MSU Denver Athletics

COLORADO SPRINGS - No. 5 University of Colorado Colorado Springs earned its first win in school history over No. 7 Metropolitan State University of Denver, edging the Roadrunners 69-66 in Colorado Springs on Friday night. MSU Denver dropped to 6-2 overall and 1-1 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, while UCCS improved to 9-0 and 3-0. The Roadrunners had won the first 45 meetings between the two schools.
 
It was the first top-10 game between two RMAC opponents since 2004.
 
Nicholas Kay (Tamworth, Australia/Newington College) led MSU Denver with 21 points, shooting 7-of-12 from the floor and 7-of-8 at the free throw line. He added seven rebounds.
 
Mitch McCarron (Brisbane, Australia/Genesis Christian College) recorded a double-double with 19 points and 12 rebounds, sinking 4-of-6 from 3-point range. Dalante Dunklin (San Diego, Calif./Francis W. Parker H.S.) scored 11 points.
 
The Roadrunners went on a 13-3 run late in the second half to break a 17-17 tie. After holding UCCS to two field goals in the final five minutes, MSU Denver went into halftime with a 35-24 lead behind 13 points from Kay. McCarron grabbed nine rebounds to give MSU Denver a 26-to-16 rebounding edge at the break.
 
MSU Denver built a 12-point lead early in the second half, but UCCS used an 18-5 run to take a 51-50 lead on a layup by Derrick White with 7:23 remaining.
 
The Roadrunners recovered and led by four with 3:58 to go after a free throw by Dunklin.
 
White sunk a 3-pointer with 1:30 left, putting UCCS ahead 64-63 and the Mountain Lions led the rest of the game, hitting 5-of-6 at the line in the final minute.
 
They shot 59.1 percent in the second half after a strong MSU Denver defense held them to 32.1 percent in the first half.
 
White finished with a game-high 32 points to go with 11 rebounds, shooting 10-of-17 from the floor and 10-of-12 at the line.
 
MSU Denver will play at CSU-Pueblo on Sunday at 4 p.m.