Free throws turned kind to the Denver Pioneers in the final minutes and six straight from the line by Brian Stafford down the stretch Wednesday night carried DU to a first-round victory in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament.
The Pioneers broke away from a 56-55 lead and defeated Louisiana-Monroe 66-57 at Magness Arena to advance to Sunday’s tournament quarter-finals in Hot Springs, Ark.
DU’s victory, the third straight this season over the Warhawks, evened the Pioneers’ record at 15-15.
Before Stafford started his string, free throws had been in the court of the Warhawks. Before guard Dynile Forbes missed two free throws with 1:07 left and the Pioneers ahead 59-55, Louisiana-Monroe had cashed in all 12 of its shots from the line.
Each time the Pioneers seemed ready to take control in the second half, the Warhawks didn’t fade. A pair of free throws by Lawrence Gilbert and a field goal by Forbes put the visitors up 49-45 going into the last six minutes.
But five straight points by DU star Nate Rohnert and a backdoor layup by Stafford brought the Pioneers back to a 54-51 lead with 3:53 left.
After a shaky start, the Pioneers came on in the last 10 minutes of the first half and built a 27-17 lead on the 3-point shooting of Travis Hallam and Rob Lewis.
But two careless turnovers in the face of Louisiana-Monroe’s pressing defense in the last minute allowed the Warhawks to cut their deficit to 28-25 at halftime. Two free throws by Reggie Lassiter with nine seconds left brought Louisiana-Monroe to within three points.
At halftime, the Pioneers were shooting 46.2 percent from 3-point range, having hit six of their 13 attempts.
Irv Moss: 303-954-1296 or imoss@denverpost.com
