Box Score DENVER - No. 1 Metro State men's basketball took one step closer to the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Shootout title with 83-74 win over Colorado Mesa University in the quarterfinals at Auraria Event Center. The Roadrunners continued their winning streak in the post-season with number 23, the longest active winning streak in Division II. They are 26-1 overall and 23-0 RMAC. CMU ends the season 13-14 overall and 11-12 in the RMAC.

Junior forward/center Nicholas Kay (Tamworth, Australia/Newington College) had 21 total points earning him a spot in the record books for 1,000-point career. Kay was 8-12, shooting 66.7 percent from the floor. Kay also led the team with eight rebounds and was 5-for-6 from the free throw line.

Junior guard Mitch McCarron (Brisbane, Australia/Genesis Christian College) led all scorers with 22 total points, shooting 8-11 from the floor, 2-4 from 3-point range and hit four of his six free throws. McCarron also had eight rebounds and three assists. Senior guard Brandon Jefferson (Flower Mound, Texas/Lewisville H.S.) had 15 points, hitting 8-for-8 from the line. Senior guard Jamal McClerkin (Van Nuys, Calif./Chaminade College Prep) had eight points, two rebounds, and two assists.

The Roadrunners led 30-29 at the end of the first half, which saw nine lead changes. Although CMU led briefly by four points with 13:15 left in the first half, McCarron hit consecutive field goals to take the lead and start an offensive run that lasted until there was 8:16 left in the half, when the Mavericks were able to pull within seven points.

The teams were well matched on both ends of the court. Metro shot 13-33 for 39.4 percent from field goal range, while CMU was 40.6 percent. Metro was 4-13 from the arc, while CMU was 3-13. Metro pressured CMU into four turnovers, while committing five. Metro outrebounded CMU 21-18. McCarron led all scorers the first half with 14 points and CMU's Ryan Stephan put up nine and led all rebounding with five. It was a clean first half with three fouls committed by Metro and none by CMU.

Although CMU tied the game up at 55 with 8:38 left in the game, Metro maintained the lead throughout the second half.

Stephan led CMU with 17 points and eight rebounds, Landon Vermeer had 13 points, and Mike Melillo had 12.

The Roadrunners advance to the semifinals Friday, March 7, hosting the winner of the Fort Lewis College/CSU-Pueblo game at 7:30 p.m.