COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The MSU Denver women's basketball team won its season-best third straight game Friday night, going on the road to defeat UCCS 65-51.
 
"I'm really pleased," MSU Denver coach Tanya Haave said. "We went on the road and got a win, and we got contributions from everyone."
 
Kendra Parra scored a career-high 28 points, while Jaiden Galloway played a terrific all-around game with a season-high 13 points, three rebounds, six assists and a season-high five steals. Her assist total matched her season high.
 
"Jaiden's floor game, and her defending, was great," Haave said. "She's really taken control the last couple games. She's gotten used to being here again (after two years away) and has done a great job of leading. She's driving more aggressively and with more confidence."
 
MSU Denver (7-8 overall, 5-4 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) outscored the Mountain Lions 20-8 in the second quarter to take a 37-24 lead at the break, and eventually led by as many as 18 points at 53-35 late in the third quarter.
 
Parra scored 18 points in the first half as MSU Denver shot 55.6 percent (15 of 27) in the opening 20 minutes.
 
"Kendra shot the ball well and played well," Haave said. "She really set the tone for us in the first half."
 
Parra made 9 of 17 free throws and 7 of 8 free throws, and she also added four rebounds and three steals. Galloway made 5 of 7 from the field and 3 of 3 at the line.
 
MSU Denver, still playing short-handed, got six points and eight rebounds from freshman guard Mikylah Espinosa and six points and seven rebounds from junior forward Miza Gilberto.
 
The Roadrunners shot a season-best 47.2 percent from the field (25 of 53), while limiting UCCS to 31.6 percent (18 of 57) – the Roadrunners' third-best defensive effort of the season.
 
"They couldn't get their transition game going against us (UCCS had six fast-break points) and we handled their press very well," Haave said. "From a game-plan perspective, we executed very well. We were able to take away some of the things they like to do.
 
"And offensively we're playing together, moving the ball in and out and getting used to playing with each other again. If we keep passing and get the best shot we can get, the shooting percentage goes up."
 
MSU Denver moved into sole possession of sixth place in the RMAC and now plays Saturday in a 3 p.m. game at Regis. Regis just knocked off national top-10 Colorado School of Mines on Friday to improve to 7-2 for second place in league play.