Pioneers Prevail Over Privateers, 75-66

Nate Rohnert scored 27 points and dished out seven assists in DU’s victory

DENVER – University of Denver men’s basketball senior guard Nate Rohnert (Parker, Colo.) scored 27 points and dished out seven assists to lead the Pioneers to a 75-66 victory over the University of New Orleans Privateers on Thursday night at Magness Arena.

Rohnert was 8-of-10 from the field and 2-for-2 from three-point range, and added three steals. Sophomore guard Brian Stafford (Walnut Creek, Calif.) scored 15 points, while junior forward Rob Lewis (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and sophomore guard Sabatino Chen (Louisville, Colo.) added 11 points each.

“Nate Rohnert played really well tonight. He played like a senior, and Rob Lewis for the first time looked like he was back to playing the way we need him to with some energy,” head coach Joe Scott said. “We stopped them when we needed to. I thought our defense was good.”

Denver (11-5, 4-1 SBC) shot 60.5 percent off 23-for-38 from the field, while holding New Orleans (6-10, 1-4 SBC) to 47.7 percent (21-of-44).

DU trailed by three with 8:23 remaining in the first half, when the Pioneers went on an 11-0 run and took a 29-21 lead into halftime.

The Privateers clawed back within four points with 14:01 left in the game before Rohnert scored a layup and sophomore guard Travis Hallam (Mesquite, Texas) hit a three-pointer, and Denver maintained the lead to the buzzer. 

UNO was led by Carl Blair and Charles Carmouche, who both scored 16 points.

The Pioneers host two-time defending SBC champion Western Kentucky Sunday, Jan. 10 at 1 p.m.