DENVER – Lock-down defense and clutch shooting lifted MSU Denver to an impressive win Saturday night, as the Roadrunners earned a 75-72 victory over Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference favorite Minnesota State-Mankato.
 
Trailing by four points with 90 seconds left, Mitch Lombard drained a 3-pointer to get the Roadrunners back within one and, after a turnover, Demetrius Jackson's jumper in the lane danced on the rim before falling through to give MSU Denver a 73-72 lead with 43 seconds left.
 
Then Kendall McIntosh erased a shot by Minnesota State's Cameron Kirksey with a monster blocked shot. Maris Colton grabbed the rebound and was fouled, then made two free throws for the three-point margin.
 
But there was still 20 seconds to go.
 
And MSU Denver may have saved its best possession for last.
 
Needing a 3-pointer, the Mavericks were unable to get off a clean look and could manage only a desperation attempt at the buzzer.
 
"The last 20 seconds, they told me how we were going to guard it," Metropolitan State University of Denver coach Michael Bahl said of his players. "I said, 'Whatever you want to do.' Because if you have guys who buy into it, it doesn't matter."
 
A combination of switching on screens and leaving 6-foot-10 Mavericks post Kelby Kramer plenty of space on the perimeter helped MSU Denver, as it wasn't as worried about giving up two points as it was a potential game-tying 3.
 
"Our guys knew what could beat us, and they didn't let it happen," Bahl said. "(Minnesota State) didn't even get a shot off. That last 20 seconds, you could put it on a gosh-dang video and sell it. That's how you play defense to win a game."
 
The victory capped a solid two-win weekend in the Hilton Garden Inn Denver Cherry Creek Classic. On Friday, the Roadrunners shut down high-scoring Eastern New Mexico in an 82-50 win.
 
"Coach has really gotten into us and he's really preaching defense," Jackson said. "Before, we weren't starting off practice with defense, but now the first hour is all defense. Our defense is now leading our offense. Our defense has won us games. He's preaching the right things, and we're listening to him."
 
MSU Denver (3-2) got 18 points, six assists and two steals from Lombard, as well as 14 points from Jackson.
 
Jackson's go-ahead jumper came after Colton had grabbed an offensive rebound and the Roadrunners re-set their offense. The soft 14-footer hit the rim and bounced high before falling through.
 
"(Assistant) coach (John) Bynum had been telling me that, coming off screens, try to get to the paint," Jackson said. "Pull-up jumpers are what I've been doing in practice, and so it was kind of second nature to shoot it.
 
"When it left my hand, I knew it was going to go in … even though it bounced up, I knew it was going in. It was nice to get the shot to roll and to help win the game."
 
Lombard's play was critical all game long as he time and again drove the lane and got under larger defenders, and then was able to somehow get layups to the glass before the shots could be blocked.
 
He had also scored on a layup that had gotten MSU Denver within 69-68 before the Mavericks responded with a dagger of a 3 by Kevin Krieger. But, left alone on the next possession, Lombard calmly drained the 3 that made it a one-point game again at 72-71.
 
"When the going gets tough, you have to have a player step up," Bahl said. "Mitch Lombard comes to the table and … he's not known as a shooter, but he makes plays. He's such a tough guard. His ability to do what he does, bringing confidence and toughness, trickles over to Demetrius Jackson, to Maris (Colton), to everyone."
 
Said Lombard: "I was just trying to make plays. We were working them on the pick-and-roll all game and I knew that it was time to try to make some plays. If the shots weren't there, then my teammates are there, too. It was just a matter of feeling it out and waiting for what was open."
 
Minnesota State, 2-4 against a strong schedule, kept Druce Asah somewhat in check, holding him to 11 points and only one made 3-pointer (on only two attempts). McIntosh had to work for his points 13 points while going 3 for 11 from the field, and he also added six rebounds and two blocked shots. Colton had 10 points and six rebounds.
 
McIntosh and Asah led MSU Denver at the free throw line, connecting on a combined 13 for 14. As a team the Roadrunners were 25 of 28 at the line – their 17-point margin there was the difference on a night when the Mavericks had an advantage in field goal percentage (46.6 percent to 42.0 percent) and had a 12-5 advantage in offensive rebounds as well as 37-26 overall on the boards.
 
"Kendall didn't necessarily shoot well from the field, but that's your 5-man going 7 for 8 at the free throw line," Bahl said. "And what about that block at the end? That's a spectacular defensive play. That's the play that wins the game right there."
 
So, after a disappointing opening weekend in which it lost two games to Lone Star Conference teams (one on a neutral floor, the other a true road game), MSU Denver seems to have righted the ship with a pair of solid home wins.
 
Next up is a Tuesday non-conference affair with Division III Colorado College, and then comes the opening weekend of Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play, with home games Friday against Regis and Saturday against Colorado Christian.