DENVER – After one game in conference play, it's clear at least one of MSU Denver's opponents can follow a scouting report.
 
Westminster took away many of the Roadrunners' options and made an adjustment when Tyrei Randall got off to a sizzling start, and was able to grind out an 81-66 victory Saturday in a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference men's basketball league opener.
 
"You've got to give credit to Westminster," MSU Denver coach Michael Bahl said. "Coach (Norm) Parrish's teams always play hard and compete. For the first 25 or 26 minutes we were competing and playing really hard and then a couple of shots didn't go our way, a couple of balls didn't bounce our way."
 
Randall hit his first six shots from the field, including three 3-pointers, and added a free throw while scoring 16 points in the first 11:35, lifting the Roadrunners to a 25-15 lead.
 
But Westminster went to work and took the game to halftime tied 33-33.
 
"They took us out of our sets and made us start thinking more," Randall said. "We were doing things that we're comfortable with doing, but not what we are most comfortable doing."
 
One thing that the Roadrunners love to do is grab offensive rebounds – 12.8 per game prior to Saturday. They didn't have one for the first 27 minutes and finished with four, their lowest total since … playing Westminster last January and getting four.
 
That meant Westminster was able to neutralize double-double machine Laolu Oke, whose streak of 10 straight games with at least 10 points and at least 10 rebounds came to an end – he was held to eight points and seven rebounds.
 
"They did a really nice job, and they were very physical with us and took us off our spots," Bahl said.
 
After going 6-0 in non-conference play, the Roadrunners suffered their first loss.
 
"We kept telling the guys all week that this league is tough," Randall said. "Night in and night out, you've got to come ready to play. Regardless of what we did in the pre-season, it's a different mindset."
 
Westminster shot 64.0 percent from the field in the second half (16 of 25), including 4 of 8 from 3, and also made 12 of 13 free throws.
 
That took away another of MSU Denver's favorite things.
 
"Our inability to get stops defensively was probably the difference in the game," Bahl said. "We're a transition team that likes to get up and down the floor, but when we can't get stops, we can't do that and it puts handcuffs on us. We were always facing a set defense. Coach has been doing this for a long time, and their set defense is really good."
 
Randall was held scoreless on only four shot attempts after his hot start. Ra'Shawn Langston added 15 points.
 
"I didn't help Ty get enough shots in the second half," Bahl said. "When a guy plays as well as he did in the first half, I've got to do a better job of getting him shots and opportunities to score. Ty competed and played his tail off."
 
Another tough matchup awaits Sunday at 3 p.m. as 7-3 Colorado Mesa, a preseason national top-10 team, comes to the Auraria Event Center.
 
"Since they're one of the top teams in the conference, everybody has to come in with a different mindset," Randall said. "Nobody wants to start off the conference 0-2 after starting the season 6-0. That's not how to start when you're chasing a ring. It was a tough start for us, but I still believe in this team, our coaches believe in us and we're just going to keep doing what we've got to do."
 
Said Bahl: "We just flush this one, especially when we play again in 22 hours. We know we're a better team than that. We got exposed a little, but I don't think it's a bad thing unless you take it as a bad thing. It can be a positive because it shows us areas where we can grow and improve. Tomorrow is a good chance for us to bounce back from adversity and see where we are as a team."