After a 15-17 record in the 2022-2023 season, Head Coach Jeff Wulbrun and the rest of the Denver men’s basketball team are excited to keep improving this upcoming season.  

With the season tipping off on Nov. 6 at UC San Diego, the team looks to build off its best season in five years. According to the preseason rankings, DU is projected to finish seventh in the conference. 

“At the end of the season last year we had an evaluation and where we needed to improve,” said Head Coach Wulbrun. “We decided that the areas we needed to improve were our three-point shooting, ball dribbling and passing. Last year the team averaged only a 32% three-point percentage which was 7th in the summit conference, and averaged only 14 turnovers per game which was 1st in the summit.

The leader of the improving program: fifth-year guard Tommy Bruner, who was named to the Summit League All Newcomer Team after last year’s season. Coach Wulbrun has high expectations for his starting point guard. 

“He could be a potential candidate for player of the year,” Wulbrun said. “He’s really making a difference on our team. He makes everyone else better by being around him.”  

Bruner likes the individual hype surrounding him this season, but in the end understands that basketball is a team sport. 

“I am scoring a lot of points, but I’m gonna get my guys into it. All of my guys can really shoot it well,” he said.  “The thing that has impressed me the most through practices has been our camaraderie. … We fight together as a team, not 15 individuals.”

Transfer guard Jaxon Brenchley could be another key player for the Crimson and Gold this winter. 

He was the No. 3 recruit in the nation coming out of high school according to ESPN. He played at Utah for four years before coming to DU as a 25-year-old fifth-year. 

“I am hoping to have a big role contributing to this team’s success. I don’t care if it’s scoring, rebounding, passing or anything. I just wanna win,” he said. 

Brenchley missed out on the NCAA tournament for the past four years, so he is hoping to satisfy his goal to make it this year. 

“Jaxon is a really experienced, savvy player,” Wubrun said. He does a lot of things at a high level; he takes good shots, he’s a good defender, he’s had more life experience than everyone else, he’s older and a great leader. ” 

Overall, Coach Wulbrun is happy with the team he’s going into the season with. 

“We play well together. Unselfish—we make the extra pass. We are strong on the defensive side, and they really push each other at practice. I am really excited for the season to start,” he said. 

With new and key players coming back for the 2023-2024 season the future looks bright for DU Men’s Basketball. 

“Watch out for Denver this year,” Brenchley said.