NCOLO

Denker scores 23, Northern Colorado downs Air Force 71-53

AP
Nov 26, 2025

Air Force Falcons ACADEMY, Colo. (AP) Quinn Denker had 23 points in Northern Colorado Bears's 71-53 win against Air Force on Wednesday.

Denker had eight assists for the Bears (6-1). Brock Wisne added 20 points while shooting 8 of 9 from the field and 3 for 4 from the line and also had eight rebounds. Zack Bloch shot 3 for 8 (3 for 5 from 3-point range) and 2 of 3 from the free-throw line to finish with 11 points, while adding three steals.

Kam Sanders led the Falcons (3-5) in scoring, finishing with 16 points. Wesley Celichowski added 10 points and two blocks for Air Force.

Northern Colorado took the lead for good with 3:53 left in the first half. The score was 28-24 at halftime, with Denker racking up eight points. Northern Colorado pulled away with a 9-0 run in the second half to extend a three-point lead to 12 points. The Bears outscored Air Force by 14 points in the final half, as Denker led the way with a team-high 15 second-half points.

Up next

Both teams next play Saturday. Northern Colorado hosts Regis (CO) and Air Force plays South Dakota.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

1st Half
NCO
Bears
28
AF
Falcons
24

Time		Play	Score
20:00		Ring Nyeri vs. Wesley Celichowski (Falcons gains possession)
19:38		Kam Sanders misses three point jump shot
19:36		Ring Nyeri defensive rebound
19:21	+2	Brock Wisne makes two point layup (Zach Bloch assists)	2-0
18:55	+2	Wesley Celichowski makes two point layup (Ethan Greenberg assists)	2-2
18:40	+2	Quinn Denker makes two point jump shot	4-2
18:25		Wesley Celichowski misses two point jump shot
18:23		Brock Wisne defensive rebound
18:12		Ring Nyeri misses three point jump shot
18:10		Eli Robinson defensive rebound
17:49	+2	Lucas Hobin makes two point jump shot	4-4
17:32	+2	Quinn Denker makes two point layup	6-4
17:09	+2	Wesley Celichowski makes two point layup (Kam Sanders assists)	6-6
16:55		Ring Nyeri turnover (bad pass)
16:19		Kam Sanders misses two point jump shot
16:17		Ring Nyeri defensive rebound
16:12	+3	Zach Bloch makes three point jump shot (Ring Nyeri assists)	9-6
15:41		Lucas Hobin turnover (lost ball) (Zach Bloch steals)
15:23		Ibu Yamazaki turnover (out of bounds)
15:23		TV timeout
15:02		Wesley Celichowski misses three point jump shot
15:00		Ibu Yamazaki defensive rebound
14:50		Wesley Celichowski blocks Egan Shields's two point hook shot
14:48		Bears offensive rebound
14:38		Quinn Denker misses two point jump shot
14:36		A.J. Patterson defensive rebound
14:22		Lucas Hobin misses two point jump shot
14:20		Ibu Yamazaki defensive rebound
14:02		Quinn Denker misses three point jump shot
14:00		Ethan Greenberg defensive rebound
13:43	+2	Wesley Celichowski makes two point layup	9-8
13:27		Ibu Yamazaki misses three point jump shot
13:25		Wesley Celichowski defensive rebound
13:10		Wesley Celichowski misses three point jump shot
13:08		Vincent Delano defensive rebound
12:59		Vincent Delano misses three point jump shot
12:57		A.J. Patterson defensive rebound
12:34	+2	A.J. Patterson makes two point layup	9-10
12:19		Egan Shields misses two point hook shot
12:17		Wesley Celichowski defensive rebound
12:03	+2	A.J. Patterson makes two point dunk	9-12
12:03		Bears 30 second timeout
12:03		TV timeout
11:43		Caleb Walker shooting foul (Brock Wisne draws the foul)
11:43		Brock Wisne misses regular free throw 1 of 2
