Junior forward Nate Rohnert scored 22 points Saturday night, leading the University of Denver to a 78-74 victory over Western Kentucky at Magness Arena.
Western Kentucky went on a 9-3 run to take its largest lead (25-16) of the Sun Belt game with 6:48 left in the first half. But DU (8-11, 3-5) rallied and trailed only 32-30 at the halftime break.
The Pioneers led by nine points with 2:19 remaining before the Hilltoppers (13-7, 7-2) went on a 9-2 run to close within 73-71. DU’s Brian Stafford hit Rohnert for a layup with 13 seconds remaining, and Rob Lewis then sealed the victory with a pair of free throws.
Rohnert finished with nine assists, six rebounds and four steals.
WESTERN KENTUCKY (13-7, 7-2 SUN BELT)
Pettigrew 9-14 1-3 20, Evans 4-5 0-0 8, Slaughter 6-13 2-2 16, Cvoro 1-4 1-2 4, Mendez-Valdez 5-11 4-5 16, Kerusch 1-3 4-4 6, Sally 1-1 0-0 2, Magley 1-1 0-0 2, Maresca 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 28-52 12-16 74.
DENVER (8-11, 3-5)
R. Lewis 4-11 8-8 16, Coughlin 0-1 0-0 0, Stafford 4-6 6-8 16, K. Lewis 3-4 0-0 6, Rohnert 8-11 5-8 22, Hallam 0-1 0-0 0, Chen 0-2 2-3 2, Hooper 5-7 2-2 16. Totals 24-43 23-29 78.
Halftime — WKU 32-30. 3-point goals — WKU 6-23 (Mendez-Valdez 2-7, Slaughter 2-8, Cvoro 1-3, Pettigrew 1-4, Kerusch 0-1); DU 7-16 (Hooper 4-6, Stafford 2-2, Rohnert 1-3, Coughlin 0-1, Hallam 0-1, R. Lewis 0-1, Chen 0-2). Fouled out — Mendez-Valdez. Rebounds — WKU 29 (Pettigrew 7), DU 19 (Rohnert 6). Assists — WKU 16 (Mendez-Valdez 5), DU 15 (Rohnert 9). Total fouls — WKU 22, DU 17. A — 3,550.
