Box Score LOUISVILLE, Ky. - No. 3 Metro State outscored Franklin Pierce (N.H.) 16-2 over the final four minutes to overcome a one-point deficit for a 78-65 win in the NCAA Division II Elite Eight quarterfinals on Thursday at Freedom Hall in Louisville, Ky. The Roadrunners improved to 31-2 overall this season, while the Ravens ended their season at 24-9.

It will be MSU Denver's first trip to the semifinals since 2004.

Metro State overcame a poor shooting day by committing just five turnovers, while forcing 14 to outscore FPU 18-3 on points off turnovers. MSU Denver shot 41.2 percent from the floor and just 6-of-18 (.333) from the outside.

Sophomore Nicholas Kay (Tamworth, Australia/Newington College) led all scorers with 19 points, the third time in the past four games he has tied a season high with 19. He also had a career-high 13 rebounds for his fifth career double-double.

Brandon Jefferson (Flower Mound, Texas/Lewisville H.S.) and Mitch McCarron (Brisbane, Australia/Genesis Christian College) provided 16 points each, both shooting 6-of-14 from the floor. Jefferson added eight rebounds, five assists and three steals and McCarron had six rebounds and three assists.

Jonathan Morse (Boulder, Colo./Fairview H.S.) provided 10 points and four rebounds despite shooting just 3-of-10 from the floor. He scored eight of his points during a five-minute stretch during the second half after getting into foul trouble early.

Demetrius Miller (Flint, Mich./Flint Central H.S.) scored nine and Tyler Cooper (Huntington Beach, Calif./Christian Heritage H.S.) scored a season-high eight points off the bench.

Metro State shot just 38.9 percent in the first half, but led 35-30 at the break after forcing seven turnovers, leading to an 11-2 points off turnovers advantage.

MSU Denver led by as many as seven points at 22-15 with 9:22 left in the half before a 7-0 Ravens run tied it at 22-22 with 6:21 to go. The Roadrunners went over four minutes without a field goal before Cooper's second 3-pointer of the first half ended the drought for a 27-24 lead with 4:57 remaining before half. Metro State scored two baskets in the final 1:25 and held FPU scoreless during the time to pull away.

McCarron led all scorers with 11 points at halftime on 5-of-8 shooting. Cooper and Kay had eight each.

The Roadrunners jumped out to a 42-34 lead three minutes into the second half, but FPU fought back and slowly clawed back, taking its first and only lead of the second half at 63-62 with 5:08 left after back-to-back 3-point field goals.

MSU Denver answered with six straight points, starting on a layup by Kay and a step-back jumper by Jefferson to take a 66-63 lead.

After both teams traded baskets, McCarron buried a 3-pointer from the right corner for a 73-65 lead, with just 1:21 remaining on the clock. The lead was stretched to 11 after two free throws from McCarron and one from Kay with just over a minute left. A basket by Kay in the final minute provided the last score of the contest.

Metro State will face the winner of No. 1 West Liberty (W.Va.) and Winona State (Minn.) at noon ET on Saturday. That game will be televised live at 10 a.m. MT on Altitude.