11:43	+1	Brock Wisne makes regular free throw 2 of 2	10-12
11:33		Ariik Mawien personal foul (A.J. Patterson draws the foul)
11:30		Eli Robinson misses two point hook shot
11:28		Ariik Mawien defensive rebound
11:13	+2	Ring Nyeri makes two point dunk (Ariik Mawien assists)	12-12
10:51		Brock Wisne personal foul (Caleb Walker draws the foul)
10:33	+2	A.J. Patterson makes two point layup	12-14
10:19		Quinn Denker misses three point jump shot
10:17		A.J. Patterson defensive rebound
10:07		A.J. Patterson turnover (bad pass)
9:46		Ariik Mawien turnover (lost ball)
9:22		Ethan Greenberg misses three point jump shot
9:20		Quinn Denker defensive rebound
9:03		Caleb Walker personal foul (Brock Wisne draws the foul)
8:57	+2	Quinn Denker makes two point jump shot	14-14
8:40		Ethan Greenberg misses three point jump shot
8:38		Ring Nyeri defensive rebound
8:35		Kolby Gilles personal foul (Ring Nyeri draws the foul)
8:16		Ibu Yamazaki misses three point jump shot
8:14		Ethan Greenberg defensive rebound
7:46	+2	Wesley Celichowski makes two point layup	14-16
7:20		Zach Bloch misses two point jump shot
7:18		Ethan Greenberg defensive rebound
7:07		Egan Shields personal foul (Wesley Celichowski draws the foul)
7:07		TV timeout
6:52		Ring Nyeri shooting foul (Kolby Gilles draws the foul)
6:52		Kolby Gilles misses regular free throw 1 of 2
6:52		Kolby Gilles misses regular free throw 2 of 2
6:52		Kam Sanders offensive rebound
6:34		Wesley Celichowski misses three point jump shot
6:32		Ethan Greenberg offensive rebound
6:28		Ring Nyeri shooting foul (Lucas Hobin draws the foul)
6:28	+1	Lucas Hobin makes regular free throw 1 of 2	14-17
6:28	+1	Lucas Hobin makes regular free throw 2 of 2	14-18
6:14	+3	Ibu Yamazaki makes three point jump shot (Zach Bloch assists)	17-18
5:47	+2	A.J. Patterson makes two point jump shot	17-20
5:24		Zach Bloch misses two point jump shot
5:22		A.J. Patterson defensive rebound
5:03		Egan Shields personal foul (Wesley Celichowski draws the foul)
4:51		Kam Sanders misses two point jump shot
4:49		Vincent Delano defensive rebound
4:37	+2	Quinn Denker makes two point layup	19-20
4:02		A.J. Patterson misses two point layup
4:02		Falcons turnover (shot clock violation)
3:53		Lucas Hobin shooting foul (Zach Bloch draws the foul)
3:50		TV timeout
3:53	+1	Zach Bloch makes regular free throw 1 of 3	20-20
3:53	+1	Zach Bloch makes regular free throw 2 of 3	21-20
3:53		Zach Bloch misses regular free throw 3 of 3
3:53		A.J. Patterson defensive rebound
3:21		Falcons turnover (shot clock violation)
3:09		Brock Wisne turnover (traveling)
2:45		Caleb Walker misses two point hook shot
2:43		Ibu Yamazaki defensive rebound
2:43		Ethan Greenberg personal foul (Ibu Yamazaki draws the foul)
2:25		Eli Robinson personal foul (Vincent Delano draws the foul)
2:14	+3	Zach Bloch makes three point jump shot (Quinn Denker assists)	24-20
1:47		Eli Robinson misses two point hook shot
1:45		Zach Bloch defensive rebound
1:36	+2	Brock Wisne makes two point layup	26-20
1:22	+2	Caleb Walker makes two point dunk (Eli Robinson assists)	26-22
1:01		Vincent Delano misses three point jump shot
0:59		Falcons defensive rebound
0:46		Eli Robinson turnover (lost ball) (Zach Bloch steals)
0:33		Zach Bloch misses three point jump shot
0:31		Brock Wisne offensive rebound
0:24	+2	Brock Wisne makes two point layup	28-22
0:03	+2	Kam Sanders makes two point jump shot	28-24
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
NCO
Bears
43
AF
Falcons
29

