DENVER – The University of Denver men's basketball program will close out the 2024-25 regular season on Saturday when the Pioneers welcome South Dakota State to Hamilton Gymnasium. Opening tip on the Summit League Network and 104.3 The Fan HD3 is set for 1 p.m. MT. Denver will honor seniors Pedro Lopez-Sanvicente, Ben Bowen and Isaiah Addo-Ankrah before the game on Saturday.  

LAST TIME OUT:
Kansas City used a run in the middle of the first half to pull away before the Pioneers cut it to as little as four in an eight-point win for the host Roos on Thursday night. FULL RECAP 

SERIES HISTORY:
South Dakota State is 24-6 in the Division I series, and leads the all-time series by a count of 25-7. Denver is 5-8 in the DI era in the Mile High City against the Jackrabbits. SDSU has won 15 of the last 16 match-ups with the Pioneers lone win in that stretch coming in the regular season last year in Hamilton Gymnasium. DI SERIES HISTORY 

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.

DEFENDING THE HOME FLOOR

• Since turning Division I in 1998-99, the Pioneers are 49-38 in Hamilton Gymnasium.
• Denver has played in Hamilton full-time since the 2020-21 campaign.
• 2023-24 marked the first double-digit win season in Hamilton (10-4).
• Denver is 7-6 at home in 2024-25 season.

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 15 games.
• Shogbonyo is 64th in the country and fourth in the Summit League in free-throw makes with 124.
• Shogbonyo's 124 free-throw makes this season is good for 7th in Denver's single-season record book.
• Shogbonyo recorded his first career double-double (13-12rbs) at South Dakota on January 4.  

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 3rd to do it against a DI opponent and the 2nd to do it against a Power5/4 opponent.
• Akins enters the game with 379 points, the most by a Pioneer in their true freshman season in DU's DI history.
• Akins is 21st in the country this season in freshman scoring.
• Akins has 15+ points in 11 games this season, including four 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.

ADDO-ANKRAH DIALING LONG DISTANCE

• Three-point sharp-shooter Isaiah Addo-Ankrah leads the Pioneers with 52 made triples on 127 attempts, good for 40.9% from beyond the arc.

HONORING MR. DANIEL L. RITCHIE

• Denver men's basketball players will wear special 'DR' patches on their jerseys for the remainder of the 2024-25 season to honor Chancellor Emeritus Daniel L. Ritchie, who passed away on Thursday, Jan. 30 at the age of 93.
• Ritchie was an immense supporter of DU Athletics during his time as the school's "Cowboy Chancellor" beginning in 1989, and his support for all 18 D-I programs continued after he left the position in 2005. Among his accomplishments as Chancellor was leading the University to new success academically and moving the school to full Division-I status in 1998-99—the same year the Daniel L. Ritchie Center of Sports and Wellness opened on campus where Denver plays its home games inside Hamilton Gymnasium.
• The University hosted a memorial for Mr. Ritchie on February 13 in Magness Arena to celebrate his remarkable life and legacy. Learn more about Daniel L. Ritchie at DenverPioneers.com and DU.edu.

UP NEXT:
Denver will await its Summit League Tournament schedule that will be confirmed following Saturday's action.

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

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