Box Score

  Highlight Video

DENVER, Colo. - Junior Donte Nicholas (Washington, D.C./Oakton H.S.) scored 21 points and had nine rebounds to lead Metro State to a 65-63 victory over Black Hills State (S.D.) on Saturday afternoon in Denver. The Roadrunners improved to 8-2 overall this season, while BHSU fell to 9-5.

Nicholas continued his big weekend by adding five assists, three steals and two blocked shots as he led both teams in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks. He shot 7-of-12 from the floor and 7-of-9 from the line after recording his third career double-double on Friday with 20 points and 11 rebounds in a win over Carroll College (Mont.)

Reggie Evans (Aurora, Colo./Rangeview H.S.) scored 14 points, while Brian Minor (Clovis, Calif./Clovis H.S.) added nine and #A.J. Flournoy# seven.

Metro State shot 50 (24-for-48) percent from the floor and turned the ball over a season-low seven times, but the Yellow Jackets slowed the game down on offense and executed well, shooting 48.8 (21-for-43) percent with just 12 turnovers, the lowest for a Metro State opponent this season.

The Roadrunners got off to an excellent start, leading 13-4 just over four minutes into the contest as they hit five of their first six shots.

BHSU climbed back into the game, cutting the lead to two at 20-18 with nine minutes to play in the half. But a 3-pointer by Tommy Earl (Casper, Wyo./Natrona County H.S.) sparked a 17-4 run over the next six minutes as Nicholas scored eight points. Evans' jumper at the 3:00 mark was the final basket in the first half for Metro State as the Yellow Jackets cut the halftime lead to 37-29.

Metro State built its lead up to 16 points at 51-35 with 13 minutes left on a dunk by Evans on a fastbreak following a defensive rebound by Minor. After a Black Hills timeout, the Yellow Jackets responded with a 22-2 run, including 17 consecutive points to close out the run to take a 57-53 lead with 5:45 to play. BHSU hit 6-of-7 from the field, including four 3-pointers, and 6-of-7 at the line during the run.

The Roadrunners responded with a 6-0 run to take the lead back, started by a 3-point play by Nicholas to get them within one point and a 3-point field goal by Tucker Long (Pocatello, Idaho/Century H.S.) on the next possession.

The Yellow Jackets took a 61-60 lead with 2:36 left, but Jonathan Morse (Boulder, Colo./Fairview H.S.) answered with a layup putting Metro State ahead for good.

Flournoy made a layup with 29 seconds left, and following a BHSU timeout, Clay Pottorff made a quick layup to cut the lead back to one at 64-63 with 13 seconds remaining. Evans hit 1-of-2 at the line leaving BHSU with a chance to tie or take the lead, but Minor blocked Pottorff's layup with six seconds left, grabbed the rebound and evaded defenders for the final seconds as the clock expired.

Pottorff led the Yellow Jackets with 17 points, hitting 3-for-6 from the outside and 4-of-4 at the line. Rob Johnson and Tanner Adler each added 10.

Metro State will be off until New Year's Day when it hosts Western Oregon at 7 p.m. at the Metro/Mines Classic, hosted by Metro State and Colorado Mines.