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MSU Denver March Madness Final Four, April 6, 2020, No. 1 seed 1999-00 vs. No. 5 seed 2013-14

Men's Basketball by Rob White

Final Four: #1 1999-2000 vs. #5 2013-14

First Roadrunners national title team faces squad that lost to eventual champs at the buzzer in the Final Four

DENVER – It's Final Four time.
 
While fans might have expected to see the NCAA Division I men's basketball game tonight, we've got some high-level basketball to consider as our Sweet 16 of the best men's basketball teams in MSU Denver history has been trimmed to four.
 
Fan voting determines the winners, with our semifinals set for today and Tuesday, and the championship game set for Wednesday.
 
Our first semifinal, to be voted upon today, is between our No. 1 seed, the 1999-2000 Division II national champions, and the No. 5 seed, the 2013-14 national semifinalists.
 
On Friday, the No. 3 seed national runner-up from 2012-13 grabbed the final spot in our Final Four by earning 66.7 percent of the votes across all platforms in a win over the No. 6 seed national semifinalists from 2003-04, advancing to a Tuesday semifinal.
 
But first comes today's semifinal. The majority of the 1999-2000 title team played in the national championship game for a second straight season, getting revenge against Kentucky Wesleyan in the championship rematch. The 2013-14 went 3-1 in exhibitions against Division I teams, lost only one regular season game, and fell to eventual national champions Central Missouri on a basket in the closing seconds.
 
Who do you like in this one? Check out the scouting report and then 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 Tuesday. You can also read about it Tuesday on RoadrunnersAthletics.com, along with the preview of Tuesday's second Final Four game.
 
TODAY'S PREVIEW
#1 seed 1999-2000 (33-4, national champions) vs. #5 seed 2013-14 (32-2, national semifinalists)
 
THE STARTERS
1999-2000 (33-4)                    Ht.       Yr.        Pts       Reb      Ast
F—Lee Barlow                       6-9       Sr.        14.6     5.5      2.2                 
F—Michael Alcock                  6-6       Sr.        4.6      4.9      2.1
C—Kane Oakley                     6-8       Jr.        7.8      4.2      0.8
G—John Bynum                     6-3       Sr.        12.8     4.3      1.9
G—DeMarcos Anzures              6-0       Sr.        18.3     2.3      2.8
Off the bench: Rashawn Fulcher (6-3, Jr., 8.4 ppg, 3.5 rpg), Shane Ah Matt (5-11, So., 6.2 ppg), Jason Johnson (6-10, Sr., 13.1 ppg, 4.4 rpg).
 
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).
 
THE DETAILS
1999-2000: After reaching the national championship game to cap the 1998-99 season, the Roadrunners opened the 1999-2000 season ranked No. 1 in the country. They lost their first two games against ranked teams, then went 33-2 the rest of the way and earned the program's first national title in Mike Dunlap's third season as head coach. The Roadrunners were led by All-Americans DeMarcos Anzures, who is still the program's all-time leading scorer (2,116 points), and Lee Barlow, who was the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference's Player of the Year. After losing those first two games by a combined total of four points, MSU Denver went on a 13-game winning streak to get back on track. After a loss at Chadron State, another seven-game winning streak ensued before a big loss against Fort Hays State (Kan.) on Feb. 12. The Roadrunners didn't lose another game. MSU Denver was riding an 11-game winning streak when it got to the title game for a rematch with Kentucky Wesleyan. The Roadrunners led comfortably most of the way and won 97-79. Beyond Anzures (18.3 points per game) and Barlow (14.6), the championship team featured guard John Bynum at 12.8 points per game while shooting 54.8 percent from the field. Rashawn Fulcher added 8.4 points off the bench, while Kane Oakley averaged 7.8 points.


2013-14: 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 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. 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 31st 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.

You've got your scouting report, now pick your winner and vote!

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
 
FIRST ROUND/SWEET 16
Thursday, March 19: #1 1999-2000 def. #16 1990-91, 85.7-14.3
Friday, March 20: #8 2011-12 def. #9 2002-03, 56.7-43.3
Monday, March 23: #13 2014-15 def. #4 1998-99, 59.0-41.0
Tuesday, March 24: #5 2013-14 def. #12 2008-09, 71.6-28.4
Wednesday, March 25: #2 2001-02 def. #15 2000-01, 77.6-22.4
Thursday, March 26: #7 2004-05 def. #10 1989-90, 62.5-37.5
Friday, March 27: #3 2012-13 def. #14 1997-98, 82.3-17.7
Monday, March 30: #6 2003-04 vs. #11 2006-07, 60.6-39.4
 
QUARTERFINALS/ELITE 8
Tuesday, March 31: #1 1999-2000 def. #8 2011-12, 63.6-36.4
Wednesday, April 1: #5 2013-14 def. #13 2014-15, 73.8-26.2
Thursday, April 2: #2 2001-02 def. #7 2004-05, 55.8-44.2
Friday, April 3: #3 2012-13 def. #6 2003-04, 66.7-33.3
 
SEMIFINALS/FINAL 4
Monday, April 6: #1 1999-2000 vs. #5 2013-14
Tuesday, April 7: #2 2001-02 vs. #3 2012-13
 
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.
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