DENVER - The University of Denver men's basketball team closed out its home portion of the regular season on Saturday, falling 84-76 to South Dakota on Senior Day in Hamilton Gymnasium. The victory gave the Coyotes the season sweep in the series.

Inside the Box Score:
- KJ Hunt was DU's top guy on the day, finishing with 19 points, six rebounds and five assists.
- Coban Porter added 15 points, his third straight game with at least 15.  
- Michael Henn scored 14 points, highlighted by three made 3s.
- Tevin Smith had 11 points and five rebounds. 

Significant Stats:
- The Pioneers had four players finish in double figures
- USD has won the last nine meetings in the all-time series.  
- Starting guard Jordan Johnson was unavailable due to being in health and safety protocols.

Turning Point:
A 11-2 run by South Dakota to break a 39-39 tie early in the second half.

As it Happened:
 
First Half:
Denver opened to a 7-5 lead in the first 4:14 of the contest. Both teams couldn't find separation, trading baskets for most of the half. South Dakota made it a two-possession game at the 4:33 mark after a made 3 from Kruz Perrot-Hunt made it 30-25. The Pioneers closed to within two by the half, trailing 39-37 going into the break.

Second Half:
The Coyotes jumped out to a seven-point advantage with three minutes in the period, leading 46-39. Denver couldn't close over the next several minutes despite some and-1 opportunities from Smith and Henn, trailing 55-48 by the 11:52 mark. USD got its first double-digit lead by at 59-48 on an and-1 play from Damani Hayes. The Crimson and Gold, though, tried to make a late-game push, but South Dakota held them at bay, getting no closer than six the rest of the way.
 
Up Next:
Denver (9-19, 5-10 SL) hits the road to start its final road trip of the year. First up, a meeting at Omaha on Feb. 17. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. and can be heard on ESPN 1600 AM.
 
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