Box Score BOCA RATON, Fla. - Despite a ferocious second half comeback, the University of Denver men's basketball fell 72-71 to Florida Atlantic on Thursday night.
"We lost the game in the first half," head coach Joe Scott said. "We played unbelievably well in the second half. We are one of the best foul shooting teams in the country, but the last two heartbreaking road losses have come down to missing free throws. It's disappointing, but I know this is a good basketball team, and we need to get it back for Saturday."
The Pioneers (17-8, 7-5 SBC) trailed by 15 points at the half, but shot a scorching 81.0 percent on 17-of-21 from the field in the second half, including 5-for-7 (71.4 percent) from three-point range.
Denver held a four-point lead with 14 seconds left, but FAU's Greg Gantt hit a three-pointer, and Shavar Richardson went to the foul line for three shots with 1.1 seconds remaining, converting two of them to give the Owls (10-14, 6-5 SBC) the one-point win.
Sophomore forward Chris Udofia (Irving, Texas) had 20 points, six rebounds, six blocked shots and four assists. Senior guard Brian Stafford (Walnut Creek, Calif.) had 18 points, and freshman forward Royce O'Neale (Killeen, Texas) scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half.
The Pioneers shot a season-low 43.8 percent (7-of-16) from the free throw line, the first time the team has made less than half of its free throws since hitting 40.0 percent at Western Kentucky on Jan. 6, 2011. Denver hit 59.6 percent (28-of-47) from the field in the game and 47.1 percent (8-of-17) from three-point range.
The Owls were 24-of-54 (44.4 percent) from the field, 9-of-19 (47.4 percent) from three-point range and 15-of-19 (78.9 percent) from the free throw line. Greg Gantt led FAU with 18 points.
The Owls used a 15-2 run in the first half and hot shooting, going 13-for-25 (52.0 percent) from the field and 7-for-12 (58.3 percent) from three-point range, to take a 40-25 lead to the break. DU shot 42.3 percent (11-for-26) from the floor and 30.0 percent (3-for-10).
Denver remains in the Sunshine State for its last-ever regular season Sun Belt game, when the Pioneers face Florida International on Friday at 5:30 p.m. MT. The game will be webcast live on Pioneer Vision, Mile High Sports Radio AM 1510 or FM 93.7, and via a live blog available at DenverPioneers.com.
Notes: Senior Justin Coughlin (Yuma, Colo.) is now in 10th place on DU's all-time blocked shots list with 69 in his career...sophomore Chris Udofia moved into fifth on DU's all-time blocked shots list with 97 in his career...senior guard Brian Stafford moved into a tie for sixth on the Sun Belt Conference's all-time three-point list with 249 in his career...Denver has shot at least 59 percent from the field in four games this year, but went 2-2 in those games...DU has lost four-straight on the road, three of which were by one point...The Pioneers have lost five games in 2012 by a total of 14 points.
