NCOLO

COLO

Denker scores career-high 33 points to lead Northern Colorado to stunning 86-81 win over Colorado

AP
Dec 28, 2025

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) Quinn Denker scored a career-high 33 points on 12-for-18 shooting, grabbed eight rebounds and distributed eight assists and Colorado Buffaloes" data-canon="Northern Colorado Bears" data-type="SPORTS_OBJECT_TEAM" data-league-abbreviation="NCAAB" data-team-abbreviation="NCOLO">Northern Colorado pulled the road upset beating Colorado 86-81 on Sunday.

Ibu Yamazaki scored 19 points and Brock Wisne scored 13 for Northern Colorado.

Reserve true freshman Isaiah Johnson scored 19 of his 25 points in the first half, Barrington Hargress scored 18 points, Bangot Dak 16 and Sebastian Rancik 14 for Colorado.

Yamazaki made a pair of foul shots with 23 seconds left to give Northern Colorado an 84-81 lead. On the Buffs next possession, Rancik missed a 3-point attempt, and after securing the offensive rebound, Johnson also missed a 3 attempt to tie it.

Denker made two foul shots with nine seconds left to seal it. His short turnaround with 42 seconds gave the Bears the lead for good at 82-80.

Northern Colorado built a 17-7 lead when Denker made a jump shot with 12:36 left before halftime. Johnson countered with consecutive layups and added a three-point play following a layup from Hargress to get Colorado within 19-18.

Neither team led by more than four points from there and Northern Colorado led 37-35 at intermission.

With the win, the Bears (10-3) snapped a 13-game losing streak against Colorado (10-3) which leads the all-time series (25-19) dating to Jan. 25, 1918.

The Buffs fell to 0-2 against state rivals. Colorado State beat Colorado 91-86 in Fort Collins on Dec. 6.

Northern Colorado begins Big Sky Conference action on New Year's Day.

The Buffs start Big 12 Conference play on Saturday at Arizona State.

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1st Half
NCO
Bears
37
COLO
Buffaloes
35

