NEW ORLEANS - The IUPUI basketball team dropped the opener of the Big Easy Classic on Wednesday night (Nov. 23) to a hot shooting Denver squad, 86-64. Denver shot 64 percent from the field and put five players in double-digits in rolling past the Jaguars. 

Sophomore Jlynn Counter tallied a team-high 16 points and graduate transfer Chris Osten recorded his second double-double of the season with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Junior Bryce Monroe made his first start with the Jaguars and finished with 10 points in a team-high 32 minutes. 

IUPUI shot 44 percent from the field, but struggled from three-point range, connecting on just 3-of-16 (18.8 percent) attempts. 

"I thought we played with better pace offensively. We took care of the ball and got some good, clean looks tonight," head coach Matt Crenshaw said. "I'd like to see us shoot the ball with more confidence, but guys are still getting used to playing with one another. 

"This is the first time we've had a healthy Bryce and he's trying to figure out how to play with the other guys. It's still a work in progress, but today was a step forward for us offensively."

IUPUI (1-4) started well offensively, but was unable to string together stops against the Pioneers (3-1). The score was tied at 14 all after Osten scored in close at the 14:24 mark of the first half, but Denver fired off a 9-2 burst to seize a seven-point lead. Later, eight straight Denver points pushed the lead out to 14 late in the first half and took a 46-34 lead into halftime. 

IUPUI snuck within nine at 56-47 with 14:40 remaining when Counter leaked out and scored in transition. However, Denver retaliated with three consecutive threes to double its lead and never looked back. 

While Denver shot 64 percent from the floor, the Pioneers also outscored the Jags 25-9 from the foul line as IUPUI was whistled for 21 fouls and drew just 14. 

Counter hit 7-of-13 shots for his 16 points while Osten was an efficient 7-of-9 shooting in a return to his home state. Monroe hit just 4-of-13 from the floor and made one of the team's three threes. Junior John Egbuta had eight points and a pair of boards and Vincent Brady II closed with seven points. 

Tevin Smith led Denver with 19 points on 6-of-8 shooting and Touko Tainamo had a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Tyree Corbett also had a double-double for the Pios with 12 points and 10 rebounds off the Denver bench. 

IUPUI will return to action on Thanksgiving Day when the Jaguars play host New Orleans at 3:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN+.