DENVER – The University of Denver men's basketball program will play the middle game of its three-game road swing on Thursday when the Pioneers head to Brookings to take on South Dakota State. Opening tip is set for 7 p.m. CT/6 p.m. MT, and will be streamed live on the Summit League Network.
 
SERIES HISTORY:
South Dakota State holds a 25-8 advantage in the series that dates back to the 1969-70 season, and is 24-7 in Denver's modern DI era (since 1998-99). Denver has one win in 14 attempts in Brookings since rejoining Division I, with the lone win coming in 2009 by a count of 83-80. The two teams split last season's meetings, with SDSU winning by 21 in Brookings and the Pioneers taking a 16-point win in the regular season finale in Hamilton. DI SERIES HISTORY
 
LAST TIME OUT:
Denver had five players finish in double figures for the second time in three games, but the Pioneers fell just four points short in a trip to preseason favorites St. Thomas on Sunday afternoon in St. Paul. FULL HISTORY
 
NELSON NETS 13 FREE-THROWS IN TIGHT LOSS AT ST. THOMAS

• Zane Nelson led Denver with 24 points that included a 13-of-15 day from the free-throw line in a tight loss at preseason favorites St. Thomas on January 4.
• Nelson's 13 made free-throws tied for the eighth most in a single game in the program's DI era.
• Nelson's 13 free-throws were the second most by a DI Pioneer in a true road game behind only Touko Tainamo's 14 made trips to the line at UC San Diego on November 6, 2023.

 
HOT-SHOOTING PIOS

• Denver is currently ranked 52nd in the country and second in the Summit League in effective field-goal percentage, entering the game at 56.2%.
• The Pioneers are also 23rd in the country and first in the league in free-throw percentage (77.5) and 22nd in the country and first in the Summit League in three-point percentage (38.4).
• Denver leads the league and is 63rd in the country in scoring offense at 84.5 points per game.

 
DENVER'S NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

• According to KenPom ratings, Denver played the 13th most difficult non-conference schedule in the country in the month of November.
• Denver's strength of schedule was 32nd in the country at the end of non-conference play (KenPom).  

 
DENVER FINISHES AS LONE UNBEATEN IN-STATE

• On December 20th, Denver defeated Northern Colorado 86-79, improving to 2-0 vs. Colorado (won at CSU) teams this season.
• Denver is the only DI Colorado team to go unbeaten against in-state foes this season.
• Denver's win over UNC was its first since 2016, its first in Greeley since 2015 and marks the first season Denver defeated Colorado State and Northern Colorado in the same season since 2003-04.

 
BURKE AND JOHNSON EARN MID-SEASON AWARDS

• Sophomore guard Carson Johnson and graduate student forward Jeremiah Burke were named to the All-Summit League First Team by Reach the Summit Podcast in their mid-season awards.
• HoopsHD also named Burke to its mid-season All-Summit League First Team.
• Johnson leads the Pioneers averaging 18.0 points per game entering the calendar year 2026 to go with 1.8 rebounds. The Denver guard has scored 20+ points in six of the last eight games, including 23 in Wednesday's Summit League opening win over Kansas City.
• Burke is second on the team with 15.6 points per game, while also pulling down 5.8 rebounds per contest. One of three Pioneers to start all 16 games, Burke has 15+ points in seven of the last nine games. In the December 31 win over Kansas City, Burke recorded his first career double-double, pulling down 11 boards to go with his 16 points.

 
DENVER CRACKS NET TOP-200

• Following Denver's win over Eastern Washington on December 3, Denver cracked the top-200 in the NET, sitting at 199.
• Denver is currently 225 in the NET (thru 1/4).
• The last time Denver finished a season in the top-200 was in 2013-14 when the Pioneers finished 136th (then RPI) in their first season in the Summit League.
• Denver's best ever finish in the NET/RPI came in the 2012-13 campaign, when Denver finished 69th after winning the Western Athletic Conference Regular season title and advancing to the second round of the NIT.
• The Pioneers have finished in the top-200 nine times since rejoining the Division I ranks in 1998-99, including the top-100 three times (2012-13, 2011-12, 2004-05).
• DU ranks fourth in the NET among Summit League teams this year, behind St. Thomas (120), NDSU (149) and SDSU (174).

UP NEXT:
Denver will close out the three-game road swing with a short drive to Vermillion to take on South Dakota. Opening tip is set for 1 p.m. CT/12 p.m. MT, and the game will be streamed on the Summit League Network.
 
TICKETS:
Tickets for the 2025-26 season are on sale now, and can be purchased 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