Time		Play	Score
20:00		(Buffaloes gains possession)
19:48		Elijah Malone misses two point layup
19:46		Zach Bloch defensive rebound
19:30		Ring Nyeri misses two point jump shot
19:28		Sebastian Rancik defensive rebound
19:15		Bangot Dak misses two point layup
19:13		Ring Nyeri defensive rebound
19:08		Ibu Yamazaki misses three point jump shot
19:06		Sebastian Rancik defensive rebound
18:59		Sebastian Rancik misses three point jump shot
18:57		Elijah Malone offensive rebound
18:52	+2	Elijah Malone makes two point layup	0-2
18:34	+2	Brock Wisne makes two point layup (Ibu Yamazaki assists)	2-2
18:18	+3	Bangot Dak makes three point jump shot (Barrington Hargress assists)	2-5
18:05	+3	Brock Wisne makes three point jump shot (Zach Bloch assists)	5-5
17:44		Felix Kossaras turnover (lost ball)
17:15		Jump ball. Brock Wisne vs. Elijah Malone (Bears gains possession)
17:14		Brock Wisne misses two point jump shot
17:12		Egan Shields offensive rebound
17:09		Egan Shields turnover (lost ball)
16:50		Barrington Hargress misses two point layup
16:48		Ibu Yamazaki defensive rebound
16:38	+2	Quinn Denker makes two point jump shot	7-5
16:08		Bangot Dak misses two point jump shot
16:06		Ibu Yamazaki defensive rebound
15:57	+3	Quinn Denker makes three point jump shot	10-5
15:34		Bangot Dak misses three point jump shot
15:31		Bears defensive rebound
15:31		Sebastian Rancik personal foul (Quinn Denker draws the foul)
15:31		TV timeout
15:13		Quinn Denker misses two point layup
15:11		Bears offensive rebound
15:00	+2	Brock Wisne makes two point layup (Zach Bloch assists)	12-5
14:38		Barrington Hargress misses three point jump shot
14:36		Egan Shields defensive rebound
14:22		Egan Shields misses two point hook shot
14:20		Elijah Malone defensive rebound
14:13		Sebastian Rancik misses two point jump shot
14:11		Buffaloes offensive rebound
13:59		Elijah Malone misses two point jump shot
13:57		Jalin Holland offensive rebound
13:43	+2	Isaiah Johnson makes two point hook shot	12-7
13:26	+3	Ring Nyeri makes three point jump shot (Zach Bloch assists)	15-7
12:56		Jalin Holland misses two point layup
12:54		Jalin Holland offensive rebound
12:50		Jalin Holland misses two point layup
12:48		Quinn Denker defensive rebound
12:46		Vincent Delano misses three point jump shot
12:44		Bears offensive rebound
12:44		Jalin Holland personal foul (Egan Shields draws the foul)
12:37	+2	Quinn Denker makes two point jump shot	17-7
12:12	+2	Bangot Dak makes two point jump shot	17-9
11:53		Brock Wisne turnover (bad pass)
11:53		TV timeout
11:33		Josiah Sanders misses three point jump shot
11:31		Egan Shields defensive rebound
11:13		Quinn Denker misses three point jump shot
11:11		Egan Shields offensive rebound
11:06		Egan Shields misses two point layup
11:04		Bangot Dak defensive rebound
10:59	+2	Isaiah Johnson makes two point layup	17-11
10:30	+2	Egan Shields makes two point dunk (Brock Wisne assists)	19-11
10:10	+2	Isaiah Johnson makes two point layup	19-13
9:57		Brock Wisne misses two point layup
9:55		Brock Wisne offensive rebound
9:51		Brock Wisne misses two point hook shot
9:49		Sebastian Rancik defensive rebound
9:42		Barrington Hargress misses two point jump shot
9:40		Brock Wisne defensive rebound
9:28		Zach Bloch misses three point jump shot
9:26		Isaiah Johnson defensive rebound
9:20	+2	Barrington Hargress makes two point layup (Isaiah Johnson assists)	19-15
9:06		Fawaz Ifaola blocks Vincent Delano's two point layup
9:04		Josiah Sanders defensive rebound
8:58		Barrington Hargress misses three point jump shot
8:56		Brock Wisne defensive rebound
8:39		Egan Shields misses two point layup
8:37		Isaiah Johnson defensive rebound
8:31	+2	Isaiah Johnson makes two point layup	19-17
8:31		Zach Bloch shooting foul (Isaiah Johnson draws the foul)
8:31	+1	Isaiah Johnson makes regular free throw 1 of 1	19-18
8:19	+3	Zach Bloch makes three point jump shot (Quinn Denker assists)	22-18
