DENVER – In sports, forgetting to have fun is a surefire way to end up in the loss column.

That's why the Metropolitan State University of Denver women's basketball team made it a goal to simply have fun on the court in Friday night's matchup with New Mexico Highlands.

Fun on the court turned into fun in the locker room after the game as the Roadrunners (12-14, 11-9 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) picked up an 82-55 win over the Cowgirls (1-24, 0-20 RMAC) at the Auraria Event Center.

"I think having fun just kind of keeps us together on the court," MSU Denver sophomore guard Jaiden Galloway said after the game. "When we're not having fun and we're just down on ourselves, it shows. Having fun and staying up is what it's all about."

Galloway had fun just the way she likes to, scoring 10 points and dishing out 10 assists to tie a career high. She also had five steals.

"I think it was just fun getting everybody involved and that's what I like doing," Galloway said.

Despite Highlands' 1-23 overall record coming into the game, the Roadrunners knew the Cowgirls could put up quite the fight if they got on a roll. That's why Galloway and company wanted to come out with intensity and energy, and they did just that, leading 27-13 after one quarter.

"If we didn't come out that way, we were going to battle," MSU Denver coach Tanya Haave said. "A team like that, they have nothing to lose. I didn't want them winning their first conference game here on our floor."

That 27-13 lead became a 46-29 advantage at halftime. Leya Harvey led the way in the opening half, tying the best scoring total of her MSU Denver career with a 15-point output in just 10 minutes of floor time in the half. The Roadrunners shot 51.4% from the floor (19 of 37) in the opening 20 minutes.

The Roadrunners put the Cowgirls away in the third, outscoring their opponents 23-13 to go up 69-42 with a quarter to go. MSU Denver preserved that 27-point advantage at the final whistle, securing an 82-55 win.

Bree Wellington, who forms MSU Denver's duo of seniors with Harvey, scored 18 points while grabbing nine boards on Friday. Six of those rebounds were offensive.

Haave not only spoke of Wellington's solid play after the game, but the consistency and toughness she's shown in her four-year career at MSU Denver.

"I really appreciate Bree's loyalty," Haave said.

Wellington, like Galloway, thought Friday night's game was all about having fun.

"We just always talk about having fun," she said. "Right when we got on the court, it was energy, having fun. That was good."

Also scoring in double figures was Morgan Lewis, who made 3 of 6 attempts from deep en route to 15 points. She also grabbed nine rebounds, including four offensive boards. MSU Denver outrebounded New Mexico Highlands 48-25, including 21-5 on the offensive glass.

The 21 offensive rebounds were the most for MSU Denver in over four years. The Roadrunners had 22 offensive boards against Colorado Christian on Jan. 15, 2016.

The win pushes MSU Denver closer to a berth in the RMAC Tournament. The Roadrunners are tied for eighth in the conference and one game out of a tie for sixth with two nights of play remaining. The top eight teams make the tournament.

The Roadrunners will celebrate Harvey and Wellington for Senior Night as they fight for a spot in the conference tournament against CSU-Pueblo tomorrow evening. Tip-off is set for 5 p.m. MST at the Auraria Event Center.