Denver (10-13) @ FAU (5-20) Thursday, FEB 12th, 2009 7:00 PM EST MEDIA COVERAGE Video: FAUSPORTS.com Radio: FOX 640AM – UD @ FAU 7:00PM GAME PROMOTIONS Lots of things happening for Fans Thursday night: First 100 FAU students receive a voucher good for a FREE hot dog, popcorn or nachos. The FAU baseball team will be signing autographs from 6pm-7pm. The Florida Panthers Ice Dancers/Stanley the Panther will be signing autographs from 6pm-7pm as well. The Florida Panthers Ice Dancers will perform at halftime. Be sure and bring your church bulletin to the game and get in for half price. The first 200 fans will receive a FREE Amp Energy drink. THE SERIES Denver leads the all-time series 2-1. The two teams have played one regular season game annually during the past two seasons, but are playing twice this year. In the previous meeting this season the Pioneers overcame a seven-point second-half deficit to beat Florida Atlantic 66-55 at DU’s Magness Arena back on December 16. Led by 24 points from Carlos Monroe, FAU beat Denver in overtime 70-68 last season in Boca Raton at Lynn University. Denver also posted a 90-85 victory over FAU at Magness Arena in January of 2007. DENVER AT A GLANCE Team Site : denverpioneers.com The Pioneers are trying to snap its NCAA-worst 42-game road losing streak. They finished 11-19 last season in the program’s first year under head coach Joe Scott. Five-straight losses to begin the season included dropping close games at Northern Iowa (61-56) and at home against Northern Colorado (71-66) in overtime, but Denver has rallied to put together a 5-7 Sun Belt record, thanks to winning 5 of 6 vs. the league at Magness Arena in Denver. A 1987 graduate of Princeton, Scott has instilled a disciplined “Princeton” style offense that scores 60.4 PPG while its defense is best in the league, limiting opponents to a league-low 61.2 PPG. FAU AT A GLANCE FAU has not been able to compensate for a lack of depth, as just eight scholarship players suit up for first-year head coach Mike Jarvis. The Owls are all but assured of playing on the road (No. 13 vs. No. 4 game) in the Sun Belt Conference postseason tournament. A youth movement is underway as Jarvis tries to build the program. Rookie guard Alex Tucker has emerged as one of the league’s best distributors. Tucker’s 11 assists last Thursday at UNO equaled a single-game school record and is on pace to break the school’s all-time single-season assist record. Freshman guard Shavar Richardson, is leading all Sun Belt freshmen in scoring (12.0 PPG). Sophomore Brett Royster has swatted 58 shots this season, ranking him No. 29 in the NCAA in blocks entering the week. He needs just two more to break the FAU All-time single season mark. PROBABLE STARTERS Denver 5 Brian Stafford G 6-3 180 10 Rob Lewis F 6-7 215 11 Kyle Lewis G 5-11 160 24 Nate Rohnert G/F 6-5 215 12 Justin Coughlin F 6-9 185 Florida Atlantic 1 Shavar Richardson G 6-2 165 5 Alex Tucker G 5-11 160 12 Carderro Nwoji G 5-11 3 Chris Watson F 6-6 210 40 Brett Royster F 6-8 220 LATEST LINE FAU – 1 OWL NEST PREDICTION The pace of this game will play into the Owl’s hands favorably. Both teams run a deliberate half court attack, however FAU should look to run as much as possible in this one given the opponent. Denver is a solid shooting team at 48.3% from the field – good for a 15th national ranking. But its how they score that is the key. Defense will be the challenge for the Owls. The Pioneers will look to milk every second off of the clock and wear out them out, often opting for the back door lay-up given a sleepy defender. Or the three ball, which they also do well. But the Owl’s athleticism and home court advantage, coupled with the Pioneer’s inability to win on the road, makes for a win in a close one. FAU – 3
