DENVER – For the first time in 36 days, the MSU Denver women's basketball team will play a home game.
 
In fact, the Roadrunners will play two of them.
 
MSU Denver wraps up its regular season with games Friday at 5:30 p.m. against Chadron State and Saturday at 4 p.m. against Black Hills State at the Auraria Event Center.
 
"It'll be great to be back home," MSU Denver coach Tanya Haave said. "We've been on the road the whole month of February. It's hard to believe we're already at the end of the regular season. We're excited to be on our home floor."
 
And MSU Denver (10-5 overall, 9-4 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) has also won three straight games and nine of its last 11 to put itself in position to potentially have another home game.
 
Though unofficially tied for sixth in the RMAC's point-system standings, it isn't inconceivable that two home wins might move the Roadrunners into the top four, which would result in a first-round home game for the RMAC Tournament.
 
Chadron State is 0-11, both overall and in the RMAC, but has played nearly half its games without its top player, Taryn Foxen. She and another top player weren't in the lineup when the Roadrunners won 83-67 at Chadron State on Jan. 30. Both are expected to play Friday.
 
"They're a different team than the first time we played them," Haave said. "They play hard, and they're talented, but they just haven't had some things go their way. Their record is very deceiving."
 
In the first matchup, MSU Denver freshman Tosjanae Bonds had 12 points, 11 rebounds, two steals and a blocked shot. In the last three games, starting with that one, Bonds has averaged 11.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.7 steals. She isn't hitting the freshman wall – she's long since broken through it.
 
"The first game with Chadron is where you could see the light bulb turning on for her," Haave said. "She never hit that freshman wall – maybe she did early in the season, mentally, when she realized that this was a lot harder than high school. But that's about it."
 
The opportunity for movement up the standings looms large because the schedule includes Black Hills State (12-6, 12-6) on Saturday, but that game won't carry as much weight if the Roadrunners trip up Friday.
 
MSU Denver played short-handed Jan. 29 at Black Hills State, losing 69-61.
 
"That could be a huge game," Haave said. "It's our last home game. We'll recognize our seniors, and we want to do well and honor them. Black Hills State is having a really good season and is always tough and physical. We talked with our players this week and told them that if we win out, we have a chance to host (the RMAC first round)."
 
MSU Denver seniors Maggie Justinak , Allie Navarette and Peyton Taylor will be recognized before the game, but they could have the opportunity to return next season due to the NCAA's blanket eligibility waiver due to COVID-19.