DENVER – The University of Denver men's basketball team saw its postseason dreams take a hit on Friday, falling 80-76 in Hamilton Gymnasium.

Inside the Box Score:
- Jase Townsend had a team-high 18 points and five assists.
- Sam Hines Jr. finished with 15 points on the afternoon.
- Kobey Lam added 13 points, highlighted by four made 3s.
- Ayo Akinwole led the Mavericks with a career-high 32 points.  
Significant Stats:
- Denver knocked down a season-high 10 3s in the loss.
- The Crimson and Gold had nine turnovers in the game, second lowest of the year.
 
Turning Point:
The Mavericks converting at the foul line late to seal the win and give them the inside track to the No. 8 seed in the Summit League Championship.

As it Happened:
 
First Half:
Omaha opened with a strong start, taking an 11-4 lead in the first 3:15. The Mavericks pushed their lead to 12 after a 3 from Jaden Booth at the 13:54 mark. UNO's lead grew to as many as 13 before a late run by Denver made it a five-point game at 44-39 after a layup from JaVonni Bickham. Omaha got the lead back to seven, though, by the half, 51-44.
 
Second Half:
The Pioneers came out swinging to start the second half, going on a 13-4 run to take its first lead of the afternoon at 57-55 on a made 3 from Taelyr Gatlin. The Mavericks pushed back to take a one-point lead by the under-eight minute media timeout. Despite a cold spell, DU fought back late, closing to within two points at after a tip-in layup from Hines Jr. with 11 seconds left on the clock. Omaha responded by making its free throws after Denver was forced to foul.  
 
Up Next:
Denver (2-18, 1-12 Summit League) concludes the season on Saturday against Omaha at 4 p.m.
 
CORONAVIRUS INFORMATION
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