8:02		Jalin Holland misses three point jump shot
8:00		Sebastian Rancik offensive rebound
7:56	+2	Sebastian Rancik makes two point layup	22-20
7:41		Zach Bloch misses two point jump shot
7:39		Bangot Dak defensive rebound
7:39		Isaiah Johnson misses two point layup
7:37		Bangot Dak offensive rebound
7:37		Bangot Dak misses two point layup
7:35		Isaiah Johnson offensive rebound
7:30		Ring Nyeri shooting foul (Isaiah Johnson draws the foul)
7:30		TV timeout
7:30	+1	Isaiah Johnson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	22-21
7:30	+1	Isaiah Johnson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	22-22
7:14	+3	Ibu Yamazaki makes three point jump shot	25-22
6:50		Jalin Holland misses two point jump shot
6:48		Ariik Mawien defensive rebound
6:29		Quinn Denker turnover (traveling)
6:17	+3	Sebastian Rancik makes three point jump shot	25-25
5:59		Bangot Dak shooting foul (Ibu Yamazaki draws the foul)
5:59	+1	Ibu Yamazaki makes regular free throw 1 of 3	26-25
5:59	+1	Ibu Yamazaki makes regular free throw 2 of 3	27-25
5:59	+1	Ibu Yamazaki makes regular free throw 3 of 3	28-25
5:41		Josiah Sanders misses two point jump shot
5:39		Quinn Denker defensive rebound
5:20		Ibu Yamazaki misses two point layup
5:19		Barrington Hargress personal foul (Egan Shields draws the foul)
5:13		Egan Shields turnover (lost ball) (Sebastian Rancik steals)
5:08	+3	Isaiah Johnson makes three point jump shot (Barrington Hargress assists)	28-28
4:52		Brock Wisne turnover (lost ball) (Sebastian Rancik steals)
4:47		Josiah Sanders turnover (bad pass)
4:31		Ibu Yamazaki turnover (back court violation)
4:23		Sebastian Rancik misses two point layup
4:22		Elijah Malone offensive rebound
4:22		Zach Bloch shooting foul (Sebastian Rancik draws the foul)
4:22	+1	Sebastian Rancik makes regular free throw 1 of 2	28-29
4:22	+1	Sebastian Rancik makes regular free throw 2 of 2	28-30
4:07		Quinn Denker misses two point layup
4:05		Barrington Hargress defensive rebound
4:00		Isaiah Johnson misses three point jump shot
3:58		Vincent Delano defensive rebound
3:45		Quinn Denker misses two point jump shot
3:43		Isaiah Johnson defensive rebound
3:35		Sebastian Rancik misses two point layup
3:33		Brock Wisne defensive rebound
3:24		Quinn Denker misses three point jump shot
3:22		Josiah Sanders defensive rebound
3:15		Barrington Hargress misses two point layup
3:13		Josiah Sanders offensive rebound
3:09		Isaiah Johnson misses three point jump shot
3:07		Brock Wisne defensive rebound
2:49	+2	Egan Shields makes two point layup (Quinn Denker assists)	30-30
2:40		Jump ball. Elijah Malone vs. Quinn Denker (Buffaloes gains possession)
2:40		TV timeout
2:24		Barrington Hargress misses two point jump shot
2:22		Bangot Dak offensive rebound
2:19		Bangot Dak misses two point layup
2:17		Quinn Denker defensive rebound
2:09		Fawaz Ifaola blocks Brock Wisne's two point layup
2:07		Bears offensive rebound
2:05	+3	Quinn Denker makes three point jump shot (Brock Wisne assists)	33-30
1:54		Josiah Sanders misses three point jump shot
1:52		Ibu Yamazaki defensive rebound
1:39		Quinn Denker misses two point layup
1:37		Bangot Dak defensive rebound
1:32	+2	Isaiah Johnson makes two point layup (Bangot Dak assists)	33-32
1:32		Ring Nyeri shooting foul (Isaiah Johnson draws the foul)
1:32	+1	Isaiah Johnson makes regular free throw 1 of 1	33-33
1:11		Brock Wisne misses two point hook shot
1:09		Ring Nyeri offensive rebound
1:06	+2	Ring Nyeri makes two point layup	35-33
0:51		Bangot Dak misses three point jump shot
0:49		Ring Nyeri defensive rebound
0:45		Bears 30 second timeout
0:39	+2	Quinn Denker makes two point layup	37-33
0:32		Buffaloes 30 second timeout
0:19	+2	Isaiah Johnson makes two point layup	37-35
0:05		Brock Wisne misses three point jump shot
0:03		Barrington Hargress defensive rebound
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
NCO
Bears
49
COLO
Buffaloes
46

