LAKEWOOD, Colo. – MSU Denver overcame a 13-0 deficit to start the game and outscored Colorado Christian 16-2 in the second quarter, but the Cougars outscored the Roadrunners 26-15 in the third quarter and held on for a 70-63 victory Tuesday in women's basketball.
 
"We overcame a slow start, but then we did the same thing again to start the second half," MSU Denver coach Tanya Haave said. "We just can't afford to do that, especially in someone else's gym. It really hurt us. And then we started pressing just a little bit.
 
Kendra Parra led MSU Denver with 17 points and Allie Navarette added a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds, but it wasn't enough for the Roadrunners, who fell to 5-4 overall and 1-3 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.
 
Parra, the returning RMAC Co-Freshman of the Year, had scored a total of 15 points over the previous six games before breaking out for a season high point total.
 
"Kendra was able to hit some 3s against their zone, and she was able to get to the rim a little," Haave said. "That was nice to see. We need someone on the perimeter to have some consistency."
 
The Roadrunners trailed 13-0 before Parra hit a 3-pointer with 4:44 left in the first quarter to get her team on the board.
 
"We haven't had something that bad in a while, although we had a slow start Saturday," Haave said. "We just weren't ready to play."
 
In the second quarter, MSU Denver held Colorado Christian to 5.6 percent shooting (1 of 18) from the field while building a lead of 28-25. MSU Denver led 37-34 with 5:12 left in the third quarter before Colorado Christian finished the frame with a 17-6 burst.
 
Morgan Griego added 10 points and six rebounds for the Roadrunners, while Bri Bailey made 3 of 4 from the field, including 2 of 3 from 3-point range, and scored eight points in 10 minutes.
 
"We're just not handling the ball very well, and we have to make better decisions," Haave said. "A lot of little things are adding up. We've got to tighten things up, play smarter and play together."