University of Denver
0-1,0-0WCC
Wisconsin
1-0,0-0Big Ten
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver | 30 | 38 | 68 |
| Wisconsin | 44 | 31 | 75 |
11/2/2026 7:44:00 PM | Men's Basketball
The Pioneers battled for 40 minutes against the P4 team that is receiving votes in the national polls
DENVER – The University of Denver men's basketball program got the deficit down to as little as four in the second half, but the comeback fell just short in a 75-68 loss at [RV] Wisconsin on Monday night at the Kohl Center.
Monday night's loss was Denver's closest against a Big Ten team in the program's modern DI era (since 1998-99). Denver lost to Maryland 62-52 in the second round of the 2013 NIT.
LEADERS:
Coming off his Summit League Player of the Year season a year ago, junior Carson Johnson's debut with the WCC logo on his chest didn't disappoint, leading all scorers with 27 on 9-of-17 shooting and a perfect 7-for-7 from the stripe.
Kam Martin and Jordan Rogers added nine points apiece. Nine different Pioneers scored.
Eian Elmer led Wisconsin with 18 points, one of three Badgers to finish in double figures.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
First Half:
Wisconsin opened the game shooting 6-for-12 in the first segment, but junior Carson Johnson kept Denver within striking distance at the under-16, scoring five of Denver's first seven as the Pioneers trailed 12-7 at the first media stoppage.
Kam Martin's introduction to the Crimson and Gold fans sax him put down four points in the second segment, evening things up at 14-14 with 12:51 to go in the opening stanza. Wisconsin scored the final four before the second stoppage to hold an 18-14 lead at the under-12.
Five-straight points from Jordan Rogers in his Pioneer debut, including Denver's second triple of the night, pulled Denver back to within two with just under nine minutes to go. Wisconsin held a 24-23 lead at the under-8.
Wisconsin went on a 5-0 run out of the penultimate media timeout of the first half to push its lead back to six with 6:29 to go in the half. Johnson put an end to the run when was fouled from beyond the arc for the second time in the game and was the first player on either team to reach double figures. Wisconsin went on another 6-0 spurt to force a Denver timeout and send the game to the under-4 with the score 37-28, Wisconsin.
The Badgers stretched the run to 12-2 out of the timeout to take their lead out to 13 with two minutes to play. Wisconsin continued to turn up the defensive pressure, holding Denver scoreless from the field in the final 5:30 to take a 44-30 lead into the locker room.
Johnson led all scorers with 14 first-half points to go with three steals. Martin had six points and four boards at the break.
Second Half:
A Shaun Wysocki throw down and a Johnson jumper got the deficit back to single digits in the opening two minutes of the second half. Another Wisconsin run in response got the Badgers lead back out to 17 with 17:00 to play. UW held a 13-point lead at the first media timeout of the second half.
Defense had the edge on both sides of the floor in the second segment of the second half, with Wisconsin maintaining a 55-42 edge at the under-12.
Out of the timeout, Harry Bates turned around and hooked in his first points as a Pioneer, Johnson buried a mid-range jumper and then Wysocki got a put back to cap an 8-0 Denver run and cut the deficit all the way down to seven with 10:23 to go in regulation.
Johnson made a couple big buckets to get the Wisconsin lead down to four with under nine minutes to play. A Braeden Carrington triple stopped the Denver run and got the Badgers lead back to seven at the under-8 media.
Denver continued to battle, but a three-minute scoreless drought saw Wisconsin stretch the lead back out to 65-54 with 5:34 to go before the horn. Carrington hit back-to-back triples to get the Badgers lead out to 71-58 at the under-4.
A pair of free-throws from Charlie Dimmock, a driving layup from Johnson and a jumper from Dimmock got the deficit down to seven with 2:14 to go. Wisconsin held on for the seven-point win down the stretch.
NOTES:
- Denver's single digit loss against a Power-4 opponent was its first since a 57-52 loss at Oregon State on December 21, 2022.
- The Pioneers last single digit loss to a current Power-4 program came at Kansas State on November 12, 2018 when the Pioneers lost 64-56 at Kansas State.
- Monday night's loss is Denver's closest against a Big Ten team in the program's modern DI era (since 1998-99). Denver lost to Maryland 62-52 in the second round of the 2013 NIT.
- Junior Carson Johnson finished with 27 points and 3 steals.
- Johnson finished in double figures for the 21st straight game, the 31st time as a Pioneer and the 51st time in his collegiate career.
- Johnson finished with 20+ points for his 19th time as a Pioneer and the 31st time his collegiate career.
- Johnson finished with 3+ steals for the second time as a Pioneer and the fourth time in his collegiate career.
- Kam Martin finished with 9 points, 6 rebounds and 3 steals.
- Martin's six rebounds were a career high.
- Martin had 3+ steals for the second time in his career.
UP NEXT:
Denver will return to the Mile High City for a couple days of practice before flying west for the first time in 2026-27 when the Pioneers prepare to take on UC Riverside on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. MT. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
TICKET INFORMATION:
Tickets for the 2026-27 campaign are on sale now, and can be purchased here.
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