University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Wednesday, December 16
Greeley, CO
7:00 p.m.
University of Northern Colorado
3-7
77
vs
81
University of Denver
8-3
1
2
F
DENVER
35
46
81
Northern Colorado
43
34
77
Team Stats
DENVER
UNCO
FG%
.488
.460
3FG%
.444
.500
FT%
.805
.750
RB
31
33
TO
8
11
STL
4
3
Game Leaders
Pts
27
FGM
9
3FGM
4
FTM
5
Pts
18
FGM
5
3FGM
2
FTM
6
Pts
11
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
4
Pts
6
FGM
1
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballPhoto by: Dean Popejoy
Denver Steals One From @unco_mbb, 81-77
12/16/2015 11:22:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Despite a career-high 27 points from junior guard, Anthony Johnson the Bears fell at home for the fifth time this season.
GREELEY, Colo. – Northern Colorado (3-7) dropped a tough one on Wednesday night inside Bank of Colorado Arena. The Bears led by as many as 10 points in the first half, but a four minute scoring drought and an 11-0 run by Denver (8-3) in the second act proved costly as the Pioneers stole one in Greeley, 81-77.
Junior guard, Anthony Johnson paved the way for the team, scoring a career-high 27 points and added four rebounds in the loss. Johnson was electric on the night, shooting 75.0% (9-of-12) from the field and 66.7% (4-of-6) from three-point range.
In his second game as a Bear, redshirt junior guard, Dallas Anglin followed up a 19-point performance against Colorado State with 18 against the Pioneers. Anglin hit on 5-of-10 (50.0%) from the floor and pitched in six more points from the charity stripe.
Fellow junior guard, Jordan Wilson continued his streak of at least 10 points or more to 10 games, adding 10 points in the defeat.
"We lost that game in the first seven minutes of the second half," said head coach B.J. Hill. "They (Denver) played with a different pace on both offense and defense and we didn't react well to it. What young teams do is they have three really good halves and then they get complacent and that's what happened to us."
As a team, UNC shot 46.0% (23-of-50) on field goals and was an even 50.0% (7-of-14) from beyond the arc, with six of those three balls coming in the first half.
The Bears controlled the first 20 minutes of regulation, leading the entire first half of play in a large part to Johnson's 15 first half points and Anglin's 12.
Northern Colorado pushed its lead to as many as 10 (41-31) in the final minute of play thanks to an Anglin trey, but two free throws from the Pios with three seconds remaining made it a 43-35 game at the half.
"You can't put a team at the line 41 times and let them score 33 of their 81 points from the free throw line," Hill added. "That tells you as a coach that you are lagging plays and you're still not disciplined. When you lag plays and you're undisciplined against DU, they're going to take advantage of it and they did."
If the first half was Jekyll, then the second have proved to be Hyde for the young Bears team.
DU opened the last 20 minutes of the game with an 11-2 run and took its first lead of the contest at the 15:57 mark of the half (47-45) off a three pointer from Joe Rosga, which was one of five deep balls the Pioneers cashed in on during the second stanza.
Two makes at the free throw line from junior forward, Jamal Evans tied things back up just a minute later as both teams battled for ground.
Trading baskets was a common theme over the next six minutes of play, until a Johnson drive to the lane for two, extended the advantage for UNC to three (62-59) with 7:31 to go.
Then the drought hit as the Bears went close to four minutes without a bucket, allowing Denver to go on a decisive 11-0 run and regain the lead, 69-63.
Two free throws from freshman guard, Jordan Davis put a stop to the rally, making it a four point game (69-65) with less than four minutes remaining.
DU led by as many as six in the final minutes, but a salty UNC team refused to go away.
More free throws from Johnson and a huge three-point play from Wilson got Northern Colorado back to within two, 74-72, with 90 seconds left.
Fast forward to seven seconds remaining on the clock and UNC with the ball, trailing 77-76.
Johnson drove to the lane and kissed the ball off the glass for two, and what appeared to be a foul by DU and a chance for a three-point play for the guard was instead called a jump ball by the officials, giving the Pios the ball back with six ticks left.
Denver sealed the game at the free throw line, handing UNC its fifth loss at home, 81-77.
"We needed a game like this to learn another lesson and that's all I want right now is to have my guys playing our best when we're healthy and have everyone back in March and this was just another chance to learn," Hill said.
Northern Colorado will finish out its non-conference schedule with a trip down south, taking on Jacksonville State (Dec. 21) and SEC opponent, Mississippi State (Dec. 23).
Tip against the Gamecocks is set for 5:00 p.m.
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