DENVER  – The University of Denver men's basketball program welcomes South Dakota to Hamilton Gymnasium on Thursday night. Thursday's game is sponsored by CommonSpirit and will serve as the Pioneers Coaches vs. Cancer night.

Denver's return home will be broadcast on Altitude 2, the Summit League Network and 104.3 The Fan HD3.  

SUMMIT LEAGUE NETWORK:
New this year, fans can subscribe to the Summit League Network, the exclusive streaming home of all Denver men's and women's basketball home games and conference away games. For more information on the Summit League Network, click here. 

SERIES HISTORY:
South Dakota holds a 14-8 lead in the modern Division I series and a 15-10 advantage in the all-time series. The Pioneers swept South Dakota last year, earning a 15-point win on the road before winning by 20 in Hamilton Gymnasium last February. Prior to last year's sweep, South Dakota had won nine-straight against the Pioneers.

LAST TIME OUT:
Tommy Bruner poured 32 in his sixth 30+ point game this season, but it wasn't enough as North Dakota took down the Pioneers by a score of 92-78 in Grand Forks. Denver fell to 3-2 in the league with the loss, and in a tie for second place, a game out of first in the Summit League standings.

BRUNER LEADS DENVER IN NATIONAL STATISTICAL RANKINGS:

• Tommy Bruner ranks first in the country in points per game (25.2), fifth in free-throws made (132), first in field goals made (161) and 30th in three-point field goal percentage (42.0).
• Touko Tainamo ranks 56th in free-throw attempts (161) and 56th in free-throws made (84). Tainamo is also tied for 65th nationally in double-doubles with five.
• Jaxon Brenchley is 12th in the country in assist/turnover ratio (3.59).
• Isaiah Carr ranks 19th in the country in blocked shots (41).
• Denver entered the weekend 9th in the country in free-throw attempts per game (25.6) and 6th in free-throw makes per game (19.1) and 41st in three-point field goal percentage (37.2).
• As a team, the Pioneers are 14th in scoring offense (84.9), 94th in rebounds per game (37.95) and 23rd in turnovers per game (9.8).

DENVER'S OFFENSIVE PACE

• Denver's 84.9 points per game this season is the top scoring average in a season in the program's Division I history, and trails only the 1968-69 (89.8), 1990-91 (89.1) and 1975-76 (86.7) in DU's entire history.
• The Pioneers scored 80+ points in seven-straight games from Dec. 18-Jan. 13, the first 7+ games stretch over 80 points in the program's Division I history, and its first overall since the 1992-93 season (9-straight).
• Denver has scored 80+ points in 13 different contests this season, up from eight last season and seven the year before.
• 2023-24 is the first season with 13+ since the Pioneers had 16 80+ point games in the 1996-97 season (16 times).

BRUNER HITS 1000 POINT MARK

• On January 20, 2024, Tommy Bruner became the 43rd Pioneer overall, and just the 16th in the Pioneers modern Division I era (since 1998-99) to score 1000 career points.
• Bruner reached 1000 points in just 52 career games in a Denver uniform, 15 games faster than B.J. Prat, who previously held the record.

DU'S DI RECORD BOOK WATCH

• 1000 POINT WATCH: Touko Tainamo has 924 points on his way to 1000, and is on pace to become the 17th in the modern DI era and 44th Pioneer overall to reach that mark.
• CAREER RECORDS: Tommy Bruner has 278 free-throws made, 30 behind Joe Rosga for fifth on the list and 101 behind Nate Rohnert for the career record (379, 2006-10).
• Touko Tainamo became the seventh Pioneer to reach 500 career rebounds and currently sits at 540, two behind Nate Rohnert for fifth on the list and 211 behind Brett Starkey's (2000-04) school-record 751. 
• SINGLE SEASON: Tommy Bruner is fifth in free-throws made (132), 4 off fourth and 25 off the single-season record set by Nate Rohnert in 2009-10 (157). Bruner is seventh in points made in a single season with 504, four behind his 2022-23 performance for sixth on the list, and 112 points behind Yemi Nicholson's modern Division I record of 616 set in the 2005-06 season.

UP NEXT: 
Denver closes out the weekend homestand on Saturday when the Pioneers welcome Omaha to Hamilton Gymnasium. Tip is set for 2 p.m. MT on Altitude, the Summit League Network and 104.3 The Fan HD3.

Denver Tickets:  
Season and single game tickets are on sale now. Secure your seat today by clicking here.                 

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