MBB v South Alabama (28 NOV 15) - Highlights
MBB v South Alabama (28 NOV 15) - Post Game
MBB v South Alabama (28 NOV 15) - Full Game

Box Score

DENVER - Bryant Rucker (Frisco, Texas) scored 16 points and added a career-high eight assists as the University of Denver men's basketball team won its fifth-straight game defeating the South Alabama Jaguars 69-56 Saturday afternoon at Magness Arena.

The Pioneers (5-1) used the help of their three seniors, who combined to score 47 of Denver's 69 points. DU jumped out to a 24-point lead in the second half and were able to close out the game after South Alabama's (2-4) press gave the Pioneers a bit of trouble. The Jaguars were able to cut the deficit, but the lead never got closer than nine points. Marcus Byrd (Highlands Ranch, Colorado) scored a season-high 16 points and pulled down five rebounds. Fellow senior Nate Engesser (Colorado Springs, Colo.) chipped in 15 points, four rebounds and three assists.

"I thought we played really well for 36 minutes of the game," head coach Joe Scott said. "Our offensive execution was really good. We didn't execute against the press and didn't run our press breaker really well today. We are a young team still and we have to get better at that."

Joe Rosga (St. Paul, Minn.) scored 10 points and grabbed a season-high seven rebounds.

The Crimson and Gold trailed 11-10 with 11:36 remaining in the first half and ripped off a 24-9 run to end the half. Rucker scored 12 points during the run and finished the half with 14 points and two assists.

The Pioneers took a 34-20 lead into the lockerroom.

Engesser added six points knocking down two 3-pointers and Denver had 11 assists on 14 made first half shots. DU out-rebounded the Jaguars 17-11 in the first half. Rosga chipped in with four points and pulled down five rebounds.

The Pioneers shot 58.3 percent (14-of-24) from the floor in the opening 20 minutes, while South Alabama hit for just 29.2 percent (7-of-24) in the first 20 minutes. The Pioneers hit for 36.4 percent (4-of-11) from behind the arc in the opening half. The Jaguars shot 20.0 percent (2-of-10) from behind the 3-point line in the first half.

Denver shot 56.8 percent (25-of-44), to South Alabama's 39.1 percent (18-of-46) from the field for the game. The Pioneers shot just 31.3 percent from behind the 3-point line (5-of-16). The Jaguars hit 23.5 percent (4-of-17) from 3-point range.

South Alabama was led by Ken Williams who scored 12 points.

Notes: The Pioneers have now hit a 3-pointer in 291 consecutive games. The five-game winning streak is the longest since the Pioneers won 10-straight and 17-of-18 during the 2012-13.

Denver will continue its five-game homestand on Wednesday, Dec. 2 at 7 p.m. MT against the 2014-15 Mountain West Tournament Champion, the Wyoming Cowboys. The game can be seen on ROOT Sports with Vic Lombardi and Greg Lackey on the call. The game can also be heard on Mile High Sports Radio 1340 AM with Raj Sharan on the call and streamed via Pioneer Vision. For subscription information to Pioneer Vision please visit www.denverpioneers.com.

Fans interested in purchasing tickets to upcoming Denver men's basketball home games 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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