SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The seventh-seeded University of Denver men's basketball team got a game-winning three-pointer from Isaiah Addo-Ankrah in the final five seconds, and a game-winning block at the rim on the other end from Pedro Lopez-Sanvicente to complete another double-digit comeback (12) and send the Pioneers past second-seeded Kansas City 61-60 on Saturday night in the second quarterfinal at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center.
The Pioneers (16-16) had three players score in double figures, led by Tommy Bruner, who had 16 points and four assists. Jaxon Brenchley added 15 points and DeAndre Craig helped out with 13 points and seven rebounds.
Denver's offense made hay from deep, pouring in eight threes on 29 attempts. Brenchley hit three treys for the Pioneers in the contest.
NOTES:
- The Pioneers improved to 4-8 in Summit League Tournament play, including 4-4 in the quarterfinal round.
- Denver's win was its second as an underdog, also winning the 6-3 game over Omaha in the 2016 Summit League Quarterfinals.
- Denver came from 12 points down in the second half. KC held its largest lead at 33-21 with 18:43 to play in regulation.
- The Pioneers snapped a three-game losing streak in the series against Kansas City, but earned the win tonight in the first postseason game between the two teams.
- Isaiah Addo-Ankrah's three-pointer with 5.6 seconds to go was his third game-winning three this season.
- Addo-Ankrah also hit the game-winning three with 0.6 seconds left in double overtime in its win over South Dakota on January 25.
- Addo-Ankrah hit the game-winning three with six seconds left to play in Denver's win over Idaho on November 29, 2023.
Tommy Bruner finished with 16 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists.
- Bruner finished in double figures for the 31st time this season and the 103rd time in his career.
- Bruner had all 16 of his points in the second half.
- Bruner moved into fifth in Summit League history in single-season points, he now has 776.
- Bruner also moved into eighth in Summit League history in single-season free-throws made with 204.
Jaxon Brenchley finished with 15 points and 3 rebounds.
- Brenchley finished in double figures for the 18th time this season and the 22nd time in his career.
DeAndre Craig finished with 13 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists.
- Craig finished in double figures for the second-straight game and the ninth time in his rookie season.
How It Happened
Denver struggled out of the gate, falling behind 33-21 heading into halftime. Kansas City's defense held the Pioneers to 27.6% on 8-of-29 shooting in the first half to carry the 12-point lead into the break.
The Pioneers came out of halftime clicking on all cylinders, going on an 11-0 run to shrink the deficit to 33-32 with 14:40 to go in the contest. Brenchley gave DU the lead off a corner-3 to get into double figures with 12:16 to play and got to the rim for another layup with 6:45 to go to move the game into the 50s at 50-48.
KC got the lead back to as many as three in the final minute before a pair of Craig free-throws trimmed it to one and Addo-Ankrah's late-game triple capped the scoring.
Lopez-Sanvicente's block came as time expired when he turned away Khristion Courseault's late bid to steal the game back from the Pios.
This article was created using technology provided by Data Skrive.
UP NEXT:
Denver will have Sunday off before taking on the winner of third-seeded North Dakota and sixth-seeded Omaha in the second semifinal on Monday night at 8:30 p.m. CT/7:30 p.m. MT. The game will be broadcast live on Midco Sports Network, Summit League Network and 104.3 The Fan HD3.
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