Time		Play	Score
19:44	+2	Quinn Denker makes two point jump shot	39-35
19:30		Bangot Dak misses two point layup
19:28		Ibu Yamazaki defensive rebound
19:22	+2	Brock Wisne makes two point layup (Quinn Denker assists)	41-35
18:57		Ring Nyeri shooting foul (Bangot Dak draws the foul)
18:57	+1	Bangot Dak makes regular free throw 1 of 2	41-36
18:57	+1	Bangot Dak makes regular free throw 2 of 2	41-37
18:38		Elijah Malone personal foul (Egan Shields draws the foul)
18:36		Quinn Denker turnover (bad pass) (Bangot Dak steals)
18:26	+2	Bangot Dak makes two point dunk (Isaiah Johnson assists)	41-39
18:14		Zach Bloch turnover (traveling)
17:52		Sebastian Rancik misses two point jump shot
17:50		Ibu Yamazaki defensive rebound
17:39		Zach Bloch misses three point jump shot
17:37		Elijah Malone defensive rebound
17:34		Quinn Denker personal foul (Isaiah Johnson draws the foul)
17:21	+2	Barrington Hargress makes two point jump shot	41-41
16:51		Brock Wisne misses three point jump shot
16:49		Isaiah Johnson defensive rebound
16:40		Bangot Dak offensive foul (Quinn Denker draws the foul)
16:40		Bangot Dak turnover (offensive foul)
16:29	+2	Zach Bloch makes two point layup	43-41
16:12	+2	Bangot Dak makes two point jump shot (Barrington Hargress assists)	43-43
15:57		Sebastian Rancik shooting foul (Egan Shields draws the foul)
15:57		TV timeout
15:57		Egan Shields misses regular free throw 1 of 2
15:57		Egan Shields misses regular free throw 2 of 2
15:57		Buffaloes defensive rebound
15:38	+2	Barrington Hargress makes two point layup	43-45
15:38		Zach Bloch shooting foul (Barrington Hargress draws the foul)
15:38	+1	Barrington Hargress makes regular free throw 1 of 1	43-46
15:22		Fawaz Ifaola shooting foul (Egan Shields draws the foul)
15:22		Egan Shields misses regular free throw 1 of 2
15:22		Egan Shields misses regular free throw 2 of 2
15:22		Fawaz Ifaola defensive rebound
15:15	+3	Barrington Hargress makes three point jump shot (Felix Kossaras assists)	43-49
14:57	+3	Ibu Yamazaki makes three point jump shot (Egan Shields assists)	46-49
14:39	+2	Felix Kossaras makes two point jump shot	46-51
14:18	+2	Egan Shields makes two point layup (Quinn Denker assists)	48-51
14:05		Sebastian Rancik misses three point jump shot
14:03		Felix Kossaras offensive rebound
14:01		Ibu Yamazaki personal foul (Felix Kossaras draws the foul)
13:43		Barrington Hargress misses two point jump shot
13:41		Vincent Delano defensive rebound
13:26	+2	Quinn Denker makes two point jump shot	50-51
13:07		Egan Shields shooting foul (Elijah Malone draws the foul)
13:07	+1	Elijah Malone makes regular free throw 1 of 2	50-52
13:07	+1	Elijah Malone makes regular free throw 2 of 2	50-53
12:50	+2	Quinn Denker makes two point jump shot	52-53
12:35		Isaiah Johnson misses two point jump shot
12:33		Bangot Dak offensive rebound
12:28	+2	Bangot Dak makes two point layup	52-55
12:03	+3	Ibu Yamazaki makes three point jump shot (Quinn Denker assists)	55-55
11:37		Isaiah Johnson misses two point jump shot
11:35		Ibu Yamazaki defensive rebound
11:25		Bears turnover (10-second violation)
11:25		TV timeout
11:08		Sebastian Rancik misses two point jump shot
11:06		Quinn Denker defensive rebound
10:53		Josiah Sanders shooting foul (Quinn Denker draws the foul)
10:53	+1	Quinn Denker makes regular free throw 1 of 2	56-55
10:53	+1	Quinn Denker makes regular free throw 2 of 2	57-55
10:35		Bangot Dak misses two point layup
10:33		Quinn Denker defensive rebound
10:22	+2	Brock Wisne makes two point hook shot (Quinn Denker assists)	59-55
10:03	+3	Isaiah Johnson makes three point jump shot (Josiah Sanders assists)	59-58
9:48	+2	Quinn Denker makes two point layup	61-58
9:38	+2	Sebastian Rancik makes two point jump shot	61-60
9:16		Ring Nyeri misses three point jump shot
9:14		Buffaloes defensive rebound
9:13		Brock Wisne personal foul
9:00		Isaiah Johnson misses two point layup
