Denker Sets Single Game Assist Record as Northern Colorado Rolls Past Sacramento State, 95-79

Thursday, February 12

Greeley, Colo.

6 p.m. MST

University of Northern Colorado

16-10,6-7Big Sky

Sacramento State

9-15,5-7Big Sky

Sacramento St.

Northern Colo.

Quinn Denker Sets Single Game Assist Record

Photo by: Jesus Ayala, UNC Athletics

2/12/2026 8:54:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

By: Brooke Richards, Director of Strategic Communications

GREELEY, Colo. – Northern Colorado delivered a dominant 95-79 victory over Sacramento State Thursday night at Bank of Colorado Arena, leading for more than 39 minutes and showcasing one of its most efficient offensive performances of the season.

The Bears (16-10, 6-7 Big Sky) shot 56.1 percent from the floor and piled up 52 points in the paint, finishing with 26 assists on 37 made field goals in a game they never trailed.

Quinn Denker orchestrated the offense with a historic 16-assist night, setting the program's single-game record, surpassing the previous mark of 13 set by Jonah Radebaugh in 2020, and delivering the fifth-best single-game assist total in Big Sky history.

Northern Colorado set the tone immediately, shooting 61.8 percent in the first half and knocking down eight three-pointers to build a 51-37 lead at the break.

Brock Wisne led the way early with 16 first-half points, six rebounds and three assists, while Zach Bloch added 11 points on three triples. Ring Nyeri chipped in six points and seven rebounds as the Bears controlled the paint and glass, out-rebounding Sacramento State 41-29 for the game.

Wisne continued his dominance after halftime, finishing with 29 points on 12-of-16 shooting and 11 rebounds for his fourth career double-double while matching his career high in scoring.

Bloch added 17 points with five made three-pointers, and Denker contributed 22 points to go along with his record-setting assist total.

The Hornets made their push midway through the second half, capitalizing on a 5:45 scoring drought by the Bears at the 10:48 mark when Northern Colorado went 1-of-12 from the field and 1-of-11 from three during that stretch. Sacramento State trimmed the margin to single digits, but the Bears responded emphatically.

At the 10:09 mark, Ibu Yamazaki threw down a dunk off a Denker assist to ignite an answering run.

From there, Northern Colorado regained control behind interior finishes and timely three-point shooting, stretching the lead back to double figures and closing out the game with poise.

Sacramento State shot 35.9 percent from the field and 26.9 percent from beyond the arc, while the Bears' balanced attack and paint presence proved decisive.

Northern Colorado finished the night with a 52-26 edge in paint scoring and 13-2 advantage in points off turnovers.

RECORD WATCH: Brock Wisne moved into 14th place on UNC's all-time scoring list with 1,318 career points and now sits fifth in program history in field goals made with 549.

Zach Bloch continues to make steady progress across multiple career categories, ranking seventh all-time at UNC in three-pointers made (191) and sixth in three-point attempts (486), while sitting fifth in games played with 127, just five shy of the program record. Bloch also has 96 career steals, 17 away from cracking the all-time top 10, and is closing in on single-season marks as well, sitting eighth in made three's with 81 and is six steals shy of the season top 10.

Quinn Denker remains one of the most productive playmakers in program history, currently ranking third on UNC's single-season assists list with 177 and continuing to move up the program's season-long distribution charts.

UP NEXT: The Bears will host league-leading Portland State on Saturday at 2 p.m. MST at Bank of Colorado Arena. The matchup will also feature a Teddy Bear Toss sponsored by Banner Health, with fans encouraged to bring stuffed animals that will be donated to young patients at Banner.

FOLLOW THE BEARS: Fans can follow and stay up to date on all the Bear action at uncbears.com and on social media. Follow the Bears on X (formerly Twitter) (@UNC_BearsMBB), Instagram (@UNC_BearsMBB), and Facebook (/UNCBearsMBB).