DENVER – CSU-Pueblo's JaNaiya Davis scored on a tip-in with two seconds left Saturday to send MSU Denver home with a tough loss on Senior Night.
Davis' basket gave the ThunderWolves a 66-65 victory.
"You hurt for your seniors," Metropolitan State University of Denver coach
Tanya Haave said. "I thought we had it."
MSU Denver's
Jaiden Galloway made two free throws with 7.3 seconds left to give the Roadrunners the lead at 65-64.
It capped an intense fourth quarter which started with the Roadrunners trailing 54-47. Fueled by baskets from
Morgan Lewis and
Leya Harvey, MSU Denver put together a quick 10-1 run to start the final period, though, taking a 57-55 lead and ultimately setting up the wild finish.
"It was a great response," Haave said.
Mariah Schroeder's floating left-handed basket gave MSU Denver a 62-60 lead, and then Harvey made a free throw for a 63-60 lead with 1:37 left.
CSU-Pueblo scored the next four points to move back in front with 53.2 seconds to go, and had the ball back before a Davis turnover. MSU Denver set up a play and Galloway was fouled while driving and made the free throws that gave MSU Denver its final lead.
Lewis made 3 of 4 from 3-point range and scored a team-high 15 points, while Galloway had 14 points and eight assists. Schroeder scored 11 and Harvey added 10.
MSU Denver dropped to 12-15 overall and 11-10 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, and the loss means they'll most likely need a win, plus an upset of Fort Lewis by Adams State next Friday, to qualify for the RMAC Tournament.
CSU-Pueblo, which lost on its home floor to the Roadrunners 57-51 on Jan. 17, improved to 7-19 and 6-14.
"They made one more play at the end," Haave said. "That's what it came down to."