Box Score ATLANTA - Metro State's bid for its third NCAA Division II national championship came up just short Sunday in Atlanta as the Roadrunners fell 74-73 to Drury (Mo.). MSU Denver's season ended with a 32-3 record, coming up one win shy of a school record. DU finished 31-4.

The Roadrunners were outscored 7-0 over the final 3:37 after taking a six-point lead on Nicholas Kay (Tamworth, Australia/Newington College)'s jumper with 3:51 left.

Metro State twice missed the front end of a 1-and-1 in the final 25 seconds and Alex Hall sunk two free throws with 22.8 seconds remaining for the final two points of the game. A baseline layup by Metro State's Mitch McCarron (Brisbane, Australia/Genesis Christian College) missed with four seconds left and the Roadrunners were unable to get another shot off before the buzzer.

Hall led all scorers with 21 points, including 14 in the second half to help the Panthers overcome a 12-point halftime deficit.

Brandon Jefferson (Flower Mound, Texas/Lewisville H.S.) led MSU Denver with 19 points and had four points, four rebounds and three assists. McCarron added 16 points and eight rebounds, seven steals and five assists. Jonathan Morse (Boulder, Colo./Fairview H.S.) and Demetrius Miller (Flint, Mich./Flint Central H.S.) each scored 14 and Kay added 10. Morse also had a game-high nine rebounds and Kay had seven rebounds and five steals.

Drury shot 54.2 percent from the floor in the game, including 11-of-19 (.579) from the outside. The Roadrunners made 46.0 percent of their shots.

Jefferson caught fire midway through the first half, sparking a 12-2 run that gave Metro State a 30-19 lead with 7:08 left in the half. He scored eight points on the run, capping it with a 3-pointer in transition.

After a 3-pointer by Drury, the Roadrunners scored nine straight points, capped by a fastbreak, two-handed dunk by McCarron with 2:40 left, giving Metro State a 39-22 lead.

A couple of late baskets by the Panthers cut MSU Denver's lead to 39-27 at the break. The Roadrunners' defense forced 12 turnovers, leading to a 19-2 edge in points off turnovers in the first half. Jefferson led all scorers with 12 points at half. Kay and McCarron each had five steals as well.

Drury opened the second half on a 21-10 run, trimming the lead to one point just five minute into the second half.

The Panthers tied the game on a 3-pointer at 53-53 with 13:29 to play. Jefferson broke the tie with a baseline drive for a layup with 12:11 left.

Alex Hall drilled a long 3-pointer with 9:20 left to give Drury its first lead of the second half at 59-58.

MSU Denver answered with layups by Kay and McCarron and two free throws from Jefferson to quickly get back in front, 64-59 just one minute later.

After Drury tied the game at 64-64, McCarron answered with a 3-pointer from the right corner for a 67-64 lead with six minutes remaining.

The Roadrunners led by six points at 73-67 with 3:51 left after the jumper by Kay, Drury's defense held MSU Denver to 0-for-2 on field goals, 0-for-2 on free throws, and forced two turnovers in the final 3:37.

Metro State will say goodbye to four seniors, including Morse, Miller, Tyler Cooper (Huntington Beach, Calif./Christian Heritage H.S.) and Derrick January (Long Beach, Calif./Dominguez H.S.). Morse finished his career fifth in school history with 1,565 points and first with 1,029 rebounds.