COLORADO SPRINGS – The University of Denver men's basketball team fought hard but came up short in a 73-65 loss to Air Force at Clune Arena on Wednesday. The Pioneers dropped to 2-7 on the season while the Falcons improved to 4-5.
 
DU got a season-high 11 points from Tory Stewart-Miller in his first start of the year. The former Colorado big man shot 4-of-6 from the field in limited minutes.
 
Joe Rosga found his grove again, scoring a game-high 17 points which moved him into 10th on the all-time scoring list. The St. Paul native did a lot of his damage from beyond the arc, going 4-for-9 from 3.
 
Freshman Joseph Lanzi had his best game yet, pouring in a career-best 14 points off the bench, showing a glimpse of what the future holds.
 
Denver, coming off a positive team bonding experience this past Sunday and Monday nights in which the team and coaches spent the night in the locker room, competed and showed signs of team moving in the right direction with better ball movement, energy and effort in the contest.
 
"This experience together with limited distractions has brought our team closer," head coach Rodney Billups said. "We bonded our young players with our older guys. We have merged different cultures, and taken the next step in becoming a team. With two fifth-year seniors that live alone and five freshmen in the dorms alone with no students because of winter break, it was the perfect opportunity for this type of team bonding exercise. Guys checked in at 8 p.m. and played cards, played games, watched the NBA and a couple of movies and watched game film, whatever they would normally do at home, they were able to do in the locker room together until midnight when they went to sleep.
 
"I thought our effort and concentration was better because of the limited distractions. I think we are becoming a better team. Having the opportunity to spend uninterrupted time together helped us play better. The irony of playing this game at this juncture of our season and seeing the cadets and student-athletes with such discipline is a huge teaching point for our team."
 
Stewart-Miller came out with back-to-back scores to open the evening, giving Denver a 5-0 advantage.
 
Air Force countered with a 7-0 run of its own after that to take a two-point advantage by the first media timeout.
 
The Pioneers followed that run with another one of their own, going on a 10-0 run after a pair of free throws from Stewart-Miller.
 
Both teams each locked down the defensive end, keeping the score low. Air Force got the last laugh right before the break scoring three the old-fashioned way with 0.5 seconds left on the clock to take a 26-23 lead into the half.
 
Stewart-Miller was a factor on the interior, scoring a season-high nine points in 10 minutes in the opening period, highlighted by a two-hand flush late in the half.
 
DU struggled to find its shot in the half, going just 8-for-23 (34.8 percent) from the field.
 
Denver cut into the Falcon lead by the first media timeout, making it a one-possession game after some key baskets from Stewart-Miller and Rosga.
 
Back-to-back scores from Lanzi made it a one-possession game at 57-54 with 4:17 left in regulation. The freshman from Alabama put on a shooting clinic, hitting two clutch 3s and a strong layup at the rim.
 
Air Force responded with a back-breaking 5-0 run to push its lead back to eight, forcing the Pioneers to take a timeout.
 
DU was forced to play the foul game the rest of the way, but the Falcons knocked down their shots at the line to secure the victory.
 
Up next
The Crimson and Gold head back home for a throwback game against Western State on Sunday in Hamilton Gymnasium. Tip is set for 1 p.m. MT and can be seen on Pioneer Vision.
 
TOGETHER 4 COLORADO TOY DRIVE
The Pioneers have partnered with CBS4 for the Together 4 Colorado Toy Drive to support the Denver community during the holiday season. Beginning Nov. 17, there will be toy drops at every Denver Athletics and Newman Center event thru Dec. 19. Additionally, there will be a Community Shop 'n Drop on Saturday, Dec. 15 from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., hosted by the Denver Cheerleading squad at the circle drive on the north side of the Ritchie Center.
 
PIONEER MOVEMENT:
Fans interested in making a donation to the men's basketball program can do so by CLICKING HERE. Your contribution will make a direct impact on the success of YOUR Pioneers. Thank you in advance for your unwavering support of our student-athletes and their quest for excellence.
  
-- PIONEER TOGETHER --
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