NEXT GAME
University of Denver (12-5, 5-1 SBC) vs. Louisiana-Lafayette (5-10, 2-2 SBC)
Thursday, January 14, 2010 • 6:05 p.m. MT
Cajundome (11,550) • Lafayette, Louisiana
TV: None • Radio: AM 950 • Web: www.DenverPioneers.com (Video & Audio)
About Denver: The Pioneers enter Sunday’s game as the winners of the past six-out-of-eight games. DU beat two-time defending SBC champion Western Kentucky 72-67 on Jan. 10, the second-straight time the Pioneers beat the Hilltoppers. 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 Louisiana-Lafayette: The Ragin’ Cajuns beat North Texas in their last game on Jan. 7, snapping a five-game losing streak. ULL returned all five starters and nine seniors from last year’s squad that went 10-20 overall and 7-11 in the SBC. The Cajuns were picked to finish third in the SBC West Division in the preseason coaches’ poll. ULL is led by Tyren Johnson, who is seventh in the SBC with 15.7 points per game and second with 7.9 rebounds per game. Preseason All-SBC second team member Chris Gradnigo is averaging 13.6 points, and Randell Daigle has contributed 11.7 points per game. ULL is second in the SBC with a +1.9 turnover margin.
The Match-up: The Ragin’ Cajuns hold a 16-6 advantage in the all-time series, including an 8-1 mark in Lafayette. The two teams have split a pair of games in each of the past two years with the home team winning each contest. However, Denver took ULL to a pair of overtimes at the Cajundome on Jan. 3, 2009, before falling 63-62.
Nice Shootin’: The Pioneers hit 66.7 percent (30-of-45) from the field against Western Kentucky on Jan. 10, tying for the sixth-highest single game total in Denver history. Of those six games, three were this season and the other three were during DU’s NAIA days in the 1980s, meaning Denver’s top three Division I performances have all come this year. The Pioneers hit 70.5 percent (31-of-44) against Louisiana-Monroe on Dec. 19, 2009, and 67.3 percent (33-of-49) at South Dakota State on Nov. 28, 2009.
O Captain! My Captain!: Nate Rohnert continues to climb up the Denver record books. Rohnert moved into 19th place on DU’s all-time scorer list with 1,129 points, just three points shy of Alonzo Weatherly (1,132 points) for 18th place and 27 points from John Johnson (1,156 points) for 17th place. The senior captain is sixth on Denver’s all-time career list with 313 assists. After going 14-for-17 from the charity stripe in his last three games, Rohnert is sixth on DU’s all-time list with 324 career free throw made and 451 free throw attempts. The Parker, Colo., native has career totals of 1,129 points, 441 rebounds and 106 steals in 105 games.
Player of the Week: Rohnert was named Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week on Jan. 11 after combining for 50 points and 13 assists, while going 17-for-23 from the field, in Denver’s wins over New Orleans and Western Kentucky last week. Rohnert became just the second player this season to earn the honor twice (also WKU’s A.J. Slaughter). Rohnert was also named the national Mid-Majority Baller of the Week by midmajority.com.
National Rankings: The Pioneers shot over 60 percent from the field in both games last week, including 66.7 percent against WKU. Denver is second in the nation with a 52.7 field goal percentage, trailing only No. 5 Syracuse (53.6 percent). Denver is also 23rd in three-point percentage (40.1 percent). Nate Rohnert also ranks fifth in the nation with 102 free throws made.
Percentage Game: After going 7-for-10 against WKU, junior forward Rob Lewis increased his Sun Belt lead in field goal percentage to 64.6 percent, despite missing the season’s first four games with an injury. Lewis has a career field goal percentage of 55.2 percent, which ranks seventh in DU history. Freshman guard Chase Hallam is second in the SBC at 58.9 percent, and Nate Rohnert is eighth (54.9 percent).
Tournament Teams: In the past two seasons, Denver has gone 5-1 against teams that were defending an NCAA Tournament berth. On Jan. 10, the Pioneers defeated SBC favorite Western Kentucky for the second-straight season, giving DU a 2-1 mark against 2009 Tournament teams.
Rocky Mountain Way: Eight of Denver’s 15 players hail from Colorado: Sabatino Chen (Louisville), Tom Chott (Littleton), Justin Coughlin (Yuma), Andrew Hooper (Lakewood), Kyle Lewis (Denver), Rob Lewis (Colorado Springs), Trevor Noonan (Broomfield) and Nate Rohnert (Parker).
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