BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Brian Stafford scored 12 of his 17 points in the first half to lead Denver to a 62-59 victory over Western Kentucky on Thursday night.
A 12-2 run by the Hilltoppers late in the game helped trim an 18-point Pioneers lead to 59-57 with 39 seconds remaining, but Stafford sealed the victory by making two free throws with nine seconds remaining to give Denver a 61-57 lead.
The Pioneers won on the road for just the fifth time in the past 62 games.
“I thought we played really well the whole game,” Pioneers coach Joe Scott said. “We didn’t turn the ball over, and that means we were running our offense well.”
Travis Hallam chipped in 15 points, while Chase Hallam had 11 points and nine rebounds for the Pioneers. Denver only played seven players, and they all scored.
Denver (7-9, 3-0 Sun Belt) led 37-22 at halftime on 17-of-30 shooting, while Western Kentucky (5-9, 0-2) shot just 9-of-26. The Hilltoppers scored the first basket of the game for their only lead.
Northern Colorado 63, Montana 45
GREELEY — Devon Beitzel scored 13 of his 19 points in the second half as the Bears ended the Grizzlies’ five-game winning streak.
Beitzel made only 2-of-4 shots in the first half, but the Big Sky Conference’s leading scorer closed the game with the last six points for Northern Colorado (7-7, 3-0). Montana fell to 10-5, 2-1.
Women
Northern Colorado 65, Montana 56
MISSOULA, Mont. — Lauren Oosdyke scored 20 points, including the go-ahead jumper, as the Bears (6-8) wiped out a three-point halftime deficit with a 25-15 run to start the second half for their first victory against the Grizzlies (5-9) in nine attempts.
