DENVER – As the saying goes, defense wins championships.

In order for that to be true, defense must win individual games, too.

Stingy defense from the Metropolitan State University of Denver women's basketball team led the Roadrunners to a gritty 62-53 victory over Black Hills State on Saturday evening, giving the squad a huge lift after a heartbreaking loss to South Dakota Mines the previous night.

"It was a really great defensive performance," MSU Denver coach Tanya Haave said following the game. "That's what we're going to need the rest of the season. That's got to happen every night and every practice. Defense is working hard and concentrating. That's what I thought was missing last night."

Defense was never lacking from MSU Denver's performance on Saturday, though, as the Roadrunners (9-12, 8-7 and ninth place Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) held the Yellow Jackets (12-8, 9-6 and T-6^th RMAC) to 33.3% shooting from the floor (19 of 57) and 23.8% from long range (5 of 21).

"We needed to defend the 3-point line and we didn't do that very well (Friday)," Haave said when asked about what she told her team following Friday's game.

The Roadrunners responded to her guidance in a total team effort that led to an impressive win over a tough RMAC team. In the process, the Roadrunners blocked eight shots – their most in a single game since March 9, 2012, when MSU Denver had 12 blocks in a 58-47 win over Minnesota-Duluth.

As expected, it was a neck-and-neck first half as Black Hills State took a 31-28 lead into the locker room. The third quarter was no different, as both teams held leads in the period but neither gained an advantage of more than three points. Two of Mariah Schroeder's career-high 16 points came just before the buzzer in the third, cutting the Yellow Jackets' lead to a single point at 46-45.

MSU Denver stepped the intensity up a notch in the final stanza, but especially in the final three and a half minutes.  

With the score knotted at 53 and 3:30 remaining, Jaela Richardson converted on a layup to give MSU Denver a two-point lead. Schroeder scored the next four points, including a 3-point play with 1:54 left that increased the lead to six.

Meanwhile, MSU Denver did exactly what Haave had preached – defend the 3-point line. Black Hills State missed five 3s in the final 3:21, and MSU Denver exited the venerable Auraria Event Center with a 62-53 victory.

While Schroeder was the offensive star on Saturday, Jaela Richardson was rock-solid on defense.

"I just wanted to focus on defense," Richardson said. "That was my biggest goal. I didn't care about anything else."

Well, maybe except getting rebounds on the offensive end, too.

"Getting rebounds, that was one of the biggest emphases tonight – just crash offensively," Richardson said. "If you get it, great. If you don't, keep crashing. That's what I focused on."

The result was a career-high 13 rebounds, which gave Richardson her first career double-double when paired with her 10 points. The rebound total included four offensive boards, and she added two blocks and two steals.  

Asked if she'd rather put up that kind of stat line than a 20-point performance, she had a decisive answer.

"I want to win the game," Richardson said, "regardless of how many points or rebounds I have. I do not care. As long as it says 'Metro wins,' that's all I care about."

Richardson's defensive performance wasn't the only impressive one on Saturday night. Bree Wellington scored 11 points and added five rebounds, but she also swatted away four BHSU shot attempts, a career-high. Jaiden Galloway added 11 points, four assists and three steals.

"We talked a lot about having pride, having pride in yourself, having pride in our program," Haave said. "And then faith. Believing. I think our belief sometimes wanes. Pride and faith. Those were big words tonight for us."

The Roadrunners certainly believe in themselves after a big win on Saturday night, and they will look to keep the momentum going next weekend at home. MSU Denver will host its Play4Kay game for cancer awareness against UCCS on Friday afternoon at 4:30 p.m. before another 4:30 p.m. start vs. Colorado School of Mines on Saturday.