COLORADO SPRINGS – The University of Denver men's basketball team used a furious second-half rally to fight its way back before ultimately falling 66-65 in the closing seconds to Air Force on Wednesday at Clune Arena. The Pioneers slipped to 3-4 on the year in the loss.
Inside the Box Score:
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Michael Henn led the way with 16 point and a season-best nine rebounds.
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KJ Hunt continued his solid play, getting 15 points, five rebounds, six assists.
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Jordan Johnson added 12 points, highlighted by three made 3-pointers.
Significant Stats:
- The Falcons have now won the last four meetings in the all-time series.
- The Crimson and Gold have lost three games this season by a combined four points.
- Hunt continued his double-digit scoring streak, getting his seventh game in double figures.
- DU had its largest point differential advantage of a half, outscoring Air Force 40-19 in the final 20 minutes.
Turning Point:
Late free throws made by Air Force to go up 66-65 in the final seconds.
As it Happened:
First Half:
Denver opened with a 6-2 run to start the game, highlighted by a three-point plays from Johnson and
Tevin Smith. Air Force responded with a 9-2 run to take an 11-8 lead, forcing the Pioneers to take a timeout. DU though got back in front at 17-14 after another 3 from Johnson, upping his total to six in the half. The Falcons answered with an 14-0 run, giving them a five-point edge at 28-17 before Johnson snapped it with his third made 3-pointer. AF didn't slow down, pushing the lead back into double figures, taking a 22-point advantage into the break.
Second Half:
The Pioneers couldn't gain any ground in the opening minutes in the second half, trailing 52-30 at the 15:42 mark. Denver though did close the gap a little, making it a 14-point contest at 58-44 at the under-12 media timeout. Pioneers, though, refused to go away, closing to within nine after a 3 from Henn made it 60-51. A basket from Hunt cut the Air Force to just four at 62-58 with 5:04 remaining. DU pulled ahead at 65-64 after Henn connected on a jumper with 49 seconds remaining. The Falcons caught a break and made a pair of free throws late to go up one at 66-65. Denver had its chance at the end, but
Taelyr Gatlin's attempted shot came up short.
Up Next:
Denver (3-4) continues the road trip with a contest in Orem, Utah against Utah Valley on Saturday. Tip off is set for 3 p.m. MT.
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