DENVER – The University of Denver men's basketball team used a 52-point second-half to pull away from Summit League preseason-favorites South Dakota State 99-80 on Saturday afternoon inside Hamilton Gymnasium.
Tommy Bruner scored 26 points and Pedro Lopez Sanvicente added 23 to lead the Pioneers on their home floor on Saturday. Bruner tacked on six assists and Lopez Sanvicente added five rebounds and five assists. Touko Tainamo also helped out with 13 points and seven rebounds.
Denver did a great job taking care of the basketball, dishing out 20 assists while turning the ball over seven times. Individually, Jaxon Brenchley lent a helping hand the most for the Pioneers with six assists.
Denver forced 14 South Dakota State turnovers while committing just seven themselves in Saturday's game. The Pioneers turned those takeaways into 21 points on the other end of the floor. Tyson Garff led the way individually with three steals.
Notes:
Denver has 80+ points in each of its last seven games and 13 total times this season, the longest stretch in the Pioneers Division I era.
The Pioneers finished with 90+ points for the fifth time against a Division I opponent this season, and the 24th time since rejoining Division I in 1998-99.
DU's 99 points were its most in a conference game since February 10, 2001, a victory for the Pioneers over North Texas in both programs' days in the Sun Belt Conference.
Denver finished with single digit turnovers (7) for the ninth time this season.
The nation's leading scorer Tommy Bruner finished with 26 points and 6 assists.
- Bruner finished in double figures for the 20th-straight game and the 90th time in his career
- Bruner finished with 20+ points for the seventh-straight game, the 13th time this season and the 21st time in his career.
- Bruner had 20 points in the first half on 8-of-11 shooting.
- Bruner finished with 5+ assists for the fifth-straight game, the ninth time this season and the 37th time in his career.
Pedro Lopez-Sanvicente finished with a career-high 23 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists.
- Lopez Sanvicente finished in double figures for the second time in his career.
- Lopez Sanvicente had 11 first-half points of 5-of-6 shooting to set his new career-high.
- Lopez-Sanvicente had 5+ assists for the second time this season and in his career.
Touko Tainamo finished with 13 points and 7 rebounds.
- Tainamo finished in double figures for the seventh-straight game, the 15th time this season and the 44th time in his career.
DeAndre Craig finished with 10 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists.
- Craig finished in double figures for the fifth time this season.
How it Happened:
After falling behind 43-39, Denver went on an 8-0 run with 1:21 left in the first half, culminating in a bucket from Deandre Craig, to take a 47-43 lead, a score that would hold until halftime.
South Dakota State proceeded to take a 56-55 lead before Denver went on an 8-0 run, finished off by Tainamo's three, to seize a 63-56 lead with 13:24 to go in the contest. The Pioneers kept expanding the margin and coasted the rest of the way for the 99-80 win. Denver shot well from three-point range in the half, hitting eight shots from deep to score 24 of its 52 points.
UP NEXT:
Denver will hit the road for the first time in the New Year next weekend in the state of North Dakota. The Pioneers will begin the road trip on Thursday at North Dakota State. Tipoff on the Summit League Network and 104.3 The Fan HD3 is set for 6 p.m. MT.
Denver Tickets:
Season and single game tickets are on sale now. Secure your seat today by clicking here.
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