Time		Play	Score
0:00		—
19:40	+2	Wesley Celichowski makes two point layup (Eli Robinson assists)	28-26
19:40		Ring Nyeri shooting foul (Wesley Celichowski draws the foul)
19:40		Wesley Celichowski misses regular free throw 1 of 1
19:40		Ring Nyeri defensive rebound
19:22		Lucas Hobin personal foul
19:17	+3	Quinn Denker makes three point jump shot (Zach Bloch assists)	31-26
18:42		Lucas Hobin misses two point jump shot
18:40		Brock Wisne defensive rebound
18:33	+3	Zach Bloch makes three point jump shot (Quinn Denker assists)	34-26
18:13		Quinn Denker personal foul (Wesley Celichowski draws the foul)
18:02		Ethan Greenberg misses three point jump shot
18:00		Eli Robinson offensive rebound
18:00		Ring Nyeri personal foul (Eli Robinson draws the foul)
18:00	+1	Eli Robinson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	34-27
18:00	+1	Eli Robinson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	34-28
17:39	+2	Brock Wisne makes two point layup (Egan Shields assists)	36-28
17:22		Wesley Celichowski misses three point jump shot
17:20		Egan Shields defensive rebound
17:07		Quinn Denker misses two point layup
17:05		Wesley Celichowski defensive rebound
16:46		Wesley Celichowski turnover (bad pass) (Zach Bloch steals)
16:35		Wesley Celichowski blocks Zach Bloch's two point layup
16:33		Eli Robinson defensive rebound
16:18		Eli Robinson misses two point jump shot
16:16		Wesley Celichowski offensive rebound
16:15		Ibu Yamazaki personal foul (Wesley Celichowski draws the foul)
16:03	+3	Kam Sanders makes three point jump shot (Eli Robinson assists)	36-31
15:45	+2	Brock Wisne makes two point layup	38-31
15:28		Egan Shields shooting foul (Kam Sanders draws the foul)
15:28		TV timeout
15:28	+1	Kam Sanders makes regular free throw 1 of 2	38-32
15:28	+1	Kam Sanders makes regular free throw 2 of 2	38-33
15:19	+2	Egan Shields makes two point layup (Quinn Denker assists)	40-33
15:01		A.J. Patterson misses two point jump shot
14:59		Egan Shields defensive rebound
14:52		Caleb Walker personal foul (Egan Shields draws the foul)
14:49		Vincent Delano turnover (bad pass) (Kam Sanders steals)
14:40	+2	Kam Sanders makes two point layup	40-35
14:22		Brock Wisne misses three point jump shot
14:20		Eli Robinson defensive rebound
14:08	+2	Caleb Walker makes two point layup (Ethan Greenberg assists)	40-37
14:07		Egan Shields shooting foul (Caleb Walker draws the foul)
14:07	+1	Caleb Walker makes regular free throw 1 of 1	40-38
13:57	+2	Brock Wisne makes two point layup (Ibu Yamazaki assists)	42-38
13:37		Eli Robinson turnover (lost ball)
13:29	+3	Quinn Denker makes three point jump shot (Brock Wisne assists)	45-38
13:12	+2	Kam Sanders makes two point layup	45-40
12:57	+3	Quinn Denker makes three point jump shot (Brock Wisne assists)	48-40
12:28	+3	Lucas Hobin makes three point jump shot (Kam Sanders assists)	48-43
12:02		Brock Wisne turnover (bad pass)
11:41	+2	Kam Sanders makes two point layup	48-45
11:22	+3	Vincent Delano makes three point jump shot (Quinn Denker assists)	51-45
10:56	+3	Kam Sanders makes three point jump shot (Kolby Gilles assists)	51-48
10:54		Falcons 30 second timeout
10:54		TV timeout
10:34	+2	Quinn Denker makes two point jump shot	53-48
10:17		Ethan Greenberg turnover (bad pass) (Brock Wisne steals)
10:04	+2	Ariik Mawien makes two point layup (Quinn Denker assists)	55-48
