DENVER – The University of Denver men's basketball team led by as many as nine in the early stages of the second half, but South Dakota's press turned the Pios over and Denver went cold from beyond the arc as the Coyotes earned an 86-79 road win on Thursday night inside Hamilton Gymnasium.
The Pioneers (8-17, 2-8) had four players score in double figures, led by DeAndre Craig, who had 19 points and six rebounds. Pedro Lopez-Sanvicente added 12 points, six rebounds and two steals from the bench and Isaiah Addo-Ankrah and Sebastian Akins chipped in as well with 10 points from the bench.
Denver out-rebounded South Dakota 42-36 in Thursday's game, led by Lopez Sanvicente's six boards. The Pioneers also collected 14 offensive rebounds and scored 10 second chance points.
DU did a great job disrupting South Dakota shots in the contest, coming away with six blocks. Abdulai Fanta Kabba's three rejections led the way individually for the Pioneers.
NOTES:
- Denver had four players finish in double figures and six players finish with at least six points.
- The Pioneers bench outscored South Dakota 42-18.
- Sebastian Akins finished with 10 points and 3 assists.
- Akins finished in double figures for the 16th time this season.
- Pedro Lopez-Sanvicente finished with 12 points, 6 rebounds and 2 steals.
- Lopez-Sanvicente finished in double figures for the third-straight game, the seventh time this season and the 12th time in his career.
- DeAndre Craig finished with 19 points and 6 rebounds.
- Craig finished in double figures for the fourth-straight game, the 16th time this season and the 27th time in his career.
- Isaiah Addo-Ankrah finished with 10 points and 5 rebounds.
- Addo-Ankrah finished in double figures for the ninth time this season and the 25th time in his five-year collegiate career.
- Abdulai Fanta Kabba finished with 6 points, 3 rebounds and 3 blocks.
- Kabba's block total is a new season high.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
The first half opened as a track meet with 66 combined field goal attempts on 80 possessions. South Dakota's best run of the half started before the first media timeout when the Coyotes got on an 8-0 spurt to take its biggest lead at six with 16:37 to play. The Pioneers were able to stem the run and then got on a 10-0 run of their own late in the half, and eventually extended its first-half lead to eight with 1:10 to play. USD cut that lead to three by the intermission. DeAndre Craig led the Pios with 7 and Abdulai Fanta Kabba was one of three Pios with 6 points in the first half, and the big man added three blocks and a pair of rebounds.
Denver quickly pushed its lead to nine in the first three minutes of the second half, but USD's press turned Denver over and the Pios went cold from the field in the second half to give the Coyotes the road win. Denver took care of business in the paint, recording 24 of its 37 points in the lane, but the Pioneers 0-12 stretch from behind the arc didn't allow Denver to complete the comeback.
UP NEXT:
Denver will wrap-up its weekend homestand on Saturday afternoon in the second game of a men's and women's doubleheader when the Pios welcome St. Thomas to Hamilton Gymnasium. Opening tip on the Summit League Network and 104.3 The Fan HD3 is set for 2 p.m. MT.
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