History’s first meeting between the Denver Pioneers and Iona takes place tonight at Magness Arena, but Joe Scott’s personal memory bank contains many indelible images of Gael basketball.
“You talk about Jim Valvano, that’s where he started,” said Scott, the native of Pelican Island, N.J., whose 6-1 Pioneers host an Iona team with the same record in non-conference play. “He made Iona be really good in the late ’70s. It’s nice that we have them on the schedule, and that they’re good. Iona is college basketball from back in that era, but that that’s why it’s nice to have them in here now and doing well again nationally. As you get better build a program and as you get better, it puts you in a position to play a team like that.”
Iona, located in New Rochelle, N.Y., was well known for college basketball in Scott’s boyhood area from the 1950s through the late 1970s, with alumni such as Richie Guerin and Jeff Ruland, not to mention the legendary coach Valvano — who later won a national championship at North Carolina State. But while the Gaels had some good seasons again in the early 2000s, they endured a 22-game losing streak in 2006-07.But the Gaels, like the Pioneers, are off to great starts this season. Iona boasts the NCAA Division I assists leader in senior guard Scott Machado, at 11.4 per game, and the nation’s 30th top scorer in forward Michael Glover (19.9). The Gaels are No. 1 in the nation in scoring, at 92 points per game.
Asked the things he’s looking forward to in facing a team from his home area, Scott said “None — what intrigues me is that I won’t be getting any sleep.”
But the Pioneers figure to be tough competition for the visitors. At 6-1, DU is off to its best start since a 6-0 start in 1942-43. They have beaten some good teams along the way, including St. Mary’s and Southern Mississippi. A key player in the good fortune has been sophomore Chris Udofia, who was named the Sun Belt Conference player of the week Tuesday. Udofia is averaging 13.6 points, 3.1 blocks four rebounds and 3.3 assists per game.Before taking to the practice court Tuesday, Udofia said the Pioneers are of a dual mindset: the matchup with the Gaels is a big thing for the program, but just a small thing in terms of where it wants to be eventually.
“I think we’re all looking forward to it as a team and anticipation is building up, but at the same time we’re trying to keep our heads calm,” said Udofia, “We’re definitely going to have to slow them down and take them out of their element.”
That is what Scott, the former Air Force and Princeton head coach before assuming command at DU five years ago, said he needs to do to make Udofia better.
“What I need to do for him is to sort of get him to calm down and relax,” Scott said. “When Chris can relax, that’s when you really notice Chris. He’s got to learn, sort of mentally, how to let the game come to him. But his skill level has already risen so much, that in two and a half years I can see him improving so much more.”
The Pioneers are thriving under Scott’s defense-first philosophy, and also from free-throw shooting. DU leads the nation in free-throw percentage (83.2). They are 4-0 at home and 51-11 at Magness since Scott took over.
But Scott knows more than anyone that it will take victories over schools more like Iona for DU to shed the tag of being known as just a hockey school.
“We want to continue to build our identity,” Scott said. “Our schedule is going to give the opportunity to get better. Now, we have to take advantage of it.”
Adrian Dater: 303-954-1360 or adater@denverpost.com
DU basketball revival
The Pioneers are off to a strong start to their men’s basketball season. Their record is 6-1 entering tonight’s non-conference game against Iona. That is their best start since opening at 6-0 in 1942-43.
