ST. LOUIS, Mo. (Dec. 7) -- The Denison University men's basketball team bounced back with an 86-76 win over Colby College on Saturday afternoon, securing a split at the highly competitive 40th annual Lopata Classic hosted by Washington University in St. Louis.
Denison improved to 6-1 overall on the season, while Colby dropped to 7-3. Senior guard
Darren Rubin, coming off a 29-point performance the day before, contributed 14 points, a team-high six assists, and a perfect 8-for-8 effort at the free-throw line to earn a spot on the all-tournament team.
The Big Red showcased balanced scoring, with five players reaching double figures.
Scotty Dean led the way with 17 points, including five three-pointers.
Kellon Smith and
Trevor Reed each added 13 points, while
Ricky Radtke chipped in 12 points, converting all four of his free-throw attempts.
After a tightly contested first half, which saw Denison hold a slim 37-36 lead, the Big Red went on a 16-10 run early in the second half that pushed them just far enough ahead to keep the Mules at bay. Dean's timely three-pointers and a balanced offensive attack helped the Big Red maintain control throughout the remainder of the game. Denison went a flawless 16-for-16 from the free-throw line in the second half, finishing 20-for-22 overall (90.9 percent). Denison led by a single point (72-71) with 4:14 to play but closed the game on a 14-5 run to finish off the victory.
Colby's Jack Lawson paced the Mules with a game-high 25 points and nine rebounds, while Max Poulton added 22 points, connecting on five three-pointers. Despite their efforts, Denison's depth and ability to capitalize on Colby turnovers (19 points off turnovers) proved to be decisive.
The Big Red saw significant contributions from their bench, which accounted for 36 points—double the 15 points contributed by Colby's bench. Reed led the rebounding efforts with seven boards, while
Luke Salkowski provided energy with three rebounds and a key tip-in during the second half.
Up Next: Denison will hit the road for another non-conference matchup, traveling to Cleveland, Ohio, to face Case Western Reserve University on Saturday, December 14th. Tip-off is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
