DENVER  – Following the University of Denver's first regular season sweep of North Dakota State since 2018, the Pioneers will look to complete their first ever regular season sweep of South Dakota State when they battle the Jackrabbits on Thursday night at Frost Arena. Tip on the Summit League Network and 104.3 The Fan HD3 is set 7 p.m. CT/6 p.m. MT.

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 State leads the modern DI-era series 21-6, having won the previous 12-consecutive games before the Pioneers 99-80 win in Hamilton Gymnasium in January. Denver is 1-11 in Brookings, last winning there in November, 2009. SDSU leads the all-time series, that dates back with 1969-70, by a count of 22-7. 

LAST TIME OUT:
Tommy Bruner scored 30 of his 41 in the second half and played a big role in a 31-6 Denver run to bring the Pioneers from 20-points down to defeat North Dakota State 77-71 in Hamilton Gymnasium on Saturday.  

CALL IT WHAT IT IS – A COMEBACK:

• The comeback was Denver's largest in its Division I history.
• It is Denver's second 18+-point comeback this season, coming from 18 down to beat Nicholls 91-85 on November 15.
• Denver last had two 18-point comebacks in a season in 2021-22, coming from 18 down to beat St. Thomas and from 19 down to win at North Dakota.
• All four 18+ point comebacks in Denver's modern DI era (since 1998-99) have come during Jeff Wulbrun's tenure.

BRUNER LEADS DENVER IN NATIONAL STATISTICAL RANKINGS

• Tommy Bruner ranks first in the country in points per game (25.3), fifth in free-throws made (188), first in field goals made (226), 55th in assists (125) and 65th in three-point field goals made (68).
• Touko Tainamo ranks 37th in rebounds (238), 60th in free-throw attempts (148), 66th in free-throws made (111) and 58th in field goals made (165). Tainamo is also tied for 51st nationally in double-doubles with eight.
• Isaiah Carr ranks 22nd in the country in blocked shots (55).
• Denver entered the week 12th in the country in free-throw attempts per game (24.4) and 7th in free-throw makes per game (18.3) and 59th in three-point field goal percentage (36.3).
• As a team, the Pioneers are also 11th in scoring offense (84.4) and 36th in turnovers per game (10.0).

DENVER'S OFFENSIVE PACE:

• Denver's 84.4 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 16 different contests this season, up from eight last season and seven the year before.
• 2023-24 is the first season with 16+ since the Pioneers had 16 80+ point games in the 1996-97 season.
• Denver has finished with 90+ points 10 times this season, tied for the fourth most games in the country in 2023-24 (as of 2/11).

RECORD WATCH:
CAREER RECORDS: POINTS: Bruner T-11th (1216), 35 behind Ade Murkey for 10th. Tainamo 15th (1049), 23 behind Jase Townsend for 14th. FREE THROWS: Bruner is T-2nd with 334, 45 behind Nate Rohnert for the record. REBOUNDS: Tainamo is 4th (606), 20 behind Wahhab Carter for 3rd.

SINGLE SEASON: POINTS: Tommy Bruner passed Yemi Nicholson (2005-06) for the modern DI record in a season on Feb. 8 at South Dakota. On Feb. 16 vs. North Dakota, Bruner passed Matt Teahan (1978-79) for the all-time record. Bruner sits at 708. FIELD GOALS: Bruner is 3rd (226), 9 behind Nicholson's 2004-05 season for 2nd and 12 behind Nicholson's 05-06 season for the record. FREE THROWS: Bruner broke Nate Rohnert's record on Feb. 1 and currently sits at 188 (Rohnert - 09-10, 157). Bruner is 12 FTMs behind Vince Boryla (1948-49) for the all-time record. REBOUNDS: Tainamo has 238 boards for 5th-most, 6 behind Steve Simmons (2000-01) for 4th. ASSISTS: Bruner has 125 dimes for 7th, 6 behind Jake Pemberton (2016-17) for 6th. BLOCKS: Isaiah Carr became the fourth different Pio to record 50 blocks in a season, currently sitting at 55, good for seventh-highest in a season, 11 blocks behind Eric Dow (1998-99) for 6th.

UP NEXT:
Denver returns home next Thursday to host Kansas City on Senior Night. Opening tip is set for 7 p.m. MT inside Hamilton Gymnasium.  

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

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