DENVER – ESPN calls the University of Denver men’s basketball team a potential Giant Killer in a story on the subscription-based ESPN Insider website.
“Our statistical model had identified Denver as one of the best potential Giant Killers (teams capable of pulling upsets in the NCAA tournament) in the country,” ESPN writers Jordan Brenner and Peter Keating wrote. “The Pioneers had a rating of 51.8, meaning they would have entered the NCAA tourney with a better-than-average chance of knocking off a generic Giant. Their statistical profile was flush with hallmarks of traditional GKs.”
The story comes after USA Today called Denver one of five mid-majors with bracket-busting potential this season.
The Pioneer men’s basketball team won a share of the 2012-13 Western Athletic Conference (WAC) regular season championship and earned an at-large berth into the National Invitation Tournament (NIT), advancing to the second round.
Denver won 22 games for the second-straight season, and the Crimson and Gold ranked among the Top 25 in the NCAA in assists/turnover ratio (fifth), scoring defense (sixth), turnover margin (eighth), assists per game (ninth), field goal percentage (10th), steals per game (15th) and turnovers per game (25th). No other team in the nation ranked in the Top 25 in field goal percentage, assists and steals.
The Pioneers return 11 players, including starters Chris Udofia (Irving, Texas), Brett Olson (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) and Jalen Love (Wichita, Kan.), and key sixth man Cam Griffin (San Antonio, Texas) from last year’s roster. Senior captain Udofia was selected to the all-conference first team and all-conference defensive team each of the last two seasons. Starting junior guard and All-WAC Third Team selection Olson, who was second in the league in three-point shooting last year, joins sophomore guard Love who helped spark DU’s 19-4 finish after joining the starting lineup last December. Junior guard Griffin also returns after ranking seventh in the WAC last season with 1.5 steals per game, while adding 6.1 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists.
Individual game tickets for men's basketball go on sale Tuesday, Oct. 1 with prices starting at $9 for adults. Single-game tickets may be purchased in person at the Ritchie Center Box Office, by phone at 303-871-2336 or online at DenverPioneers.com/tickets. DU students are admitted to all Denver men's basketball games FREE with their Pioneer Card.
Group tickets are available for parties of 20 or more for a reduced price. Men's basketball lower bowl group tickets are $7. For more questions or to place a group ticket order, contact Adam Sizemore at adam.sizemore@du.edu or (303) 871-HOOP.
Season tickets for the 2013-14 Denver men’s basketball season are currently on sale with ticket packages start at just $77. For ticket information, please visit DenverPioneers.com or call the Pioneer Basketball Ticket Hotline at (303) 871-HOOP. DU continues its commitment to provide the community with the most affordable and exciting entertainment in the Denver metro area.
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