Northern Colorado men’s basketball team lost in overtime to Sacramento State, 93-89, on Saturday night at Hornet Pavilion. The Bears led for almost the entire game and built an 18-point advantage in the second half, but Sacramento State rallied with a strong offensive showing after halftime.
Northern Colorado started the game well, holding Sacramento State to just over 30 percent shooting in the first half while building a double-digit lead. The Bears went into halftime ahead 43-31 after making nearly two-thirds of their shots in the opening period.
In the second half, Northern Colorado extended its lead to 62-44 with under 14 minutes left. However, Sacramento State responded by hitting perimeter shots and drawing fouls that led to free throws. As time wound down, Northern Colorado struggled to hold onto its lead.
Sacramento State tied the game at 78 with just over two minutes remaining. Quinn Denker briefly put Northern Colorado back in front with free throws before Sacramento State evened the score again at the end of regulation, sending the contest into overtime tied at 82.
During overtime, Sacramento State took control by scoring first and adding key free throws late. Egan Shields brought Northern Colorado within two points with less than 20 seconds left, but Sacramento State sealed their win from the foul line before Vincent Delano scored as time expired.
Quinn Denker led Northern Colorado with 29 points and 11 assists along with six rebounds and four steals while playing more than 42 minutes. Vincent Delano added 13 points; Ring Nyeri finished with 11; Brock Wisne and Zach Bloch each scored nine points. The Bears shot over 51 percent from the field and recorded more than half their points inside but were hurt by allowing Sacramento State to attempt 34 free throws and score on second-chance opportunities.
Prophet Johnson was top scorer for Sacramento State with 30 points; Mark Lavrenov contributed a double-double of 17 points and 17 rebounds.
Northern Colorado will return home for its next Big Sky Conference matchup against Montana State on Monday, January 19 at Bank of Colorado Arena in Greeley. The game is scheduled for a 6 p.m. tipoff and will be broadcast on ESPN+ as well as Pirate Radio.
Fans can stay updated on Northern Colorado men’s basketball through their official website uncbears.com or follow them on social media platforms including X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook under @UNC_BearsMBB or /UNCBearsMBB.
