Complete Notes (PDF) (print version)

Complete Notes (PDF) (web version)

No. 3 Metro State will host Colorado Mesa on Friday and Western State on Saturday. Both games start at 7 p.m. Friday's game will be broadcast on Mile High Sports Radio in Denver.

Notes:
RECENT NOTES
•    Metro State has won 11 straight games, outscoring opponents by 19.8 points per game during that streak.
•    The team's 86-75 win over No. 11 Colorado Mines on Jan. 11 was its first over a ranked team since defeating No. 1 West Liberty (W.Va.) in the Final Four last season.
•    Brandon Jefferson (Flower Mound, Texas/Lewisville H.S.) was named RMAC offensive player of the week on Jan. 13 after averaging 33.0 points and 4.5 assists, while shooting 55.6 percent from the floor, 9-of-16 (.563) from 3-point range and 27-of-28 (.964) at the free throw line in wins over Colorado Christian and No. 11 Colorado Mines.
•    Jefferson has currently made 34 free throws in a row, a school record, and made 23 consecutive free throws from Dec. 7 to Dec. 21.
•    Jefferson came within six points of the MSU single-game scoring record, totaling a career-high 34 points vs. CCU on Jan. 10.
•    Jefferson had 32 points and broke the school record for free throws in a game (19) on Jan. 11 vs. No. 11 CSM.
•    Over the past four games, Jefferson has scored 30+ points three times and is averaging 28.8 points and 4.8 rebounds, while shooting 15-of-23 (.652) from 3-point range and 42-of-43 (.977) at the free throw line.
•    Jefferson earned RMAC defensive player of the week on Dec. 9 after tying a career high with six steals at Regis.
•    Mitch McCarron (Brisbane, Australia/Genesis Christian College) shot 65 percent (including 3-of-5 from the outside) and led the team in scoring with 17.0 points per game in two games Jan. 3-4 in New Mexico.
•    Nicholas Kay (Tamworth, Australia/Newington College) hit 3-of-5 from the outside and shot 50 percent overall, averaging 13.5 points in two games Jan. 3-4.
•    Kay was named RMAC defensive player of the week on Dec. 23 after seven steals and two blocks at BHSU and CSC.
•    Kay also won the award on Dec. 2.
•    Kay averaged 16.0 points and 11.0 rebounds with a pair of double-doubles Jan. 17-18 at Adams State and Fort Lewis.
•    Jourdon Hunter (Denver, Colo./Kennedy H.S.) broke into the rotation on Dec. 14 and has averaged 5.8 points and shot 12-of-21 (.571) from the outside during the past nine games.
•    Jamal McClerkin (Van Nuys, Calif./Chaminade College Prep) scored a career-high 15 points and hit a career-high three 3-pointers at Fort Lewis on Jan. 18.
•    Metro State suffered its first regular-season, non-conference loss since 2010 (Central Washington), 72-69 at No. 7 Western Washington on Nov. 30.
•    The Roadrunners rebounded from the loss with a 71-55 win on the road at Regis on Dec. 7.
•    Metro State lost the turnover battle 11-to-10 at WWU, just the second time since 2011-12 the Roadrunners have lost the turnover battle in a game.
•    The game at Western Washington was Metro State's fourth game in six days and eighth in 16 days (including exhibitions).
•    Metro State played its first home game of the season on Dec. 13 vs. UC-Colorado Springs after five regular season and four exhibition games on the road.

GETTING IT DONE IN THE CLASSROOM
•    Mitch McCarron (Brisbane, Australia/Genesis Christian College) became the second men's basketball player in RMAC history to repeat as the RMAC academic player of the year.
•    Former Roadrunner Jesse Wagstaff (2008 and 2009) was the only previous player to win the award two times.
•    Current assistant coach and former player Jonathan Morse (Boulder, Colo./Fairview H.S.) won the award in 2012, giving Metro State three straight RMAC academic players of the year and five in the eight-year history of the award.
•    Nicholas Kay (Tamworth, Australia/Newington College) joined McCarron as first team academic all-RMAC and Eric Rayer (Colorado Springs/Coronado H.S.) was named to the honor roll.
•    McCarron has a 3.87 GPA; Kay has a 3.91 GPA; Rayer is a 3.52 GPA.
•    In addition, McCarron was named RMAC academic player of the year, the fifth time in the award's eight years a Metro State player has earned it. Here is a listing of the RMAC academic player of the year each season:
    2006-07: Patrick Hannaway, UC-Colorado Springs
    2007-08: Jesse Wagstaff, Metro State
    2008-09: Jesse Wagstaff, Metro State
    2009-10: Josiah Parker, Nebraska-Kearney
    2010-11: Matt Morris, Fort Lewis
    2011-12: Jonathan Morse (Boulder, Colo./Fairview H.S.), Metro State
    2012-13: Mitch McCarron (Brisbane, Australia/Genesis Christian College), Metro State
    2013-14, Mitch McCarron (Brisbane, Australia/Genesis Christian College), Metro State

METRO STATE MAKES HISTORY IN NIT SEASON TIP-OFF
•    Metro State was one of two NCAA Division II teams (Stillman the other) selected for the NIT Season Tip-Off.
•    Last season, Alabama-Huntsville was the first-ever Division II team to play in the NIT Season Tip-Off.
•    UAH upset North Texas 78-75 in the first round, but lost 87-26 to Kansas State, 71-69 to Cleveland State and 68-54 to Bowling Green.
•    Metro State's four games this season were all exhibitions.
•    Metro State went 3-1 against the Division I teams in the NIT Season Tip-Off.
•    The Roadrunners became the first Division II team ever to win two games at the NIT Season Tip-Off, edging host Elon 75-74 on Nov. 25.
•    Metro State also earned an 83-69 win over Canisius on Nov. 26 to finish the tournament with three straight wins vs. Division I teams.
•    Through the end of the tournament on Nov. 26, non-Division I teams had a 6-205 (.028) record vs. Division I teams this season (Metro State had three of those wins).
•    Mitch McCarron (Brisbane, Australia/Genesis Christian College) was the tournament's leader in scoring (27.5), rebounding (9.3), field goal percentage (.727) and field goals (40) in the NIT Season Tip-Off (Metro State NIT statistics on Page 40).
•    Had Metro State knocked off Rhode Island (66-63 loss) in the first round, it would have faced Arizona in the quarterfinals.

JEFFERSON AND KAY NAMED ALL-TOURNAMENT
•    Brandon Jefferson (Flower Mound, Texas/Lewisville H.S.) was named Al Kaly Classic most valuable player after averaging 19.0 points in the season's two opening games in Pueblo, Colo.
•    Nicholas Kay (Tamworth, Australia/Newington College) was also named all-tournament and averaged 19.0 points as well.

HIGH EXPECTATIONS IN 2013-14
• Metro State was ranked No. 1 in the NABC and Division II Bulletin preseason top-25 polls, and No. 2 in the Sporting News preseason poll.
• MSU was also the preseason favorite to win the RMAC in the coaches poll and has three preseason all-RMAC players.
•    Brandon Jefferson (Flower Mound, Texas/Lewisville H.S.) is the RMAC preseason player of the year.
•    Jefferson and Mitch McCarron (Brisbane, Australia/Genesis Christian College) were both named preseason All-America by Sporting News.