9:50		Ethan Greenberg misses three point jump shot
9:48		Zach Bloch defensive rebound
9:32	+2	Quinn Denker makes two point layup	57-48
9:15		Kolby Gilles misses two point jump shot
9:13		Brock Wisne defensive rebound
9:08		Ethan Greenberg blocks Quinn Denker's three point jump shot
9:04		Kam Sanders defensive rebound
8:52		Brock Wisne personal foul (Kam Sanders draws the foul)
8:52		TV timeout
8:52		Kam Sanders misses regular free throw 1 of 1
8:52		Ibu Yamazaki defensive rebound
8:37		Quinn Denker turnover (lost ball) (Ethan Greenberg steals)
8:21		Ethan Greenberg misses three point jump shot
8:19		Zach Bloch defensive rebound
8:10	+3	Brock Wisne makes three point jump shot (Quinn Denker assists)	60-48
7:49		Eli Robinson misses three point jump shot
7:47		Ibu Yamazaki defensive rebound
7:39		Quinn Denker turnover (bad pass)
7:39		TV timeout
7:12		Brock Wisne shooting foul (Caleb Walker draws the foul)
7:12		Caleb Walker misses regular free throw 1 of 2
7:12	+1	Caleb Walker makes regular free throw 2 of 2	60-49
6:41		Quinn Denker misses three point jump shot
6:39		Falcons defensive rebound
6:29		Kam Sanders misses three point jump shot
6:27		Caleb Walker offensive rebound
6:22	+2	Caleb Walker makes two point layup	60-51
6:07		Ariik Mawien misses two point layup
6:05		A.J. Patterson defensive rebound
5:54		A.J. Patterson turnover (lost ball)
5:43		Quinn Denker misses three point jump shot
5:41		Bears offensive rebound
5:34	+2	Quinn Denker makes two point layup	62-51
5:34		Caleb Walker shooting foul (Quinn Denker draws the foul)
5:34		Quinn Denker misses regular free throw 1 of 1
5:34		Caleb Walker defensive rebound
5:05		Caleb Walker misses two point hook shot
5:03		Brock Wisne defensive rebound
4:48		Eli Robinson shooting foul (Brock Wisne draws the foul)
4:48	+1	Brock Wisne makes regular free throw 1 of 2	63-51
4:48	+1	Brock Wisne makes regular free throw 2 of 2	64-51
4:33		Ariik Mawien personal foul (Ethan Greenberg draws the foul)
4:33		Ethan Greenberg misses regular free throw 1 of 1
4:33		Brock Wisne defensive rebound
4:18		Eli Robinson personal foul (Quinn Denker draws the foul)
4:14	+3	Ibu Yamazaki makes three point jump shot (Quinn Denker assists)	67-51
3:49		Kam Sanders misses two point jump shot
3:47		Eli Robinson offensive rebound
3:47		Eli Robinson turnover (offensive goaltending)
3:47		TV timeout
3:39		Kam Sanders personal foul (Ibu Yamazaki draws the foul)
3:28	+2	Brock Wisne makes two point hook shot	69-51
3:14	+2	Eli Robinson makes two point layup (Caleb Walker assists)	69-53
2:58		Zach Bloch misses three point jump shot
2:56		Kam Sanders defensive rebound
2:47		Kam Sanders misses two point layup
2:45		Ibu Yamazaki defensive rebound
2:38	+2	Ariik Mawien makes two point dunk (Quinn Denker assists)	71-53
2:16		Caleb Walker misses two point jump shot
2:14		Ariik Mawien defensive rebound
1:52		Ibu Yamazaki misses two point layup
1:50		Kam Sanders defensive rebound
1:31		Lucas Hobin misses three point jump shot
1:29		Brock Wisne defensive rebound
1:03		Ariik Mawien misses two point layup
1:01		Kam Sanders defensive rebound
0:49		Lucas Hobin misses three point jump shot
0:47		Ariik Mawien defensive rebound
0:23		Ibu Yamazaki misses three point jump shot
0:21		Brock Wisne offensive rebound
0:00		Bears turnover (shot clock violation)
0:00		End of period

Bears turnover (shot clock violation)