DENVER – For just under 30 minutes, an undermanned MSU Denver women's basketball team played with the lead against the team picked to finish second in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.
But the Roadrunners, with a young roster and only nine players suited up, just couldn't hold on when Western Colorado heated up in the fourth quarter.
The Mountaineers made 7 of 9 from 3-point range in the fourth quarter and outscored MSU Denver 29-9 in the frame for a 67-51 victory in a game that was much closer than the final score indicated.
"We followed the game plan for the most part, but we just hit the wall in the fourth quarter," MSU Denver coach
Tanya Haave said. "All we can do is learn from it. We've got two more home games coming up."
MSU Denver (1-3 overall, 0-2 RMAC), which plays host to Colorado Christian on Tuesday and South Dakota Mines on Thursday before a two-week break, led by 14 points early, holding a 21-7 advantage with eight minutes left in the first half. The Mountaineers struggled mightily, shooting just 2 for 17 (11.8 percent) through the game's first 14 minutes.
Western Colorado (3-0, 2-0) got rolling a little bit from there, but still trailed 30-20 at halftime.
"Our coaches put together and amazing scouting report," senior forward
Allie Navarette said. "We really knew their personnel and it showed. We just went away from the scouting report in the second half. We were sagging off shooters and letting drivers drive. We need to be disciplined and stick to the scouting report."
Western stepped up its full-court pressure in the second half, and forced the Roadrunners into 16 of their 27 turnovers after the break.
"We wanted them to play outside the 3-point line and take some of those jumpers," Haave said. "We took away some of their penetration and they weren't hitting and that's what we wanted. But they got their transition going in the second half and they were catching and shooting and they got their rhythm. We'd taken them out of their rhythm in the first half."
Navarette, the transfer from Hawaii-Hilo who leads active NCAA Division II players in career points, led MSU Denver with 19 points, eight rebounds and three steals while sharing the team-high with three assists and adding two blocked shots.
"She's starting to find her groove, when to drive and when to do other things," Haave said. "She learning the system, learning the players, and the players are learning about her. She's coming into her own."
Morgan Lewis, the All-RMAC honorable mention selection from last season, made her season debut after just two practices and scored eight.
"Great effort," Haave said. "We've put some new offenses in and we're doing some things differently, but she picked it right up. Two practices under her belt, I think she did really well."
