Pioneers Advance to SBC Quarterfinals

Nate Rohnert led DU past ULM while tying a career high with 28 points

DENVER – Junior forward Nate Rohnert (Parker, Colo.) tied his career high with 28 points to lead the University of Denver men’s basketball team to a 66-57 victory over Louisiana-Monroe in the First Round of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament at Magness Arena on Wednesday night.

No. 7 seeded Denver (15-15, 9-9 SBC) went 7-for-8 from the free throw line in the game’s final minute to pull away in a tight second half of play. Freshman Brian Stafford (Walnut Creek, Calif.) went a career-best 10-for-10 from the line in the game, including a 6-for-6 stretch in the last 55 seconds.

“All wins are big, but the way we finished down the stretch – we were 5-1 in our last six games –we got the home game, we finished the home game, and now we’re going to Hot Springs, Arkansas,” head coach Joe Scott said. “Our leader, Rohnert, really stepped up tonight. He was first team all-league, and he showed it tonight. He did it when it counted.”

The second half saw DU and ULM exchange buckets with neither team leading by more than four points until the Pioneers stretched a one-point lead to 11 in the final 1:14. Rohnert scored 18 of Denver’s 38 points in the second half.

With the win, DU advances to the SBC Tournament quarterfinal round in Hot Springs, Ark. DU takes on No. 2 seeded Arkansas-Little Rock at 6:30 p.m. on March 8.

Sophomore forward Rob Lewis (Colorado Springs, Colo.) joined Rohnert and Stafford in double figures, as Rob Lewis posted 13 points and Stafford put up 12.

Freshman Sabatino Chen (Louisville, Colo.) added career-highs with eight rebounds and four assists.

The Pioneers missed 10 of their first 11 shots of the game, but the Warhawks were unable to capitalize on the opportunity. ULM led 8-2 before DU jumped on a 14-2 run to take a six-point lead with 9:29 remaining in the opening half.

Denver extended its lead to 27-17 on a pair of back-to-back three-pointers by freshman Travis Hallam (Mesquite, Texas) and Rob Lewis in the final five minutes of the half.

The teams headed to the locker rooms with Denver leading 28-25. ULM posted six-straight points in the final minute of the half with a pair of free throws each from Nweke Afam and Dynile Forbes along with a Reggie Lassiter layup.

Rohnert and Forbes led their respective teams with 10 points each in the first half. Denver shot 9-for-26 (34.6 percent) from the field to ULM’s 9-for-24 (37.5 percent). The Pioneers hit 6-for-13 (46.2 percent) from three-point range.

The Warhawks continued their scoring run with five-straight points to open the second half to take a 30-28 lead, their first lead since the 7:32 mark of the first half.

Neither team led by more than four until the final minute of the second half.

The Pioneers held a 56-53 advantage with 2:45 remaining. ULM responded with a Forbes layup, but Rob Lewis made a layup, was fouled and made the free throw to go to give Denver the 59-55 lead with 1:15 to go.

Forbes, who led ULM with 16 points, missed two free throws with 1:07 on the clock, but it was Stafford’s free throw shooting that iced the victory for the Pioneers.

No. 10 seeded ULM’s season ends with a 10-20 overall mark.

Fans can follow the Pioneers in action at the Sun Belt Conference Tournament in Hot Springs, Ark., online at www.sunbeltsports.org.


SBC Tournament – Men’s Schedule of Events

Quarterfinals – Sunday, March 8, 2009 – Summit Arena

12:30 p.m. – Game 1 – No. 1 WKU vs. No. 9 FIU (SBC Extra/Sirius Channel 91)

3:00 p.m. – Game 2 – No. 4 North Texas vs. No. 5 Middle Tennessee (SBC Extra/Sirius Channel 91)

6:30 p.m. – Game 3 – No. 2 UALR vs. No. 7 Denver (SBC Extra/Sirius Channel 91)

9:00 p.m. – Game 4 – No. 3 Troy vs. No. 6 South Alabama (SBC Extra/Sirius Channel 91)



Semifinals – Monday, March 9, 2009 – Summit Arena

6:30 p.m. – Game 5 – Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner (ESPN+/SBC Extra/Sirius Channel 91)

9:00 p.m. – Game 6 – Game 3 Winner vs. Game 4 Winner (ESPN+/SBC Extra/Sirius Channel 91)


Finals – Tuesday, March 10, 2009 – Summit Arena

9:00 p.m. – Championship Game (ESPN2/Sirius Channel 91)

- www.DenverPioneers.com –