DENVER – Metropolitan State University of Denver freshman guard Jaiden Galloway (Aurora, Colo./Grandview) has only seven collegiate games under her belt. Regis guard Majestie Robinson is closing in on a hundred. Experience-wise, they're in different stratospheres.

When they shared the court Friday night at Regis Fieldhouse, however, Galloway showed why MSU Denver head coach Tanya Haave not only recently whisked her into the starting lineup, but also tasked her with shutting down Regis' star senior.

Galloway led a stellar defensive effort by MSU Denver, holding Robinson to 4 of 15 shooting and grabbing three steals as the Roadrunners (3-4, 2-0 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) limited Regis (4-3, 0-2 RMAC) to a 26.9 percent shooting performance in a 58-50 win on Friday.

"I told (Galloway) from Wednesday on, 'you are going to meet (Robinson) at the front door and you are going to be on her all night," Haave said. "That's the great thing about it, she's not afraid of the moment for a freshman."

Galloway knows defense is her strength, and has been a key cog in MSU Denver's defensive effort all season. Friday evening, that effort came up big as the Roadrunners put together their most complete game of the season thus far.

"I take a lot of pride in defense," Galloway said. "It just makes the difference in the game sometimes and it really takes the momentum from the other team."

Regis never had momentum Friday, struggling to score for the entire game. A physical battle ensued early as both teams were sluggish on offense in the first quarter, and MSU Denver came away from the first period with an 11-7 lead.

Jaelynn Smith (Denver, Colo./East) keyed a big second quarter for the Roadrunners, getting the offense going by scoring seven straight MSU Denver points thanks to two old-fashioned three-point plays and an additional free throw. The second and-one layup sparked a 12-4 MSU Denver run over 2:27 that put the Roadrunners up 30-22 with 1:27 remaining in the half. Heading to the locker room, the Red & Blue held on to a 30-24 lead.

Regis battled back in a low-scoring third quarter, cutting the lead to four points at 38-34. The Roadrunners responded with an offensive explosion in the final 10 minutes, going 8 of 14 (57.1%) in the final period to seal a hard-earned victory.

"It was a huge win for us, especially on the road," Haave said. "They are the crosstown rival. Our defending and our rebounding was absolutely the key to the game tonight."

As the strong MSU Denver defense forced Regis into a perimeter-only offense, the Rangers took 27 3-point attempts and missed all but five for a meager 18.5 percent from deep.

Smith ended up with a game-high 19 points and a season-high nine rebounds, leading the team with five assists to boot. Adding two steals for good measure, Smith's +11 plus-minus mark made her the most effective player on the floor Friday evening.

Senior guard Jonalyn Wittwer (Fall Creek, Wis./Fall Creek) added 13 points for the Roadrunners, connecting on four of her eight attempts from long range. Emily Hartegan (Wylie, Texas/Wylie East) added nine points and six rebounds for the Roadrunners, who will stay close to home with a 5 p.m. game at Colorado Christian on Saturday.