freshman guard Brian Stafford (Walnut Creek, Calif.) drilled a three-pointer to give DU a 54-53 advantage, but USA’s C.J. Garner evened the score by making one of two free throws with 39 seconds left to play.

 

Rohnert drove to the basket for a layup with five seconds left for the win (pictured).

 

Denver finished the game shooting 21-for-43 (48.8 percent) from the field compared 19-for-44 (43.8 percent) by South Alabama, who was held without a field goal for the final 5:57 of the game.

 

An early foul by South Alabama (11-10, 4-6 SBC) gave the Pioneers their first two points on the board, as Kyle Lewis (Denver, Colo.) sank his free throws. The Jaguars then took an early lead of 6-2 until Andrew Hooper (Lakewood, Colo.) sank a three with 15:22 left in the first.

 

The Pioneers took their first lead of the game 21-20 on a layup by Rohnert with 7:26 left in the first half. The score was tied five times in the first half before Denver took a nine point lead at 37-28 heading into the locker room. Denver was led by sophomore forward Kyle Lewis (Denver, Colo.) with nine points.

 

The Pioneers shot 14-for-21 (66.7 percent) from the field in the first half, including 6-for-9 (66.7 percent) from beyond the paint. Meanwhile, South Alabama went 12-for-25 (48.0 percent) in field goals and shot 4-for-7 (57.1 percent) from three-point range.

 

The Jaguars brought it within five points to the Pioneers with a free throw by Philip Tabet at 9:22 left. The game was tied for the sixth time at 48-48 with a free throw by South Alabama’s Deandre' Coleman at 14:47. The Jaguars were up 53-49 with 2:04 remaining after Coleman sank a pair of free throws.

South Alabama was led by Coleman’s 17 points and nine rebounds

 

The Pioneers head to Alabama to face Troy on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. before returning to Magness Arena for a matchup against Middle Tennessee on Feb. 5 at 7 p.m.