Pioneers Knock Off New Orleans, 59-49

Rob Lewis scored 20 points, while Nate Rohnert had 10 points, nine assists and six rebounds


DENVER – Sophomore forward Rob Lewis (Colorado Springs, Colo.) had 30 points and six rebounds to lead the University of Denver men’s basketball team to a 59–49 victory over the New Orleans Privateers at Magness Arena on Saturday.

DU’s victory was the team’s first over the Privateers in the past eight games, dating back to Jan. 5, 2006.

Denver (11-14, 6-8 SBC) also received double digit scoring efforts from redshirt freshman forward Andrew Hooper (Lakewood, Colo.) with 11 points, and 10 points each from freshman guard Brian Stafford (Walnut Creek, Calif.) and junior guard Nate Rohnert (Parker, Colo.), who just missed a double-double with 10 points and nine assists in 35 minutes of play.

“We had to grind it out and be pretty gritty,” head coach Joe Scott said. “This time of year, for a young team to do that says a lot about how much our guys have grown up.”

The Pioneers finished the game shooting 20-for-53 (37.6 percent) from the field compared to 20-for-42 (47.2 percent) by the Privateers, who received 20 points from Kyndall Dykes. Denver also had 32 rebounds to 28 by UNO, marking just the second time DU out-rebounded an opponent this season.

After New Orleans (10-16, 5-10) took their only lead of the game with 15:40 remaining in the first half, Rob Lewis sparked a 10-point run while holding UNO scoreless for seven minutes.

Rob Lewis sank a three-pointer with less than a minute remaining in the first half to send Denver to the break with a 30-19 advantage.

In the second half, UNO cut Denver’s lead to five with a 9-2 run that was halted by a Rob Lewis dunk at 16:32.

New Orleans cut the DU lead to 51-47 with 3:25 remaining, but Stafford nailed a three, and Rob Lewis sealed the victory with a backdoor layup and three free throws in the final minute.

The Pioneers return to the Magness Arena court on Thursday at 7 p.m., Feb. 18, when Denver takes on Louisiana-Lafayette in another SBC match-up. The game will also be televised live on FSN Rocky Mountain, as DU women’s basketball head coach Erik Johnson will join Tom Helmer and Alanna Rizzo calling the action.