DENVER – The spreadsheets have all been filled out and the many of the scenarios have been projected.
Now it's time to go play.
The MSU Denver women's basketball team, which saw its chances for hosting a first-round game at the RMAC Tournament take a big hit Wednesday night when Westminster won at Colorado Mesa, is set to wrap up the regular season this weekend with games Friday at Fort Lewis and Saturday at Adams State – tipoff each night is at 5:30 p.m.
Win one and it appears the Roadrunners – who have already qualified for the eight-team RMAC field – would be the tournament's sixth seed. Win both and the fifth seed seems likely. Win both and have Western Colorado upset Westminster, and the Roadrunners could potentially get the fourth seed and host a first-round game.
"We're going to try to win two and then see where the chips fall," MSU Denver coach
Tanya Haave said. "The good news is, we're in the tournament, and all you want is that opportunity."
MSU Denver got the opportunity last year – as the No. 6 seed – and ran with it, winning the RMAC Tournament to reach the NCAA Division II South Central Regional.
In order to do that again, the Roadrunners would definitely like to continue riding the momentum that has seen them go 10-4 since Dec. 31 to improve to 14-12 overall and 12-8 in the RMAC.
The Roadrunners' only losses since the calendar turned to 2023 were two by a combined four points against Colorado School of Mines and Regis (the teams tied for first in the league), and two by a combined 10 points to Westminster and Colorado Mesa when point guard
Jaiden Galloway was out with an injury.
MSU Denver beat both Fort Lewis and Adams State in Denver in late January, scoring a 71-66 win over Fort Lewis one night after beating Adams State by a nearly identical 71-67 score.
Should the Roadrunners win two this weekend – and if Mines beats Adams State on Friday – then MSU Denver would tie Adams State (which is currently 18-8 and 14-6) for fifth in the league, and would have the tiebreaker advantage because of its two wins over the Grizzlies. MSU Denver also appears to have the tiebreaker advantage should the Roadrunners, Westminster and Adams State all wind up tied at 14-8.
Adams State has secured its first winning season in league play since 2010-11.
"They fly around and try to speed you up," Haave said. "They get to the rim, so we'll have to contain their penetration. And we have to take care of the ball. We'll have to control the tempo. We can't get in a track meet with them."
But first comes Friday's matchup with Fort Lewis and its high-powered duo of Lanae Billy and Kelsey Sorensen. The Skyhawks, though just 9-17 and 6-14, have home wins over Westminster and RMAC Tournament contender CSU Pueblo this season.
"They have two high-quality players in Billy and Sorensen," Haave said. "They scored 50 between them against us last time, so it's clear we have to do a better job of containing them this time.
"Going on the road, we've got to be sharp."
