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DENVER - The Metro State women's basketball team topped Nebraska-Kearney 70-57 on Friday at home to improve to 7-0 this season, matching the best start in school history. The Roadrunners also opened the 1991-92 season with seven wins. Friday's win also improved Metro State to 3-0 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, the best start since 2005 in conference play. The Lopers fell to 3-4 overall and 2-1 in the RMAC.
Jasmine Cervantes (Johnstown, Colo./Berthoud H.S.) put together a career night, tying career highs with eight assists and six steals and adding 20 points, coming up just four shy of a career high in that category. It was just the second time in her career she has reached the 20-point mark and she is the first Roadrunner this season to accomplish that. Cervantes also hit 8-of-10 at the line, reaching a career high for free throws made.
Cassondra Bratton (Arvada, Colo./Pomona H.S.) recorded her fourth career double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds, hitting 7-of-11 from the floor. Her 13 rebounds tied a career high and she also had three steals.
Alyssa Benson (Eden Prairie, Minn./Minnetonka H.S.) provided 10 points off the bench, burying 2-of-4 from the outside.
Metro State held UNK under 60 points for the first time this season as the Lopers entered the game leading the conference in scoring. Metro State was actually outshot 45.2 percent to 42.9 percent and allowed the Lopers to hit 6-of-11 from the outside. But Metro State outrebounded UNK 37-26 and forced a season-high 25 turnovers, leading to 31 points off turnovers. Metro State also outscored the Lopers 24-14 in the paint and converted 12 second-chance points.
Nebraska-Kearney held its only lead of the game at 5-4 after a 3-pointer by Kim Rickels, but the Roadrunners responded with an 11-0 run as four different players scored to lead 15-5 with 11:39 left in the first half. The Roadrunners then built a 13-point halftime lead at 36-23 as Cervantes hit 6-of-6 at the line and led both teams with 10 points at halftime. The Roadrunners forced 13 turnovers in the first half and held a 19-to-13 rebounding edge.
Metro State built a 16-point lead at 59-43--its largest of the game--on a jumper by Cervantes with 8:16 to play. An 8-0 Kearney run cut the lead to eight with six minutes left, but Metro State's defense held UNK to just two field goals in the final five minutes of the game.
The Roadrunners will host Chadron State at 5 p.m. on Saturday.
