LAS VEGAS, N.M. – MSU Denver used a 13-0 run late in the second half to take the lead, then got a dunk from Laolu Oke with 1:18 left to go ahead for good in a clutch 78-73 win Saturday night at New Mexico Highlands.
 
The Roadrunners had trailed 61-47 with 12:27 to play before going on a game-ending 31-12 burst.
 
"I couldn't be more proud of our guys and how we responded," MSU Denver coach Michael Bahl said. "We didn't play our best in the first half, and lost our identity at times and it cost us. However, I felt we did enough in the first half to keep us in the game.

"In the second half our guys made the choice to believe and fight. It wasn't perfect and we made some mistakes, but our defense won us this game tonight. Our ability to get stops was huge down the stretch and our offense feeds off our defense."

It was still 64-55 with 7:08 left before the Roadrunners scored the next 13 points. Tyrei Randall's four-point play got MSU Denver within 64-63, then freshman guard Keiren Brown scored the next five – on a conventional three-point play for the lead at 66-64 and then on a jumper with 3:34 to go.
 
Back-to-back baskets by Highlands' Sammy Barnes-Thompkins eventually tied the game 70-70 with 1:42 left, but then Oke's dunk put the Roadrunners ahead.
 
Barnes-Thompkins missed a 3 and MSU Denver missed a pair of 3s on the other end, but Barnes-Thompkins couldn't convert on a drive and Oke grabbed his 14^th rebound and was fouled with 11 seconds to go.
 
Oke made both free throws for a 74-70 lead, but Barnes-Thompkins was fouled on a 3-pointer and made all three of his free throws to get the Cowboys back within 74-73 with 5.7 seconds left. Highlands fouled Miles Gibson before the ball was passed inbounds, and Gibson made both free throws to give the Roadrunners a 76-73 lead.
 
With a chance to tie, Highlands' inbounds pass was instead stolen by Keyshaad Dixon, and Dixon fed Maris Colton for a game-clinching layup.
 
Oke had another monster game with 22 points, 14 rebounds, three assists and two blocked shots. He made 8 of 9 from the field and all six of his free throws.
 
"Laolu Oke really responded, which was huge," Bahl said. "We just told him that we wanted him to be himself, and Laolu is a great defender and rebounder, and we told him to not worry about his offense. When he's rebounding and covering ground on defense his offense will take care of itself." 

Ra'Shawn Langston added 20 points, while Brown matched his career high of 10 and Randall also scored 10. Gibson had eight points and seven rebounds.
 
New Mexico Highlands led for 79.7 percent of the game. But after shooting 51.6 percent from the field in the first half, the Cowboys were limited to 38.2 percent in the second half – including 18.8 percent (3 of 16) from 3.
 
MSU Denver improved to 13-4 overall and 7-4 for sole possession of fourth place in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and will now play its next five games – and eight of its next nine – at home.