DENVER – MSU Denver's 18-point second-half lead had evaporated and the Roadrunners suddenly trailed by one point with 15 seconds to play when Alex Carlton went to the free throw line.
 
And that's a good thing.
 
"I was a little nervous, but we shoot them so much in practice and Allie (Navarette) rebounds them for me," Carlton said. "So I just stepped up and shot them like I was shooting them in practice."
 
Carlton made the two clutch free throws – improving to 18 for 19 for the season – to put her team back in front, and then the Roadrunners got two defensive stops and Navarette hit four late free throws to close out a rough-and-tumble 71-66 victory Friday night over defending Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference champion Colorado Mesa.
 
"Alex is my partner for free throws, and I knew she had it," Navarette said. "She is clutch. She's a leader on our team, on the court and off. I knew she was going to hit them, and she did. I'm so proud of her."
 
It was a dramatic turnaround for the Roadrunners, whose first road game was a 75-49 loss at Colorado Mesa on Dec. 5.
 
But they braced themselves for the Mavericks' physical style of play, and despite all the contact were able to turn a season-long challenge (20.6 turnovers per game) into a big-game strength (just 11).
 
"I have a ton of new bruises to add to my collection," Navarette said, laughing. "We've been prepping for this game. We've had our scout team denying us, fouling us, going up strong. We knew this would happen and I'm just so proud of everyone for fighting through it and earning this win."
 
As usual, Navarette was hard to guard. And though the physical defense contributed to a slightly subpar night from the field (6 of 16), she had an historic night at the free throw line.
 
Navrarette had an MSU Denver program-record 25 free throw attempts, and tied the school mark with 19 made free throws. Chalae Collard made 19 of 20 free throws for the Roadrunners in an 84-63 loss at Wyoming on Dec. 12, 1995.
 
"Wow, 19 of 25, that's pretty amazing," MSU Denver coach Tanya Haave said. "They were physical with her, and they're a physical team. That's what they do, and we talked about matching their physicality. That was a big factor."
 
Colorado Mesa (7-2 overall and in the RMAC) played without its top two scorers – Natalie Bartle and Daniella Turner were averaging a combined 30.5 points per game – and MSU Denver (5-3, 4-2) took advantage in rolling out to a 48-30 lead with 6:21 left in the third quarter.
 
But the Mavericks dug in, began playing even more physically, and began hitting shots.
 
"You knew they were going to make a run," Haave said. "That's why they're the defending RMAC champions – even if they were without their top two scorers. You know that teams with that experience and with that quality will make a run. But our little team just kept weathering storms, and we weathered enough storms to get the win."
 
Navarette had a season-high 32 points while adding 10 rebounds for her second straight double-double, her third of the season and 35^th of her career. Morgan Lewis made it a double double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
 
Meanwhile Carlton, who missed her first free throw of the season in the first quarter, scored five of her 11 points in the fourth quarter on the two key free throws and a big 3-pointer with 4:31 left that gave the Roadrunners some time and breathing room by pushing the lead to 64-56.
 
Though credited with just one assist, Carlton also played turnover-free in 37 minutes.
 
"Those free throws were really big," Haave said. "And that's what you want your junior point guard to do. Her floor game and her defense were stellar, too. She had a big game for us."
 
At the end of a fourth straight close home victory, the Roadrunners had an emotional post-game celebration.
 
"I had tears in my eyes," Navarette said. "In my four years, this win is one I'll never forget. This was something special. I can't put into words how hard we have been working every single day. We had games canceled and we were devastated. We've gone through a bunch of disappointment, so just to see our hard work pay off and see that scoreboard, all we cared about was the win."