8:58		Bears defensive rebound
8:41	+3	Ibu Yamazaki makes three point jump shot (Brock Wisne assists)	64-60
8:31	+3	Sebastian Rancik makes three point jump shot (Barrington Hargress assists)	64-63
8:11	+2	Ibu Yamazaki makes two point jump shot	66-63
8:10		Bears 30 second timeout
8:10		TV timeout
7:52	+3	Bangot Dak makes three point jump shot (Barrington Hargress assists)	66-66
7:34		Bangot Dak blocks Brock Wisne's two point layup
7:32		Isaiah Johnson defensive rebound
7:27		Felix Kossaras misses three point jump shot
7:25		Sebastian Rancik offensive rebound
7:20		Sebastian Rancik turnover (bad pass) (Brock Wisne steals)
7:09		Ibu Yamazaki misses three point jump shot
7:05		Buffaloes defensive rebound
7:05		TV timeout
6:53		Elijah Malone misses two point layup
6:51		Quinn Denker defensive rebound
6:43	+2	Brock Wisne makes two point layup (Quinn Denker assists)	68-66
6:32	+2	Elijah Malone makes two point hook shot	68-68
6:10		Barrington Hargress personal foul (Quinn Denker draws the foul)
6:03	+3	Quinn Denker makes three point jump shot (Zach Bloch assists)	71-68
5:47		Elijah Malone turnover (bad pass) (Ibu Yamazaki steals)
5:41	+3	Zach Bloch makes three point jump shot (Quinn Denker assists)	74-68
5:33		Buffaloes 30 second timeout
5:17		Isaiah Johnson misses two point jump shot
5:15		Zach Bloch defensive rebound
4:57		Bangot Dak personal foul (Egan Shields draws the foul)
4:57	+1	Egan Shields makes regular free throw 1 of 2	75-68
4:57	+1	Egan Shields makes regular free throw 2 of 2	76-68
4:34	+2	Barrington Hargress makes two point layup	76-70
4:22		Quinn Denker turnover (bad pass) (Felix Kossaras steals)
4:17	+2	Barrington Hargress makes two point layup (Felix Kossaras assists)	76-72
4:00		Quinn Denker turnover (traveling)
4:00		TV timeout
3:54	+2	Isaiah Johnson makes two point layup	76-74
3:30		Bangot Dak blocks Brock Wisne's two point layup
3:28		Sebastian Rancik defensive rebound
3:16		Brock Wisne shooting foul (Sebastian Rancik draws the foul)
3:16	+1	Sebastian Rancik makes regular free throw 1 of 2	76-75
3:16	+1	Sebastian Rancik makes regular free throw 2 of 2	76-76
3:10		Quinn Denker turnover (lost ball) (Barrington Hargress steals)
3:00		Isaiah Johnson misses two point jump shot
2:58		Quinn Denker defensive rebound
2:48		Isaiah Johnson personal foul (Quinn Denker draws the foul)
2:48	+1	Quinn Denker makes regular free throw 1 of 2	77-76
2:48	+1	Quinn Denker makes regular free throw 2 of 2	78-76
2:25	+2	Barrington Hargress makes two point layup	78-78
2:04		Brock Wisne turnover (bad pass)
1:49	+2	Barrington Hargress makes two point jump shot	78-80
1:34	+2	Quinn Denker makes two point jump shot	80-80
1:23		Buffaloes 60 second timeout
1:05		Isaiah Johnson misses two point jump shot
1:03		Egan Shields defensive rebound
0:44	+2	Quinn Denker makes two point hook shot	82-80
0:30		Sebastian Rancik misses three point jump shot
0:28		Isaiah Johnson offensive rebound
0:26		Quinn Denker shooting foul (Isaiah Johnson draws the foul)
0:26	+1	Isaiah Johnson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	82-81
0:26		Isaiah Johnson misses regular free throw 2 of 2
0:26		Ibu Yamazaki defensive rebound
0:25		Bears 60 second timeout
0:23		Isaiah Johnson personal foul (Ibu Yamazaki draws the foul)
0:23	+1	Ibu Yamazaki makes regular free throw 1 of 2	83-81
0:23	+1	Ibu Yamazaki makes regular free throw 2 of 2	84-81
0:17		Sebastian Rancik misses three point jump shot
0:15		Isaiah Johnson offensive rebound
0:11		Isaiah Johnson misses three point jump shot
0:09		Quinn Denker defensive rebound
0:09		Barrington Hargress personal foul (Quinn Denker draws the foul)
0:09	+1	Quinn Denker makes regular free throw 1 of 2	85-81
0:09	+1	Quinn Denker makes regular free throw 2 of 2	86-81
0:03		Isaiah Johnson misses three point jump shot
0:01		Bears defensive rebound
0:00		End of period

Bears defensive rebound