At the Troy-Denver hoops game

By Drew Champlin

Published: January 31, 2009

TROY WINS 76-72 in overtime over Denver.

Later, much later on tonight I’ll have some video up. I got the last couple of minutes of regulation AND overtime, plus player and coach interviews. Stay tuned.
3:56 left - These guys are up, 63-56. Seriously, take time to look at their mugs. However, a turnover caused by Troy’s fullcourt press gives the ball back to the Trojans. Probably last game update from me.

7:24 left - Denver just hit its 10th 3 of the night. Troy’s got guys in their faces of late. Some call for a switch to a man, but then the Pioneers would likely backdoor/screen them for easy shots down low. Denver 56-49, Delk at the line to shoot 2.

11:26 left - Still DU 46-42 and I can hear a pin drop. That means it’s up to the Trojans to make things exciting, but Denver’s offense will put anyone to sleep - especially defenders. Mike Vogler’s going to the line to shoot 2 shots.

12:36 remaining - Brandon Hazzard’s 3 cuts the lead to Denver 46-42, and Trojans will get the ball back after the media timeout because of an offensive foul. I have spotted football coaches. I’m sure recruits are here too, but I don’t know what any of them look like.

14:25 left in game - Seems like when Troy gets itself in position to tie or make it closer, quick, inadvertant shots are being hoisted up. DU called a timeout and is up 44-37. Troy went small and quick to start the 2nd half, with Josh Williams in instead of Antywan Jones. Trojans are much quicker, but aren’t playing smarter.

HALFTIME - As bad as Troy’s played in the first half, it’s just a 7-point defecit, with DU leading 31-24 at the break. Troy scored the last five points, with the buzzer-beating bucket from Mike Vogler on a rebound. Easily a winnable game if Troy takes care of business on the offensive end. Defensively, after the slow start, they’re doing fine.

Some stats - Denver is 11-of-20 from the field, 6-of-15 from 3-point land. Troy is just 9-of-26, so it’s clear the Trojans are pressing against Denver’s slow-it-down style. Denver has 9 turnovers, but Troy has just 7 points off those turnovers (3 buckets, so 6 were wasted). Delk leads Troy with 8 points and Nate Rohnert leads Denver with 10 points while Andrew Hooper and Rob Lewis have 9 each.

The crowd’s pretty dead at this moment. I’m guessing most didn’t realize Denver was in the Sun Belt until now. If WeSuck.com was here, I’m sure it would be quite lively.

3:35 left in first half - Patience might get Troy over the hump. At the moment, they’re not showing much of it. If you saw Denver’s team come in, you would have thought it was the chess team and not the basketball team, but they do what they do quite well. 29-19 Denver.

7:56 left in first half - Troy’s cut it down to 22-14 on a monster dunk by Delk, which finally got the crowd to its feet. This came after Denver was whistled for a moving screen. DU has no one that can stop Delk, so it’ll be interesting if he decides to take the game over. It looks like he’s on his way.

11:47 left in first half - Right now, Troy’s playing like garbage and Denver’s offense is setting it up for wide open shots off screens in 3-point land. Denver leads 18-7 and have hit 4 3-pointers. Troy, at the moment, has missed on four opportunities right under the goal. It’s clear that Richard Delk’s the best athlete out there, but he’s a very poor free throw shooter (around 50 percent), so while he’s driving to the bucket, if he gets fouled, it’s almost like a turnover if he missed both shots, like he did on the last trip.
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It’s shaping up to be a very good crowd if it keeps filing in at this current pace. The Denver women just beat Troy 64-54, hitting 22-of-25 free throws.

Troy has won five straight. I didn’t know this until looking closer at the game notes, because Denver has won away from its home arena this year, but the Pioneers have lost 40 straight true road games, the nation’s longest current streak. DU beat Texas-Arlington away from Denver, but at a tournament in Montana. So, if you’re superstitious, which Troy head coach Don Maestri might be, you’ll be a little nervous.

I think if Troy contains the backdoor cuts that DU likes to run, they should be fine. We’ll see.