Game #5: University of Denver Men's Basketball Team vs  (3-1) vs. South Dakota State (2-3)

Saturday, November 28, 2009 • 6 p.m. MT

Frost Arena (6,500) • Brookings, S.D.

           TV: None • Radio: AM 950 • Web: www.DenverPioneers.com (Video & Audio)

About Denver: The Pioneers enter Saturday’s game on a three-game winning streak, including an 80-77 victory over Wyoming on Nov. 25. Denver returns nine players, including all five starters, and 98 percent of their scoring and rebounding from last season. DU was picked second in the Sun Belt Conference West Division in the annual coaches’ preseason poll, and senior captain and guard Nate Rohnert was named to the Preseason All-SBC First Team. Junior forward Rob Lewis, last year’s team leader in rebounding, is week-to-week with a stress reaction in his right leg. Lewis’ status is day-to-day and is doubtful against South Dakota State. 

About South Dakota State: The Jackrabbits opened the season with a pair of convincing wins at Wyoming and against Mayville State. However, South Dakota State followed it by dropping three-straight to Purdue, Boston College and East Carolina at the Paradise Jam in St. Thomas, USVI. The Jackrabbits were picked fourth in the Summit League preseason poll, while Garrett Callahan was picked preseason All-Summit first team, and Anthony Cordova earned a second team nod. Callahan leads the team with 13.2 points per game, while Clint Sargent (11.2) and Cordova (10.6) also are averaging double digits in scoring. SDSU returns all five starters from a team that went 13-20 and finished seventh in the Summit League last year.

The Match-up: The Jackrabbits hold a slight 4-3 edge in the all-time series and have won all three meetings at Frost Arena. Three of the past four matchups have been won by four points or less.

Road Less Traveled: The game at South Dakota State marks the first road game in 2009-10 for DU. The Pioneers will board flights for only two of their four road trips during the nonconference season, including the trip to Brookings, S.D. The Pioneers won the final two road games of last season.

Rah, Rah Rohnert: Senior captain Nate Rohnert scored a career-high 32 points in DU’s win over Wyoming on Nov. 25, the most by a Denver player since Yemi Nicholson scored 33 against Northern Colorado on Jan. 11, 2006. Rohnert hit 18 free throws, a Magness Arena record and one shy of John Johnson’s all-time mark (19 vs. Utah State, Feb. 23, 1974) at Denver. The last Pioneer with 18 free throws made was Mark Langkamp (18 at Regis, Jan. 1, 1984). The 6-foot-5 Rohnert also added six assists against the Cowboys, increasing his career total to 260, leaving Rohnert 10 away from moving to seventh on DU’s all-time list. Rohnert has 26 assists, while committing just five turnovers this season, giving him a 5.2 assist-to-turnover ratio. Rohnert leads the Pioneers with 20.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game this season. The Parker, Colo., native recorded his second career double-double against Northern Iowa on Nov. 13 with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Rohnert earned Preseason All- Sun Belt Conference First Team honors after earning All-SBC First Team and All-District 24 Second Team last season. The senior captain finished 2008-09 ranked among the SBC’s top 10 in scoring (eighth, 15.3 ppg), field goal percentage (10th, .493), assists (third , 4.71 apg), steals (sixth, 1.29 spg) and minutes played (first, 37.00 mpg).

Three-Point D: Denver has prevented its last two opponents, Montana and Wyoming, from making a three-pointer. The Grizzlies and Cowboys went a combined 0-for-11 from beyond the arc. The Pioneers have not given up a three-pointer since Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s Stephan Collins hit one with 12:01 remaining in the game. DU has not given up a three in the last 92:01.

Cut to the Chase: Freshman guard Chase Hallam has made 13 of his first 19 collegiate shots (78.9 percent), including 3-of-5 from three-point range. Hallam has averaged 8.3 points through his first four games with the Pioneers, and he is second on the team with 3.5 rebounds per game.

Foul Mood: Denver and Wyoming combined for 65 fouls on Nov. 25. The Cowboys set the Magness Arena record for both free throws made (41) and attempted (51), while Denver went 35-for-43 (81.4 percent) from the line.

Fresh Faces: Freshmen Blake Foeman, Chase Hallam and Kyle Chynoweth join the Pioneers this season. Foeman is a 6-foot-7 forward from Cypress Bay High School in Weston, Fla. Hallam is a 6-foot-5 guard from Mesquite High School in Mesquite, Texas, and the brother of current DU sophomore Travis Hallam. Chynoweth, a 6-foot-7 forward from Parkland, Fla., walked on the team. Also joining the roster this season is sophomore Alex Pickert, who served as a team manager last season.