Box Score

Photo Gallery

Highlight Video

DENVER, Colo. - The No. 17 Metro State men's basketball team opened the conference season with a 70-65 win over Fort Lewis on Friday night.  The Roadrunners improved to 4-1 overall, while the Skyhawks fell to 4-1.

Brian Minor (Clovis, Calif./Clovis H.S.) netted a career-high 22 points, hitting 8-of-13 from the field, and added a pair of momentum changing dunks as he scored 13 second-half points.  He led four players scoring in double figures, including #A.J. Flournoy#'s 14 points, Reggie Evans (Aurora, Colo./Rangeview H.S.) with 12 and Donte Nicholas (Washington, D.C./Oakton H.S.) with 11.  Jonathan Morse (Boulder, Colo./Fairview H.S.) pulled down 10 rebounds and added six points.  Nicholas had a team-high three assists, while Flournoy had four steals.

Fort Lewis jumped out to a 14-5 lead just five minutes into the game.  But a 3-pointer by Minor sparked a 12-0 run as the Roadrunners took a 17-14 lead with nine minutes left in the first half.

Metro State used another big run, scoring 13 points in a row to take a 34-22 lead with under a minute left in the half and went into the break leading 34-24.

The Skyhawks opened the second half on a 22-9 run and led 46-43 after a 3-pointer by David Kanyinda with 10 minutes left in the game.  They built their lead to five as Daniel Steffensen buried a 3-pointer with 8:21 left to put FLC ahead 52-47.

A dunk by Minor with 7:45 left cut the lead to 54-52.  Minor's second dunk came on a fastbreak after a Flournoy steal that broke a 60-all tie with 4:32 to play.  The senior guard soared over a Skyhawk defender and drew the foul and converted the 3-point play to put Metro State ahead 63-60, a lead it would not give up, and spark a 6-0 run.

Metro State was outrebounded 46-38 in the game, but forced 15 turnovers.  FLC converted just 10-of-23 (43.5 percent) at the free throw line, while the Roadrunners made 21-of-30 (70.0 percent).

DeAndre Lansdowne led Fort Lewis with 19 points, while Matt Morris added 14 points and 11 rebounds.

Metro State will host Adams State on Saturday at 3 p.m.  The game will be broadcast live on Mile High Sports radio at 1510 AM.