Box Score

MANKATO, Minn. - Metro State's men's basketball team made 9-of-10 at the line in the final 1:11 to beat No. 18 University of Mary (N.D.) 78-73 on Saturday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Mankato, Minn.  It was Metro State's first postseason victory since 2007 as the Roadrunners improved to 22-7 this year.  Mary fell to 23-6.

It was Metro State's first win over a nationally-ranked opponent since defeating No. 22 South Dakota 89-84 in 2005 at the regional tournament.

Quaran Johnson (Philadelphia, Pa./Friends' Central H.S.) scored on a layup with 22 seconds left in the first half to give the Roadrunners a 39-38 lead heading into the break.

They stretched the lead to seven points early in the second half, but the Marauders rallied to tie the game at 53-53 with 11:39 left.

The score was still tied at 61-61 with five minutes left before Jonathan Morse (Boulder, Colo./Fairview H.S.) scored consecutive layups to put Metro State in front for good.

#A.J. Flournoy# made two free throws with 1:11 left to give Metro State a seven-point lead at 71-64.  He ended up making 5-of-6 at the line in the final 91 seconds and Reggie Evans (Aurora, Colo./Rangeview H.S.) and Johnson each made 2-of-2.

Evans finished with a team-high 25 points on 10-of-19 shooting and grabbed 12 rebounds and had three assists.

Flournoy (14) and Morse (12) also finished in double figures in scoring.  Flournoy also had nine rebounds and a career-high nine assists.

Johnson and Brandon Jefferson (Flower Mound, Texas/Lewisville H.S.) each scored nine points.  Jefferson hit 3-of-6 from the outside.

Metro State shot 50.9 percent in the game and committed just eight turnovers.

The Roadrunners will face top-seed and eighth-ranked Minnesota State at 7:30 p.m. (CDT) on Sunday.