by DENVER – Jake Holtzmann scored a season-high 11 points, as the University of Denver men’s basketball team snapped a two-game losing streak in defeating the San Diego Toreros 59-47 Wednesday evening at the Jenny Craig Pavilion.
Nate Engesser scored 12 points and added 10 of those points in the second half as the Pioneers moved to 6-3 and 2-0 on the road this season.
The Pioneers bench was huge as they scored 42 of DU’s 59 points. Duke Douglas came in and provided a balanced effort with four points and a career-best six rebounds.
The Crimson and Gold defense was key as they held USD to 31.6 percent (18-of-57). Jake Pemberton got his second-straight start and filled up the box score with three points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals.
Denver led the entire second half as the Toreros (3-6) never got closer than two points. Christian Mackey (Navajo Nation.) scored nine points and grabbed four rebounds. Thomas Neff did not score but added three rebounds, two assists, two blocks and two steals. Daniel Amigo scored six points in eight minutes of action. Joe Rosga added nine points and five rebounds.
“Total team win tonight,” head coach Joe Scott said. “Ten guys making solid contributions. Ten guys being tough for 40 minutes. That is what we stressed after the last two games and the guys came through in a big way tonight.”
Holtzmann gave the Pioneers a spark off the bench in the first 20 minutes after a slow start by Denver. With DU trailing 8-7, Holtzmann scored the next 10 points for the Crimson and Gold. Denver built a 23-13 lead on the strength of a 9-0 run. That run was answered by a 6-0 run by San Diego to cut the Pioneers lead to 23-19.
The Pioneers took a 25-19 lead into the lockerroom.
Holtzmann led all scorers in the first half with 10 points in six minutes of action, while Mackey came off the bench and chipped in four points in the first half. San Diego out-rebounded Denver 20-15.
Neither team shot the ball well in the first half as the Pioneers shot 39.1 percent (9-of-23) from the floor in the opening 20 minutes, while San Diego hit for only 29.6 percent (8-of-27) in the first 20 minutes. Denver hit for 28.6 percent (2-of-7) from behind the arc in the opening half. The Toreros shot 18.2 percent (2-of-11) from behind the 3-point line in the first half.
Denver shot 44.7 percent (21-of-47) from the field for the game. The Pioneers shot just 25.0 percent from behind the 3-point line (3-of-12). The Toreros hit 16.0 percent (4-of-25) from 3-point range. San Diego made just 43.8 percent (7-of-16) from the free-throw line compared to 70.0 percent (14-of-20) for DU.
San Diego was led by Brett Bailey’s double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Denver will head back home to take on the Weber State Wildcats on Sunday, Dec. 13 at 12 p.m. MT. The game can be seen on ROOT Sports with Jerry Schemmel and Greg Lackey on the call. The game can also be heard on Mile High Sports Radio 1340 AM with Raj Sharan on play-by-play duties and streamed via audio on Pioneer Vision. For subscription information to Pioneer Vision please visit www.denverpioneers.com.
