DENVER – The University of Denver men's basketball program returns to the Mile High City for a pair of games this weekend, beginning with a match-up with South Dakota on Thursday at 7 p.m. MT. Thursday's game will be broadcast on the Summit League Network and 104.3 the Fan HD3.  

LAST TIME OUT:
A back and forth game throughout, Omaha pulled away in the final four minutes to earn a 78-69 win over the Pioneers and stay atop the Summit League Men's Basketball Standings. FULL RECAP 

SERIES HISTORY:
South Dakota holds a 16-9 edge in the Division I series, having won each of the last two match-ups and 11 of the last 14. The Pioneers won three in a row in recent years, sweeping the 2022-23 season series and taking the first meeting a dramatic double overtime game a year ago (111-110). USD leads the overall series 18-10.  SERIES HISTORY 

DEFENDING THE HOME FLOOR

• Since turning Division I in 1998-99, the Pioneers are 48-36 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 6-4 at home to start the 2024-25 season.
• In the fourth season under head coach Jeff Wulbrun, the Pioneers are 31-20 on their home floor.

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.

LEGAL THEFT

• Denver recorded 13 steals in a win over Western Colorado on Nov. 8, the program's most since February 26, 2020 at Fort Wayne.
• Sebastian Akins and Nicholas Shogbonyo had 3 apiece to lead a group of five Pios with multiple steals.
• Josh Lee had five steals in the Pios loss to Utah Tech on Nov. 26, the first Pio with 5+ steals since Justin Mullins (6) in Feb., 2023.
• Denver had 14 steals in an OT loss to Cal Poly on December 17, its first game against a DI opponent with double digit steals this season.
• Lee, who had his third 4+ steal game at South Dakota, is second in the SL in steals with 32 this season.

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 116th in the country in field goal percentage, shooting 49.3% 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.

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.
• Leads DU in scoring at 13.8 points per game, while pulling in 4.7 boards (2nd among active players) and just under 2 assists per game.
• Shogbonyo has had 15+ points in 14 games.
• Shogbonyo is 72nd in the country and fourth in the Summit League in free-throw makes with 96.
• Shogbonyo recorded his first career double-double (13-12rbs) at South Dakota on January 4.  

TAKING CARE OF THE BASKETBALL

• The Pioneers finished 35th in the country in turnovers per game, averaging just 10.0 turnovers per contest.
• Denver's 1 total turnover on November 17, 2023 against South Alabama was the lowest in DU's DI history.
• The Pioneers finished with single-digit turnovers in 17 games last season, including committing just seven in the 2024 Summit League Final.
• In a 50 minute game on December 1 at Portland, Denver turned it over just six times, its first single digit turnover game this season.
• Denver has turned it over 10 or less times in 10 of the last 16 games.

AKINS DEBUT SEASON

• Akins enters the game with 285 points, the 11th most by a Pioneer in their true freshman season in DU's DI history.
• Akins has 15+ points in seven games this season, including three 20+ point games.
• Akins had the game-winning assist to Abdulai Fanta Kabba in Denver's 70-68 win at ORU on January 23.

UP NEXT:
The Pioneers close out the weekend homestand against league-leaders St. Thomas on Saturday at 2 p.m. MT. The game will be streamed on the Summit League Network and 104.3 the Fan HD3.

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

DENVER'S HOME FOR COLLEGE SPORTS

Visit DenverPioneers.com for complete coverage of all 18 of DU's NCAA Division I sports. 
Like Denver Men's Basketball and Denver Pioneers on Facebook 
Follow @du_menshoops and @DU_Pioneers on Twitter 
Follow @du_mhoops and @DenverPioneers on Instagram