DENVER - No. 3 Metropolitan State University of Denver earned an 80-67 win over Arkansas-Fort Smith on Saturday night at the Auraria Event Center. The Roadrunners improved to 2-0 overall, while UAFS dropped to 0-2.
 
Nicholas Kay (Tamworth, Australia/Newington College) scored a career-high 33 points, hitting 12-of-21 from the floor and 8-of-9 at the free throw line. He also had four rebounds and three steals. Mitch McCarron (Brisbane, Australia/Genesis Christian College) scored 22 points and had seven assists. Jourdon Hunter (Denver, Colo./Kennedy H.S.) buried 3-of-5 from the outside and had 12 points and four assists.
 
The Roadrunners shot 53 percent from the floor and committed just nine turnovers, while forcing 17 on the Lions. They also outrebounded UAFS 32-to-29.
 
MSU Denver jumped out to a 14-2 lead to start the game and later used an 18-2 run midway through the half to lead 34-14 with 4:57 remaining in the half. The Roadrunners took a 40-26 lead into the break behind 20 points from Kay.
 
The Lions cut MSU Denver's lead to four points with under nine minutes remaining in the game, but a 10-0 run quickly stretched the lead back to double digits behind a pair of 3-pointers from Hunter.
 
The Roadrunners will host South Dakota School of Mines on Friday at 7 p.m.