Game #7: Denver (5-1) vs. Colorado State (4-3)

Saturday, December 5, 2009 • 7 p.m. MT

Moby Arena (8,745) • Fort Collins, Colo.

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

About Denver: The Pioneers enter Saturday’s game as the winners of five straight, including a 62-55 win over Lamar on Dec. 2. Denver returns nine players, including all five starters, and 98 percent of its scoring and rebounding from last year. DU was picked second in the Sun Belt West Division in the annual coaches’ preseason poll, and senior captain and guard Nate Rohnert was named to the Preseason All-SBC First Team.  

About Colorado State: The Rams are 4-3 this season, beating Mayville State and San Francisco in their two home games and winning a pair of neutral site games to open the season. CSU fell 70-63 at Northern Colorado in its last outing on Tuesday. The Rams return three starters and 10 letterwinners from last year’s team, and were picked eighth in the Mountain West Conference. Freshman Dorian Green leads CSU in scoring at 14.4 points per game, while Andy Ogide (12.9 ppg), Andre McFarland (10.7 ppg) and Travis Franklin (10.1 ppg) all are averaging double figures, as well. The Rams are first in the MWC in three-point defense (25.8 percent), and rank second in three-point field goals (37.9 percent) and field goal defense (37.1 percent).

The Match-up: Colorado State holds a 90-66 advantage in Denver’s longest running rivalry, dating back to DU’s first season in 1904. The Pioneers beat the Rams 66-55 at Magness Arena last season, snapping a three-game losing streak to CSU, but Denver is 24-55 all-time in Fort Collins and has not won there since Jan. 6, 1979.

Road Less Traveled: The Pioneers have won three-straight road games, dating back to last season. Denver beat South Dakota State 83-80 in Brookings, S.D., on Nov. 28.

Welcome Back: Junior forward Rob Lewis, last year’s team leader in rebounding, returned to the lineup for the first time this season against South Dakota State on Nov. 28 after being sidelined with a stress reaction in his right leg. Lewis has played just 24 minutes in the two games since his return, but he has a combined 17 points, five rebounds and three assists.

O Captain! My Captain!: Senior captain Nate Rohnert earned Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week honors after scoring a career-high 32 points against Wyoming on Nov. 25 and 13 points at South Dakota State on Nov. 28, both DU victories. Rohnert’s 32 points against the Cowboys were 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). Rohnert has 35 assists, while committing just nine turnovers this season, giving him a 3.9 assist-to-turnover ratio, the best in the SBC. Through the Dec. 1 SBC Release, Preseason All- Sun Belt Conference First Team honoree also ranked among the SBC’s top 15 in points (first, 19.2 ppg), assists (second , 6.0 apg), minutes played (second, 34.6 mpg), three-point field goal percentage (third, .600), defensive rebounds (third, 5.6 rpg), rebounds (11th, 6.4 rpg) and field goal percentage (15th, .500).

Milestone Watch: Nate Rohnert is one assist from tying Derrick Fuller for seventh on DU’s all-time career list with 270 and sits 32 assists shy of sixth place. The senior captain has career totals of 959 points, 397 rebounds, 269 assists and 95 steals in 94 games at Denver.

Happy Beginnings: The Pioneers started the season 5-1, their best start since going 5-1 in 2005-06. DU’s four victories in November were the most Denver had ever won in November during the 106-year history of the program.

Hot Shots: Denver shot a blistering 67.3 percent (33-of-49) from the field at South Dakota State on Nov. 28, the fourth highest single game total in DU history and the highest since making 76.2 percent on Feb. 12, 1988.

Shooting Stars: The NCAA released its first national ranking summary on Nov. 30, and Denver ranked fifth in the nation in three-point shooting at 47.7 percent and seventh in field goal percentage (52.2), which both also are tops in the Sun Belt. Five Pioneers rank among the SBC’s top 11 in three-point field goal percentage: Chase Hallam (75.0), Nate Rohnert (60.0), Andrew Hooper (50.0), Kyle Lewis (50.0) and Brian Stafford (48.1). Hallam also ranked third in the SBC, shooting 66.7 percent from the field.