Nate Rohnert wore the scars of battle — a cut over his left eye and bruises on both arms — after Denver’s game against Montana on Thursday night.
“It was a tough, physical game, the kind you expect from Montana,” Rohnert said. “But we won.”
Rohnert scored 20 points and sealed the victory with two free throws in the last 11 seconds as Denver defeated previously unbeaten Montana 56-49 at Magness Arena.
“On this team, you have to do whatever it takes to win,” Rohnert said. “You have to defend and make the right pass as well as score.”
Rohnert was 6-for-13 shooting and 8-for-10 from the free-throw line. He made other contributions besides scoring.
“Nate is good at what we’re concentrating on,” Denver coach Joe Scott said. “Sure, he scores 20 points, but he has six assists and only one turnover.”
MONTANA (3-1)
Young 1-3 0-0 2, McGillis 2-4 0-0 4, Qvale 6-8 0-2 12, Staudacher 0-2 0-0 0, Johnson 9-21 5-5 23, Cherry 1-1 0-0 2, Taylor 0-1 0-0 0, Stockton 0-1 0-0 0, Selvig 2-2 0-2 4, Banny 0-0 2-2 2, Ward 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 21-44 7-11 49.
DENVER (2-1)
Coughlin 1-3 0-1 2, Stafford 1-6 2-2 5, K.Lewis 1-4 1-2 3, Rohnert 6-13 8-10 20, C. Hallam 6-7 0-0 14, Thalken 0-1 0-0 0, T. Hallam 0-0 0-0 0, Chen 0-1 0-0 0, Hooper 4-7 1-3 12. Totals 19-42 12-18 56.
Halftime — Denver 36-22. 3-point goals — Montana 0-8 (McGillis 0-1, Taylor 0-1, Young 0-1, Staudacher 0-2, Johnson 0-3), Denver 6-14 (Hooper 3-5, C.Hallam 2-2, Stafford 1-4, Coughlin 0-1, Chen 0-1, K.Lewis 0-1). Fouled out — McGillis, Young. Rebounds — Montana 35 (Qvale 12), Denver 19 (C.Hallam, Rohnert 5). Assists — Montana 6 (Johnson 3), Denver 11 (Rohnert 6). Total fouls — Montana 18, Denver 19. A — 1,625.
