Box Score DENVER - No. 3 Metro State used a 19-3 run between the first and second half to top Colorado Mines 75-60 at home on Monday night at the Auraria Event Center. The Roadrunners improved to 19-2 overall and 15-2 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.
The game was originally scheduled for Friday, but was postponed due to heavy snow in Denver.
Jasmine Cervantes (Johnstown, Colo./Berthoud H.S.) put together and excellent all-around game for the Roadrunners, finishing with 18 points, 17 rebounds (tying a career high), five steals (tying a season high), three assists and two blocked shots. She made 5-of-9 from the floor and 8-of-11 at the line.
Alyssa Benson (Eden Prairie, Minn./Minnetonka H.S.) poured in 14 points off the bench, burying 4-of-7 from the outside.
Brandi Valencia (Moriarty, N.M./Moriarty H.S.) added nine points,
Desiree Collins (San Jose, Calif./Santa Terese H.S.) had eight (all in the first half), and
Caley Dow (Centennial, Colo./Arapahoe H.S.) scored six with seven rebounds in just 16 minutes. Collins and
Emily Wood (Louisville, Colo./Monarch H.S.) tied Cervantes with a team-high three assists.
The Roadrunners closed the first half on a 16-3 run over the final 7:13 to take a 36-28 lead at the break. Mines had built a five-point lead before the run.
Cervantes was active all over the floor in the first half, leading Metro in four categories including points (8), rebounds (8), steals (4) and assists (2). Collins also had eight points in the first half as Dow was limited to just four points and three rebounds in six minutes with foul trouble.
Though Mines held a rebounding edge early in the half at 6-5, Metro ended up dominating the boards in the first half 24-13 and limited the Orediggers to 37.0 percent shooting.
Brandi Valencia (Moriarty, N.M./Moriarty H.S.) buried a 3-pointer from the top of the key on Metro's first possession of the second half, extending the run to 19-3. The Roadrunners quickly stretched the lead to 13 at 45-32 with 16:03 left.
But the Orediggers fought back with a 13-3 run, cutting the lead to three. The Roadrunners quickly built their lead back to 10 with 10:23 left and 14 with six minutes to go and led by double digits for the final 6:50.
After starting the game 1-for-8, Metro finished 12-of-21 (.571) at the free throw line. The Roadrunners also shot 48.3 percent from the floor and made 7-of-15 from the outside. They enjoyed a 44-30 rebounding margin.
Mines shot just 33.9 percent.
Angie Charchalis led the Orediggers with 16 points, but made just 5-of-15 from the floor. Taylor Helbig had 13 points off the bench, shooting 5-of-10.
The Roadrunners continue their four-game homestand on Friday at home against Chadron State at 5 p.m.
