DENVER – Upset watch is in full swing again today, as up next for our Sweet 16 of MSU Denver men's basketball teams is an always-intriguing No. 5 vs. No. 12 matchup.
 
Today's game is between the fifth-seeded Final Four team from 2013-14 and the No. 12 seed, the 2008-09 regional qualifiers. Both teams were Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament champions.
 
Since the men's NCAA Division I tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985, the No. 12 seed has a 35.7 percent success rate in knocking off the No. 5. Could it happen in our tournament? Your votes will decide it.
 
Fan voting on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram determines the winner. In Monday's matchup, the No. 13 seed regional qualifiers from 2014-15 upset the No. 4 seed, the 1998-99 national runner-up team with 59.0 percent of the vote. The winner of today's game moves on to an April 1 quarterfinal against the 2014-15 squad.

Today's matchup: The 2013-14 team gave MSU Denver the second of three straight trips to the Elite Eight under Derrick Clark. That 32-2 Roadrunners team played four exhibition games against Division I teams as part of the old NIT Season Tip-Off, going 3-1, with the only loss coming to Rhode Island by three points. Its only regular-season loss was on Nov. 30, at No. 7 Western Washington, and the Roadrunners were 22-0 in league play. MSU Denver lost 71-69 in the national semifinals to eventual national champion Central Missouri on a basket at the buzzer. Five years earlier, Brannon Hays coached the 2008-09 team to records of 27-4 overall and 18-1 in the RMAC. The Roadrunners took a 19-game winning streak into the NCAA Tournament before losing to defending national champion Winona State (Minn.) 60-59 as a potential game-winning shot attempt was blocked and traveling was called when MSU Denver got the offensive rebound. The Roadrunners had led by six points in the second half, but then trailed by seven before nearly forcing overtime.
Who do you like? Vote for your winner today.
 
Voting will be conducted on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and will run from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. The winner will be announced on social media on Wednesday. You can also read about it Wednesday on RoadrunnersAthletics.com, along with the preview of Wednesday's game between the second-seeded 2001-02 national champions and the 15^th-seeded 2000-01 regional qualifiers.

TODAY'S PREVIEW
#5 seed 2013-14 (32-2, national semifinalists) vs. #12 seed 2008-09 (27-4, regional qualifiers)

THE STARTERS
2013-14 (32-2)                     Ht.       Yr.      Pts     Reb    Ast
F—Nicholas Kay                 6-9      Jr.        15.9      7.4     1.9                 
F—Will Sinclair                    6-9      Jr.          4.3      4.1      0.3
G—Jamal McClerkin           6-3      Sr.         7.3       3.1     1.1
G—Mitch McCarron           6-3      Jr.        16.0      7.5     3.9
G—Brandon Jefferson        5-9      Sr.       21.6      3.0     2.4
Off the bench: Harrison Goodrick (6-9, Fr., 5.4 ppg, 3.2 rpg), Raul Delgado (6-2, Sr., 6.1 ppg, 2.0 rpg), Jourdon Hunter (6-1, So., 2.4 ppg, 0.6 rpg).
 
2008-09 (27-4)                        Ht.       Yr.       Pts      Reb    Ast
F—Jesse Wagstaff                  6-8       Sr.      17.8     7.5     1.6
F—Chris Robinson                  6-5       Fr.        6.0      2.5     1.2                 
G—Donte Nicholas                 6-5       So.     10.3      3.6     1.6
G—Brian Minor                       6-3       Jr.        6.0       2.0    2.0
G—Marquise Carrington       5-11     Fr.     13.6      3.0     4.2
Off the bench: Nelson Ekeh (6-6, Jr., 5.9 ppg, 4.0 rpg), Daniel Bass (6-7, Sr., 5.7 ppg, 4.3 rpg), Lawrence Billings (6-8, Sr., 5.3 ppg, 2.1 rpg), Guiseppe Ciancio (6-2, Sr., 2.6 ppg, 1.5 rpg).
 
2013-14: Led by national player of the year Brandon Jefferson, future national player of the year Mitch McCarron and future All-American Nicholas Kay, the 2013-14 Roadrunners showed their mettle right off the bat, going 3-1 win in exhibitions with Division I teams Rhode Island (three-point loss), Fairleigh Dickinson (11-point win), Elon (one-point win) and Canisius (14-point win). Ranked No. 1 in Division II, the Roadrunners lost Nov. 30 at seventh-ranked Western Washington, which earned its 31^st straight home win only after a game-tying 3-point try at the buzzer went off the back of the rim. The Roadrunners were rarely challenged while going 22-0 in the RMAC, with an exception a 57-54 win over No. 11 Colorado School of Mines, when Jefferson put the Roadrunners ahead to stay on a 3 with 35.9 seconds left. The Roadrunners went 4-0 against UCCS and future NBA player Derrick White, including wins the RMAC tournament championship game and in the South Central Regional.

