DENVER – Four weekends ago, MSU Denver was playing some of its best basketball of the season when Chadron State and Black Hills State came to the Auraria Event Center.
 
Each opponent escaped with a two-point win.
 
And, although the Roadrunners – after losing another game – put together a three-game winning streak, that late January weekend contributed greatly to putting MSU Denver on the bubble for the eight-team Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament.
 
MSU Denver is seventh by winning percentage, though the league is using a point system that, unofficially, has the Roadrunners eighth. Those two close losses could have potentially put MSU Denver in a more comfortable situation heading into the final weekend of the regular season.
 
Already the winnigest team in Michael Bahl's five seasons as head coach at 16-10, an 18-8 overall mark might've put the Roadrunners into the South Central Region's top 10.
 
Regardless, MSU Denver has a chance to make amends this weekend, with a road trip to Chadron State for a 7:30 p.m. game Friday and a 6 p.m. contest Saturday at Black Hills State.
 
"You want to have some momentum, have something good going into the playoffs, if we are able to qualify for the playoffs," Bahl said. "And we get two more opportunities and we hope that it goes well."
 
The Chadron State setback stings, since the Eagles are just 9-16 overall and 5-12 in the RMAC. Plenty of people have struggled with Black Hills State, which is 17-7 and first in the RMAC (by winning percentage) at 15-4.
 
First up, though, is Chadron State.
 
MSU Denver will have to shake off the effects of a difficult three-games-in-four-days home losing streak to the three hottest teams in the league in New Mexico Highlands, UCCS and Fort Lewis. The Roadrunners played well throughout in the UCCS game, but hit a second-half wall against both Highlands and Fort Lewis despite playing extremely well in the first half of each game.
 
"It's going to be an absolute battle," Bahl said of the Chadron State matchup. "They're one of the most dangerous teams around at home. It's a tough road trip for us. We've got to regroup.
 
"We want to finish off the season strong. We have a lot of guys who really care. We want to represent both the university and our program the right way, and I know we will. I have complete faith that our guys will respond."