Grand Junction, Colo.- The Metropolitan State University of Denver men's basketball team defeated Colorado Mesa 81-78 on Saturday, January 6.  The Roadrunners improved to 7-6 overall and 6-1 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.  The Mavericks fell to 6-7 overall and 2-5 in conference play.
 
MSU Denver got off to a great start to begin the first half outscoring the Mavericks 9-2 in the first two minutes.  Senior Shane Fox (Colorado Springs, Colo./Doherty H.S.) had five of the first nine-points. However, Colorado Mesa would score the next five points to cut the Roadrunners lead to two.
 
The Mavericks would explode for a 13-0 run lasting four minutes to take a 20-11 lead over the Roadrunners with 10:46 remaining in the first half. A layup from senior Cameron Williams (Omaha, Nebraska/Omaha South H.S.) would break the Maverick run to cut the lead down to seven.
 
Colorado Mesa continued to put the pressure on the Roadrunners holding MSU Denver to just five points in the following minutes and led by as many as 18, but junior Malik Hart (Denver, CO/Montbello H.S) would score three from behind the arch in the final minutes of the half to cut the Mavericks lead to 11 with just over three minutes left in the half.
 
A final three-pointer in the last seven second of the half from Hart would cut the Mavericks lead to eight heading into halftime with the Mavericks on top The Mavericks ended the half on top of the Roadrunners 43-35.
 
Hart led the Roadrunners at half with 12 points going 4-5 from downtown. The Mavericks shot 61 percent from the field in the first half and held the Roadrunners to 34 percent.
 
Cam Williams would score the first three points to kick off the second half for his team cutting the Mavs lead to five. However, the Mavericks would follow up going on a 7-0 run to regain a 12-point lead.
 
Colorado Mesa continued to put the pressure on the Roadrunner taking a 12-point lead with 12:16 remaining in the game, but the Roadrunners would explode going on a 12-0 run lead by Hart adding two more from behind the arch and tying the game up at 57.
 
The two teams exchanged several from downtown keeping the score close in the following minutes but a 4-0 run from the Roadrunners would secure a three-point lead with 2:14 remaining.
 
Hart would go on to add his seventh three of the night to take a four-point lead with 1:28 remaining.
 
Two made free throws from Cam Williams would extend the lead to six, but the Mavs cut the lead to three with just 22 seconds left.
 
Fox was able to score a wide open layup to keep the lead for the Roadrunners.  The Mavericks were unable to make the comeback with the Roadrunners taking the 81-78 win.
 
Hart led the Roadrunners with a career high 25 points going 7-9 from the three. Senior Peter Møller (Værløse, Denmark/Falkonergårdens Gymnasium) and Cam Williams added 14 points for the Roadrunners.
 
MSU Denver will be back in action next Friday, January 6 at Fort Lewis.