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Northern Colorado’s Quinn Denker adds Big Sky award as Bears continue to roll | Colorado Sunshine

By December 2, 2025 | updated 6 days ago

Northern Colorado guard Quinn Denker (5) puts up a shot over Montana forward Te'Jon Sawyer,left and guard Austin Patterson, right, during an NCAA college basketball game in the championship of the Big Sky tournament, Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in Boise, Idaho. (AP Photo/Steve Conner)

Where good news shines

Death, taxes, Northern Colorado has another NCAA Tournament contender.

Bears guard Quinn Denker was named Big Sky men’s basketball player of the week Tuesday after the graduate student scored 38 points to go with 13 assists and 68.7% shooting in wins over Air Force (71-53) and Regis (104-63). 

Northern Colorado is 7-1, the program’s best start since the 2018-19 season. The Bears’ only loss came on a buzzer beater in a 73-72 defeat to St. Thomas at the Portland Invitational. UNC is the highest-rated team in the Big Sky.

A 6-foot-3 guard from San Jose, Calif., Denker won the Big Sky award for the second straight week. His 6.5 assists per game lead the conference and his 18.3 points per game are second in the league. 

Northern Colorado plays at Omaha at 6 p.m. Wednesday. The Bears still have road games at Texas Tech (Dec. 16) and Colorado (Dec. 28) on their nonconference schedule.

(“Colorado Sunshine” celebrates the good news in sports. Suggestions are encouraged through sports editor Paul Klee at paul.klee@gazette.com.)

Paul Klee

Reporter

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