Denver- The Metropolitan State University of Denver women's basketball team were defeated 70-62 by Colorado Mesa at home on Friday evening.  The Roadrunners fell to 12-6 overall and 8-4 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.  The Mavericks improved to 14-4 overall and 8-4 in conference.
 
The game was slow to get rolling, with just six points being scored in the first six minutes of the quarter.  The Mavericks jumped out to a five-point lead and were able to hold a four-point lead heading into the second quarter on top 12-8.
 
Colorado Mesa extended its lead to seven following a made three on its first possession of the quarter.  Junior Emily Hartegan (Wylie, Texas/Wylie East H.S.) followed up scoring a jumper for the Roadrunners, but the team was then held scoreless for over five minutes while the Mavericks went on a 10-0 run to take a 25-15 lead.
 
Mesa maintained a strong lead heading into half time with a score of 29-16.  The Mavricks held MSU Denver to 20 percent from the field in the first half while shooting 36 percent themselves.  Hartegan led the Roadrunners with six first half points and five boards. Senior Mikala Gordon (Pueblo, Colo./Pueblo H.S.) led the game with seven rebounds.
 
The Roadrunners had a great start to the third quarter outscoring the Mavericks 9-3 in the first three minutes to cut the lead to seven.
 
With just under five minutes remaining in the third, a three from senior J'Nae Squires-Horton (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sand Creek H.S.) would start a strong run for the Roadrunners that lasted three minutes, bringing the score within one at 42-41.
 
The Mavs continued to stay hot from behind the arch and was able to convert several more to finish the quarter.  The score stayed in favor of the Mavericks 55-45 heading into the last quarter of the game.
 
The fourth quarter went back and forth between the two sides but the closest the Roadrunners came was within six several different times in the quarter, however, the Roadrunners were unable to make the comeback.
 
Junior Jaelynn Smith (Denver, Colo./East H.S.) led the Roadrunners with 14 points and seven assists. Gordon finished the night with a game high 13 boards. The Mavericks shot 44 percent from the three and the field in the game while the Roadrunners shot 39 percent from the field. Erin Reichle and Jaylyn Duran of Colorado Mesa combined for 48 of the Mavericks 70 points.
 
The Roadrunners will return home to the Auraria Event Center on Saturday to take on Western State at 5 p.m.