STANFORD, Calif. -- Anthony Brown came off the bench to score 17 points, leading Stanford to a come-from-behind 49-43 victory over Denver on Saturday.
Stefan Nastic and Chasson Randle scored all nine points during a run in the final 3:28 to put Stanford (5-2) ahead to stay. The Cardinal survived their worst shooting game of the season as Randle, who was 5 of 5 from the foul line, and Nastic combined for a 6-of-24 effort from the floor.
Marcus Byrd scored 11 points to lead the Pioneers (4-5), who lost two straight for the first time this season.
Robert Cartwright gave the Cardinal their first lead of the game, hitting a 3-pointer with 8:15 left to play. Brown extended the lead with a layup.
Jalen Love and Byrd hit consecutive 3-pointers to help Denver regain the lead, setting up the final minutes.
The Pioneers sprinted to a 13-2 lead, led by Byrd's eight points, before Stanford rallied to tie the game at 15, sparked by a pair of Brown 3-pointers.
Denver pushed its lead to 25-15, with Nate Engesser and Brett Olson scoring all 10 points, before Rosco Allen hit a pair of free throws in the final minute to draw the Cardinal within 25-17 at halftime.
Denver: The 17 points allowed by Denver in the first half were the second-fewest it had allowed in a half this season. The Pioneers held Idaho State to nine second-half points on Nov. 16. . Denver does not have a player from California, nor does Stanford have a player from Colorado.
Stanford: The Cardinal were held to their lowest first-half point total of the season. . Cardinal seniors Anthony Brown, Stefan Nastic and Chasson Randle are each working toward a master's degree this year. . Stanford shot a season-low 27.3 percent in the first half.
Denver returns home to host Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Wednesday to kick off a six-game homestand.
Stanford hosts Loyola Marymount on Wednesday. The Cardinal are 5-0 against the Lions, though the teams have not met since Dec. 21, 1984.
