DENVER – The University of Denver men’s basketball team is set to start a three-game road trip on Sunday, facing off against preseason favorites St. Thomas. The game kicks off at 11 a.m. MT and will be streamed live on the Summit League Network.
SERIES HISTORY:
St. Thomas has the upper hand in this matchup, winning 6 out of 9 games. They’ve claimed victory in the last four encounters. This series began in 2021, and St. Thomas has been particularly strong in their home games in St. Paul.
LAST GAME:
In their latest outing, sophomore guard Carson Johnson lit up the scoreboard, scoring 23 points in a decisive 87-74 win over Kansas City on New Year’s Eve.
NON-CONFERENCE PERFORMANCE:
According to KenPom ratings, the Pioneers faced one of the toughest non-conference slates, ranking 13th in the nation. By the end of that stretch, their overall strength of schedule was 32nd in the country.
AWARDS AND RECOGNITION:
Carson Johnson and graduate student Jeremiah Burke were honored in the mid-season awards by Reach the Summit Podcast, making it to the All-Summit League First Team. Johnson leads his team with an average of 18.0 points per game, while Burke follows closely with 15.6 points and also contributes 5.8 rebounds.
SCORING WAYS:
Denver is shooting impressively, currently ranked 56th in the country with an effective field-goal percentage of 56.2%. They also shine in free-throw shooting, ranking 35th with 76.7%. Notably, the Pioneers are scoring an average of 84.3 points per game, leading the Summit League.
NEW CONFERENCE ADVENTURE:
On October 31, Denver announced its future in the West Coast Conference starting in the 2026-27 season. The move is expected to boost the university’s athletic profile. Head Coach Tim Bergstraser expressed his excitement, recognizing the advantages this brings.
NET RANKING INSIGHTS:
After a win over Eastern Washington on December 3, Denver cracked the top-200 in the NET rankings, reaching 199. As of January 1, they have slightly dropped to 221. Historically, Denver has finished in the top-200 nine times since rejoining Division I in 1998-99, with their best ranking at 69th in the 2012-13 season.
UP NEXT:
The Pioneers will next face South Dakota State in the second game of their road swing, with a 6 p.m. MT tip-off on the Summit League Network.
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