2008-09: The 2008-09 team was led by future long-time professional Jesse Wagstaff, the RMAC Player of the Year who averaged 17.8 points and 7.5 rebounds while earning All-America honors both athletically and academically. Marquise Carrington (13.6 points) and
Donte Nicholas (10.3) also scored in double figures for the Roadrunners, who lost their season opener (at St. Cloud State) and their second RMAC game (at Fort Lewis, on a buzzer-beater) but cruise through the majority of the schedule while going 18-1 in league play. One exception was a buzzer-beating layup by Brian Minor on an assist from Wagstaff to win at Nebraska-Kearney, 64-63. Wagstaff ranks ninth in program history with 1,545 career points and sixth with 750 rebounds. Carrington is 12^th with 1,398 points, sixth with 439 assists and fourth with 171 made 3s.
 
You've got your scouting report, now pick your winner and vote!
 
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
 
FIRST ROUND/SWEET 16
Thursday, March 19: #1 1999-2000 vs. #16 1990-91
Friday, March 20: #8 2011-12 vs. #9 2002-03
Monday, March 23: #4 1998-99 vs. #13 2014-15
Tuesday, March 24: #5 2013-14 vs. #12 2008-09
Wednesday, March 25: #2 2001-02 vs. #15 2000-01
Thursday, March 26: #7 2004-05 vs. #10 1989-90
Friday, March 27: #3 2012-13 vs. #14 1997-98
Monday, March 30: #6 2003-04 vs. #11 2006-07
 
QUARTERFINALS/ELITE 8
Tuesday, March 31: #1 1999-2000 vs. #8 2011-12
Wednesday, April 1: #13 2014-15 vs. March 24 winner
Thursday, April 2: March 25 winner vs. March 26 winner
Friday, April 3: March 27 winner vs. March 30 winner
 
SEMIFINALS/FINAL 4
Monday, April 6: March 31 winner vs. April 1 winner
Tuesday, April 7: April 2 winner vs. April 3 winner
 
CHAMPIONSHIP
Wednesday, April 8: April 6 winner vs. April 7 winner 
 
TOURNAMENT SEEDINGS:

1. 1999-2000 National Champions (33-4 overall/17-2 RMAC/RMAC regular-season and tourney champs). Coached by Mike Dunlap.
2. 2001-02 National Champions (29-6 overall/16-3 RMAC). Dunlap.
3. 2012-13 National Runners-Up (32-3/20-2/RMAC regular-season and tourney champs). Coached by Derrick Clark.
4. 1998-99 National Runners-Up (28-6/15-4/RMAC division and tourney champs). Dunlap.
5. 2013-14 National semifinalists (32-2/22-0/RMAC regular season and tourney champs). Clark.
6. 2003-04 National semifinalists (32-3/19-0/RMAC regular season and tourney champs). Dunlap.
7. 2004-05 Regional champions (29-4/16-3/RMAC regular season and tourney champs). Dunlap.
8. 2011-12 Regional champions (25-7/17-5). Clark.
9. 2002-03 Regional finalists (28-5/16-3/RMAC tourney champs/lost in 2 OT in regional final). Dunlap.
10. 1989-90 Regional finalists (28-4/8-2 GNAC/GNAC regular season champs). Coached by Bob Hull.
11. 2006-07 Regional semifinalists (28-4/17-2 RMAC/RMAC regular season and tourney champs). Coached by Brannon Hays.
12. 2008-09 Regional qualifiers, No. 3 seed (27-4/18-1/RMAC regular season and tourney champs). Hays.
13. 2014-15 Regional qualifiers, No. 2 seed (26-6/19-3/RMAC regular season champs). Clark.
14. 1997-98 Regional qualifiers, No. 4 seed (25-5/16-3/RMAC regular season champs). Dunlap.
15. 2000-01 Regional qualifiers, No. 4 seed (23-7/14-5/RMAC tourney champs). Dunlap.
16. 1990-91 Regional third place, No. 3 seed (23-8/8-2 CAC/CAC regular season champs). Hull.