MBB at Belmont (26 NOV 14) - Audio Only

Nashville, Tenn. - The University of Denver men's basketball team fell to the Belmont Bruins 78-57 Wednesday afternoon at the Curb Event Center.

The Pioneers were led by junior guard Nate Engesser (Colorado Springs, Colo.) who came off the bench and set a new career high with 26 points (8-of-9). Engesser also set a career high making seven 3-pointers (7-of-8). The seven made 3-pointers tied the Curb Event Center record by a visiting player.

The Crimson and Gold's (2-2) bench provided a spark for the Pios in the game outscoring Belmont 38-19. Marcus Byrd(Highlands Ranch, Colo.) scored 10 points (4-of-6), added five rebounds and three assists.

The Bruins (5-1) have one of the best home records in college basketball having won 58 of their last 60 and are 126-21 since the Curb Event Center opened in 2003.

Denver finished the game shooting 36.5 percent (19-of-52), while the Bruins shot 40.8 percent (20-of-49). The Pioneers shot 41.7 percent from behind the 3-point line (10-of-24).

Belmont shot 90.6 percent (29-of32) from the free throw line compared to 64.3 percent for the Pioneers (9-of-14).

Denver trailed at halftime 34-16 and was led by Engesser's nine points off the bench.

The Pioneers shot 25.0 percent (5-of-20) from the floor while Belmont hit on just 32.0 percent (8-of-25) in the first half. The difference in the first half was the Bruins shot 16 free throws compared to just four for the Pioneers. Belmont knocked down 87.5 percent (14-of-16) from the line, while DU hit on 75.0 percent (3-of-4).

Freshman forward/center Christian Mackey (Kirtland, New Mexico) made his first college start replacing the injured Daniel Amigo (El Paso, Texas).

Craig Bradshaw and Taylor Barnette led Belmont with 28 and 21 points, respectively.

Denver heads back home to take on former Sun Belt rival the New Orleans Privateers on Sunday, Nov. 30 at 1 p.m. MT in a game that can be seen on Pioneer Vision and heard on Mile High Sports Radio 94.1 FM.

Fans interested in purchasing tickets can do so by phone at 303-871-2336, in person at the Ritchie Center box office or through DenverPioneers.com by clicking here.

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