COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – UCCS held off multiple second-half rallies by MSU Denver and picked up a 67-64 victory Friday night in men's basketball.
 
Ra'Shawn Langston and Miles Gibson each scored 21 points to leads MSU Denver.
 
UCCS led 55-51 with 6:28 left, but Gibson hit a step-back jumper and Langston made two free throws to tie it with 4:30 to go. UCCS' Alijah Comithier hit back-to-back 3-pointers, but a Laolu Oke free throw, a three-point play by Gibson and a floater by Langston tied the game with 1:37 left.
 
UCCS scored six straight points, but Tyrei Randall was fouled shooting a 3 and made all free throws. The Roadrunners fouled and UCCS missed a free throw with nine seconds left. Then the Roadrunners set up a play for Randall – the hero in road win last Friday with three late 3s – but Randall's game-tying attempt was off target.
 
Oke had nine points, six rebounds, three assists and three blocked shots.

MSU Denver dropped to 12-4 overall and 6-4 in the RMAC, while UCCS improved to 11-6 and 6-5.
 
Both teams shot below 40 percent from the field in the defensive struggle. UCCS, the RMAC's top rebounding team, had a 51-38 advantage on the boards, including 13 offensive rebounds.
 
"We showed again tonight that we can be a great defensive team," MSU Denver coach Michael Bahl said. "We defended at a very high level, and we got UCCS to take a lot of tough shots. However, when you don't finish possessions with the rebound it's really hard to win games, especially on the road."
 
MSU Denver plays again Saturday at 7 p.m. at New Mexico Highlands.

"This team has showed the toughness needed to bounce back from adversity, and I have no doubt we will bounce back tomorrow," Bahl said.