DENVER – The University of Denver men's basketball program will wrap-up a two-game road trip through the state of North Dakota on Saturday afternoon when the Pioneers head to the Scheels Center in Fargo to take on North Dakota State. Opening tip is set for 1 p.m. CT/12 p.m. MT, and the game will be broadcast on the Summit League Network and 104.3 The Fan HD3.  

LAST TIME OUT:
Denver's defense held North Dakota to just 19 points in the first half en-route to a 68-64 win over the Fighting Hawks in Grand Forks on Thursday. FULL RECAP

SERIES HISTORY:
NDSU holds a 22-9 advantage in the all-time series and a 21-9 edge in the DI series. The Bison are 11-2 against the Pioneers in Fargo and have won eight of the last 10 overall. Denver did sweep the season series a year ago, and won the last meeting in Fargo by a count of 78-70. DI SERIES HISTORY

SPREADING THE SCORING

• Denver had six players score in double figures and no one score more than 15 in Denver's 97-80 win over Western Colorado on Nov. 8.
• DeAndre Craig led the Pios with 15, Pedro Lopez-Sanvicente scored 13, Sebastian Akins added 12 and Nicholas Shogbonyo, Isaiah Carr and Josh Lee all finished with 10.
• It was the first time Denver had 6 players in double figures since December 15, 2012 against Omaha.
• 12 years ago - Royce O'Neale had 17, Chase Hallam had 12, Chris Udofia scored 11, Brett Olson and Nate Engesser chipped in 11 and Cam Griffin scored 10.
• Isaiah Addo-Ankrah and Nicholas Shogbonyo combined for 40 of Denver's 68 points in its Big Sky/Summit League Challenge win at Portland State on December 7.
• The Pioneers had six players with at least seven points in that 21-point win over Sacramento State in the first game of the challenge on December 4.
• DU also had six players with at least seven points in a 94-87 win over UCCS on December 10.
• Last time out, Denver had six players finish with at least eight points in a 68-64 win over North Dakota on February 13 in Grand Forks.

FIRST HALF DEFENSE AT NORTH DAKOTA

• Denver had eight steals, two blocks, 11 points off turnovers and allowed just 19 points in the opening 20 minutes of a 68-64 win at North Dakota on February 13.
• Denver's 19 points allowed in the first half is the program's lowest since limiting Omaha to 18 in the first half of a 72-61 win on February 25, 2023.
• The Pioneers last allowed 19 or less points in a half on the road on November 24, 2021 at Air Force (2nd half – L, 66-65).
• DU allowed 19 points or less in the first half of a road game for the first time since February 24, 2018 at Western Illinois (W, 89-52).
• Denver improved to 5-10 vs. North Dakota, snapping a five-game losing streak to the Fighting Hawks. The Pioneers also picked up their second win in Grand Forks in six attempts, the first since 2/3/22.

CRAIG NAMED TO PRESEASON SECOND TEAM

• Sophomore guard DeAndre Craig was named to the Preseason All-Summit League Second Team ahead of Media Day on October 8.
• Craig and South Dakota State sophomore guard Kalen Garry are the only two underclassmen across the two preseason teams.
• Craig played in all 34 games in his freshman campaign, averaging 6.6 points and 2.6 rebounds in 23.4 minutes per game, while adding 85 assists against just 40 turnovers to go with 35 steals.
• In Denver's three Summit League Tournament games last year, Craig finished with 13 points in the quarterfinal win, 15 and 5 assists in the semifinal victory and 12 and 7 helpers in the championship game against South Dakota State.
• Craig, along with teammate Isaiah Carr, represented the program at the 2024 Summit League Basketball Media Day in Sioux Falls.
• After missing three-straight games with an injury, Craig returned to the lineup on January 18 at St. Thomas.
• Craig ranks third in the Summit League and 130th in the country in field goal percentage, shooting 48.9% from the field.
• Craig had a four-point sequence that included an intentionally missed free-throw and a three-point play in Denver's dramatic win over Kansas City on January 30.

LAST BEATS FIRST

• Preseason No. 9 in the Summit League Preseason Poll Denver beat preseason favorites Kansas City 69-68 in Hamilton Gymnasium on January 30.
• Denver has defeated the preseason favorite two seasons in a row after beating SDSU 99-80 last January at home.
• Last season's win over the Jacks marked the first time in the Summit League regular season that last beat first since Western Illinois defeated preseason favorites Fort Wayne 93-91 on Dec. 29, 2016.
• The 2024 win was also Denver's first win vs. the Summit League preseason favorite since the Pios defeated Fort Wayne 76-73 in overtime on February 4, 2017.

AKINS DEBUT SEASON

• Freshman guard Sebastian Akins put up 15 points off the bench in the Pios season debut at Stanford on November 4.
• Akins is the fifth Pio to post 15+ points off the bench in a season opener since Denver rejoined Division I in 1998-99.
• Akins is the first since Jase Townsend scored 16 off the bench as a freshman in November, 2018.
• Akins is the fourth freshman to post 15+ off the bench in an opener.
• Akins is the 3rd to do it against a DI opponent and the 2nd to do it against a Power5/4 opponent.
• Akins enters the game with 330 points, the 5th most by a Pioneer in their true freshman season in DU's DI history.
• Akins has 15+ points in nine games this season, including three 20+ point games and a 19-point game vs. St. Thomas (2/8).
• Akins had the game-winning assist to Abdulai Fanta Kabba in Denver's 70-68 win at ORU on January 23.

SHOGBONYO LEADING THE PIOS IN YEAR 1

• Junior guard Nicholas Shogbonyo is in his first year of NCAA hoops after transfering from McLennan CC in the offseason.
• In 2023-24, Shogbonyo was the NTJCAC Co-Player of the Year and was an All-Region selection.
• Co-leads DU in scoring at 13.4 points per game, while pulling in 4.7 boards (1st among active players) and just under 2 assists per game.
• Shogbonyo has had 15+ points in 14 games.
• Shogbonyo is 74th in the country and fourth in the Summit League in free-throw makes with 107.
• Shogbonyo's 107 free-throw makes this season is good for 9th in Denver's single-season record book.
• Shogbonyo recorded his first career double-double (13-12rbs) at South Dakota on January 4.  

ADDO-ANKRAH DIALING LONG DISTANCE

• Three-point sharp-shooter Isaiah Addo-Ankrah leads the Pioneers with 48 made triples on 118 attempts, good for 40.7% from beyond the arc.

UP NEXT:
Denver returns home on Wednesday night when the Pioneers welcome Oral Roberts to Hamilton Gymnasium. Opening tip is set for 7 p.m. MT, and the game will be broadcast on Altitude TV, the Summit League Network and 104.3 The Fan HD3.

TICKETS:
Get tickets for the 2024-25 season by clicking here.

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