DENVER – The University of Denver men's basketball team fought to the very end on Friday, falling late to Oral Roberts, 88-84 in Hamilton Gymnasium.

Significant Stats:
- Eric Moenkhaus had a season-high 12 points.
- Jase Townsend had it going on offense, finishing with a team-high 27 points.
-  Denver's 84 points were a new season high this year.

Inside the Box Score:
- Sam Hines Jr. recorded his first collegiate double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
- Max Abmas led the Golden Eagles with a game-high 34 points.
- DU's nine 3s were a season-high.
- JaVonni Bickham added a career-high nine points off the bench.
 
Turning Point:
A 13-5 run from ORU to take it from a two-point game to an 11-point contest at 81-70 with 1:31 left in regulation.

As it Happened:
 
First Half:
Pioneers opened the game with energy, racing out to a 13-8 advantage in the first seven minutes. The Golden Eagles, though, responded with a 10-2 run of their own to take a three-point advantage midway through the period. DU closed the opening 20 minutes strong, getting some outside shooting from Moenkhaus to take a 45-44 lead at the break.
 
Second Half:
Both teams traded baskets in the final 20 minutes, with each team making shots at key spots. Denver got big minutes from Bickham, who was all over the court with energy and hustle plays. Oral Roberts kept getting big plays from Abmas, taking a 68-64 lead with 7:30 left in regulation. The Golden Eagles made their move late, using a 13-5 run to take a double-digit lead at 81-70 with 1:31 left in regulation. Pioneers were forced to foul the rest of the way, but ORU made it count at the line, sealing the win.
 
Up Next:
Denver (1-9, 0-3 Summit League) wraps up its home series with Oral Roberts with game two tomorrow at 12 p.m. MT.
 
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