DENVER – It's not sink or swim, but it is a very difficult way for the MSU Denver women's basketball team to open the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference portion of the schedule.
 
The Roadrunners, the preseason pick to finish third in the RMAC, play host to Westminster at 1:30 p.m. Saturday and to Colorado Mesa at 1 p.m. Sunday. Westminster was picked fifth in the preseason, not far behind MSU Denver in poll points, while Colorado Mesa – ranked 13^th nationally by D2SIDA and receiving votes in the WBCA poll – was picked to finish second.
 
"We're not easing into our conference schedule by any stretch of the imagination," MSU Denver coach Tanya Haave said. "It could have only been worse if we were on the road against these teams. We're diving into the deep end so to speak."
 
MSU Denver went 4-1 during non-conference play, including an impressive pair of wins over Thanksgiving Weekend in Ellensburg, Wash., capped by a 76-54 drubbing of host Central Washington on Saturday.
 
"Getting the win at Central Washington was big because it gave us some momentum," Haave said.
 
Westminster comes in 1-3, but the Griffins have been seasoned by exhibition games against BYU, Utah and Utah State. They were 0-2 against the same teams MSU Denver beat at Central Washington, but also played without post player Hunter Krebs. With Krebs in a different meeting, Westminster defeated Central Washington 78-71.
 
The Griffins have three starters, and four of their top six scorers, back from last season's team that was 13-6 overall and 11-4 in RMAC play, including a buzzer-beating win over MSU Denver at the Auraria Event Center.
 
"Even though they're 1-3, they're very, very dangerous," Haave said. "They're skilled. They have shooters. And they're experienced. It's the first game of the conference season and they're on a three-game losing streak. There's going to be that desperation, so we're really going to have to be ready."
 
One of the starters that didn't return to Westminster this season is guard Mariah Martin, who now happens to be the leading scorer for her new team, Colorado Mesa.
 
She has joined a talented cast of Mavericks, who returned three of the top six players from last year.
 
"Mesa is Mesa," Haave said. "Traditionally their guard play is very good, and I felt like Kelsey Siemons was the best defensive post player in the league last year. They'll run their sets. They're disciplined. They score well and are always very good defensively."
 
MSU Denver, one win away from its best six-game start to a season since 2011-12, has developed scoring depth to go with returning RMAC Player of the Year Allie Navarette, who is averaging 12.6 points thus far after going for 21.2 per game last season.
 
Jaela Richardson averages 12.4, and Morgan Griego has added 11.0 per game since returning to the rotation.
 
Conducting the offense is point guard Alex Carlton, averaging 9.6 points and 2.4 assists while shooting 59.3 percent from the field (16 of 27) and 50.0 percent from 3 (8 of 16).
 
"Alex is shooting the ball well and she's been a little more aggressive," Haave said. "She's not a scorer, per se, but she's scoring when she needs to score."