The Denver Pioneers entered their Wednesday night contest against the Northern Colorado Bears as heavy favorites, but Denver trailed by five at halftime thanks to some hot shooting from the opposition. The Pioneers wouldn't be denied, though: a big second half resulted in a 71-65 road victory for Denver.
The Pioneers rode balanced scoring throughout the game, with four players reaching double-figures. Guard Brian Stafford finished with a team-high 16 points and added two steals to lead the win. Freshman forward Royce O'Neale came off the bench to provide 14 crucial points and five assists and four rebounds in the win. Guard Brett Olsen (11 points) and sophomore forward Chris Udofia (10 points) helped pace Denver.
Guard Tate Unruh hit five three-pointers in a 19-point effort for Northern Colorado to lead all scorers. Paul Garnica finished with 18 points and six assists in the loss for the Bears.
Denver improves to 7-2 with the win. Northern Colorado falls to 3-6.