Box Score

Photo Gallery

 Highlight Video and Postgame Interview

DENVER, Colo. - The No. 12 Metro State men's basketball cruised to an 82-51 victory on Saturday at home against South Dakota Mines in its season opener.  SDSMT dropped to 3-5 this season.  The Roadrunners are 20-6 all-time in season-opening games.

Donte Nicholas (Washington, D.C./Oakton H.S.) and Brian Minor (Clovis, Calif./Clovis H.S.) carried the offensive load, with Nicholas scoring a career-high 25 points on 9-of-14 shooting, including four 3-pointers.  Minor dropped 13 points and had seven assists, five steals and four rebounds.  Three others scored in double figures, including freshman Jonathan Morse (Boulder, Colo./Fairview H.S.) and Reggie Evans (Aurora, Colo./Rangeview H.S.) with 11 each and Glenn Miller (Sacramento, Calif./Foothill H.S.) with 10.  Morse also had nine rebounds and two blocked shots, while shooting 5-of-6 from the floor.  Evans had five assists, while Miller added six boards and two steals.

Metro State shot 62.3 (33-for-53) percent from the field, including 54.5 (6-for-11) percent from the outside.  Nineteen steals led to 22 turnovers by the Hardrockers, who shot just 34.7 (17-for-49) from the floor.

The Roadrunners used a pair of 8-0 runs in the first half to take a 39-18 lead into the half as they shot 60.7 (17-for-28) in the first half.  Nicholas led all scorers with 13, while Morse, Evans and Minor each had six at the break.

Evans capped a 7-0 run with a highlight reel dunk on a fast break following a steal by Minor at the 12:40 mark of the second half.  Metro State shot even better in the second half, connecting at a 64.0 (16-for-25) clip, while burying 3-of-4 from the outside.

The Roadrunners will host Johnson & Wales at 5 p.m. on Sunday at the Auraria Event Center.