Where good news shines

Don’t sleep on Carson Johnson.

The Denver Pioneers’ standout sophomore guard was named Summit League peak performer of the week Tuesday after Johnson scored 20-plus points in a pair of wins. DU swept North Dakota and North Dakota State on the road for the first time.

Johnson had 22 points and two assists in a 78-71 upset at North Dakota State, which had been 9-0 in conference play. Then he had 22 points, three rebounds and seven assists as the Pioneers clobbered North Dakota, 98-79.

Johnson has scored 20-plus points in 14 games this season, including six of the last seven. He leads the Pioneers at 19.5 points per game and is one of the nation’s leaders in offensive rating, turnover rate and free-throw percentage, according to Ken Pomeroy’s analytics.

Denver hosts South Dakota State at 7 p.m. Thursday at Hamilton Gym.

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