DENVER – Life back in the limelight starts Friday for the MSU Denver men's basketball team.
 
The Roadrunners are hoping to stay there for a while.
 
Nationally-ranked for the first time in eight years, Nos. 15 and 18 MSU Denver will play its first games with a number (ranking) in front of its name Friday at 5 p.m. against Seattle Pacific and Saturday at 3 p.m. against Simon Fraser (B.C.) at the Auraria Event Center.
 
"We've talked with the guys about it," second-year MSU Denver coach Dan Ficke said. "And whether we are ranked or not, we're still trying to be the best version of ourselves, whatever that may be. Our ultimate goals are bigger than being in the top 25 – winning conference championships, getting to the NCAA Tournament, winning a regional championship. Being ranked in November is great, but it's not the ultimate goal."
 
MSU Denver is off to a 4-0 start that includes wins last week on the road at then Nos. 7 and 4 West Texas A&M on a 3-pointer by Brayden Maldonado with 1.5 seconds to go, and in overtime at home against then unranked/tied for 16^th Fort Hays State (Kan.) when Mario Lacy, Jr., scored the first six points of overtime to highlight a 14-point, 16-rebound double-double.
 
Seattle Pacific has been highly active to this point, with eight games under its belt while starting 4-4, and Simon Fraser is 2-5. Seattle Pacific was tied for fifth in the preseason Great Northwest Athletic Conference coaches' poll, while Simon Fraser was picked last in the 10-team league.
 
Preseason polls don't matter, of course, and are frequently just a reflection of the previous season. After all, MSU Denver was picked to finish sixth in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, and now the Roadrunners have arguably the league's best non-conference win and are the only RMAC team that hasn't lost yet.
 
"We have to have an understanding that we have a target on our back, and everyone is going to get up to play us, just like we did for West Texas A&M last week, and last year when we played (Colorado) Mesa, (Colorado School of) Mines, Fort Lewis and Black Hills (State)," Ficke said. "It's the hunters vs. the hunted, but we still have to have the hunter mentality. We have to learn how to handle it, but also to embrace it and enjoy it, too. Our hard work is paying off. Every game is a big game, and there are no nights off."
 
The games are part of the annual Thanksgiving Classic that MSU Denver shares with Regis. Seattle Pacific and Simon Fraser will be playing at Regis on the nights they aren't playing the Roadrunners.
 
MSU Denver hasn't played Seattle Pacific since the 1989-90 season, when the Roadrunners were members of the GNAC. The Roadrunners and Red Leafs, meanwhile, have never played in men's basketball.
 
"We've been playing teams led by really good guards, and Seattle Pacific has two really good bigs, so that's a different challenge for us," Ficke said. "Our bigs are going to have to step up and bring their 'A' games on Friday. Simon Fraser has talent and good size. Their starting lineup is big, and they are capable of scoring in bunches – they were down by 21 in the second half and came back to win at (Cal Poly) Humboldt (with a 62-point second half).
 
"We want to get out and go in transition, to make teams play at our pace at altitude. And we want to be consistent defensively for 40 minutes. That's one of the areas where we are trying to improve."