DENVER – One championship spot has been claimed. The other will be decided today.
 
There are three teams left in our Sweet 16 of the best men's basketball teams in MSU Denver history. In an upset on Monday, the No. 5 seed national semifinalists from 2013-14 knocked off the No. 1 seed national champions from 1999-2000 with 51.8 percent of the votes across all platforms in our closest game so far. It was also the game that has received our highest vote total to date.

The 2013-14 team's opponent Wednesday will be either the No. 2 seed national champions from 2001-02 or the No. 3 national runner-up team of 2012-13. Will this national championship team make it to our title game, or will many of the same players from 2013-14 face a younger version of themselves?
 
Who will it be? Your votes determine the winner.
 
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 championship game.
 
TODAY'S PREVIEW
#2 seed 2001-02 (29-6, national champions) vs. #3 seed 2012-13 (32-3, national runner-up)

THE STARTERS
2001-02 (29-6)               Ht.       Yr.     Pts    Reb   Ast
F—Lester Strong             6-7      So.    6.8     6.5    0.3
F—Patrick Mutombo        6-5      Jr.     16.6    4.4     1.0                 
G—Lee Bethea               6-3      Sr.    11.3      3.5    3.2
G—Luke Kendall             6-4      So.    14.7     2.9    4.2
G—Clayton Smith           5-8       Jr.     3.9      1.6    5.0
Off the bench: Mike Buggs (6-4, Sr., 12.4 ppg, 3.9 rpg), Joe Kelly (6-2, Sr., 5.2 ppg, 1.1 rpg), Mark Worthington (6-9, Fr., 3.6 ppg, 1.9 rpg),Chris Ford (6-2, Sr., 2.9 ppg, 54.1 3-pt pct.), Ben Ortner (6-9, Fr., 1.9 ppg, 2.0 rpg).

2012-13 (32-3)                     Ht.       Yr.      Pts     Reb    Ast
F—Jonathan Morse             6-8      Sr.      14.6     8.5     0.8
F—Nicholas Kay                6-8      So.      10.7     5.6     0.9
G—Mitch McCarron             6-3      So.      13.2     6.6     2.9
G—Demetrius Miller            6-1       Sr.      13.8     2.0     2.0                 
G—Brandon Jefferson         5-9       Jr.      14.8     3.0     2.3
Off the bench: Tyler Cooper (6-3, Sr., 2.6 ppg, 1.6 rpg), Jamal McClerkin (6-2, Jr., 2.4 ppg, 1.6 rpg), Derrick January (6-6, Sr., 2.2 ppg, 1.9 rpg), DeShawn Phenix (6-5, So., 2.7 ppg, 1.9 rpg).

2001-02: With three returning starters at the guard positions, Mike Dunlap moved Patrick Mutombo and Lester Strong into the starting lineup and took off. They won 74-73 at fourth-ranked Washburn (Kan.) on Dec. 29, and they were 9-0 to start RMAC play. After losing at home 82-81 to Fort Hays State and 83-73 to Nebraska-Kearney on Jan. 25-26, they lost only once (76-75 at Fort Hays State) for the rest of the regular season. After being knocked off by Fort Lewis (95-86) in the RMAC Tournament semifinals, they defeated Nebraska-Kearney 59-51 and South Dakota State 87-86 in the North Central Regional. The Elite Eight proved far easier with wins of 17 points over No. 10 Cal State San Bernardino, 30 over No. 16 Indiana (Pa.) and by eight over top-ranked Kentucky Wesleyan. Luke Kendall scored 38, including 6 of 9 from 3 and a game-winning jumper with seven seconds left, against South Dakota State, with Clayton Smith adding 10 points and 14 assists. In the national final, Mutombo had 29 points, Lee Bethea scored 19, Strong had 11 points and 11 rebounds, and Smith had nine points, 12 assists and four steals.

2012-13: Ranked No. 5 in the preseason, the Roadrunners were rarely challenged before losing 61-54 at Fort Lewis on Feb. 22. One week later, CSU-Pueblo upset the second-ranked Roadrunners, 70-69, on a last-second basket. MSU Denver got a measure of revenge in the RMAC Tournament final, beating Fort Lewis 61-60 on a last-second basket by Brandon Jefferson. The Roadrunners beat three Texas teams by an average of 8.3 points in the regional, then cruised into the national final. In the Final Four win over West Liberty, the five starters all scored between 17 and 14 points, with Mitch McCarron going for 14 points and 16 rebounds. In the championship game against Drury, the Roadrunners twice missed the front end of a one-and-one in the final 25 seconds and a last-second jumper was off target, or the program's third national championship may have been secured. Derrick Clark was the National Coach of the Year, while Jonathan Morse earned All-America second team honors.

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: #5 2013-14 def. #1 1999-2000, 51.8-48.2
Tuesday, April 7: #2 2001-02 vs. #3 2012-13
 
CHAMPIONSHIP
Wednesday, April 8: #5 2013-14 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.