Denver Pioneers men's basketball
Denver Pioneers | |||
---|---|---|---|
| |||
University | University of Denver | ||
Conference | The Summit | ||
Location | Denver, CO | ||
Head coach | Rodney Billups (1st year) | ||
Arena |
Magness Arena (Capacity: 7,200) | ||
Nickname | Pioneers | ||
Colors |
Crimson and Gold[1] | ||
NCAA Tournament appearances | |||
1992*, 1994*, 1996* *at Division II level |
The Denver Pioneers men's basketball team represents the University of Denver and competes in the NCAA Division I men's college basketball in Denver, Colorado. They are coached by first year head coach Rodney Billups and are members of The Summit League. They play their home games at Magness Arena.
Denver has never qualified for the NCAA Division I Tournament.
History
Denver played basketball at the regional level prior to World War II and at the Division I level between the 1940s and 1979, dropping down to the Division II and NAIA levels between 1979 and 1998. DU moved back up to Division I in 1998 and joined the Sun Belt Conference in 1999. In 2012, the Pioneers moved from the Sun Belt to the Western Athletic Conference. After only one year in the WAC, they joined The Summit League in July, 2013.
Alumni
Notable former Denver basketball players include:
- Vince Boryla, All-American, Gold Medal US Olympian, NBA player, coach and executive
- [David Adkins][Sinbad], who played at Denver in the 1970s, later became known as comedian/TV actor Sinbad.
- Phil Heath, Current Mr. Olympia Bodybuilder
- Byron Beck, ABA and NBA player, Number retired by Denver Nuggets
- Rodney Billups, Euroleague player, NCAA Basketball Assistant Coach
Postseason results
NCAA Division II Tournament results
The Pioneers have appeared in two NCAA Division II Tournaments. Their combined record is 1–3.
Year | Round | Opponent | Result/Score |
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1992 | Regional Semifinals Regional Finals | North Dakota South Dakota State | W 73–68 L 57–87 |
1994 | Regional Quarterfinals | North Dakota State | L 72–87 |
1996 | Regional Quarterfinals | North Dakota State | L 70–71 |
NAIA Tournament results
The Pioneers have appeared in two NAIA Tournaments. Their record is 0–2.
Year | Round | Opponent | Result/Score |
---|---|---|---|
1948 | First Round | Mankato State | L 46–49 |
1984 | First Round | Waynesburg | L 56–58 OT |
NIT results
The Pioneers have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) three times. Their combined record is 1–3.
Year | Round | Opponent | Result/Score |
---|---|---|---|
1959 | First Round | NYU | L 81–90 |
2005 | Opening Round | San Francisco | L 67–69 |
2013 | First Round Second Round | Ohio Maryland | W 61–57 L 52–62 |
References
- ↑ University of Denver Brand: Visual Guide (PDF). Retrieved 2016-04-16.