CHADRON, Neb. – The MSU Denver women's basketball team won yet another battle Friday night, but ultimately the Roadrunners lost the war as an upset in another game eliminated them from contention for the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament.
 
Brooklynn Jones knocked down her first five attempts from 3-point range while setting career highs in made 3s and points (16), while Ashlyn Yow also scored 16 and Mikylah Espinosa added 15 in a 78-60 victory over Chadron State.
 
The win was MSU Denver's fifth in seven February games this season as it improved to 8-16 overall and 7-12 in the RMAC. However, wins by both CSU Pueblo and Colorado Christian – with Christian's coming against nationally-ranked Colorado School of Mines – means MSU Denver is unable to finish in the RMAC's top eight and advance to the postseason.
 
"We keep getting better, and we're developing the foundation for next season," MSU Denver coach Tanya Haave said. "I'd like us to get to double-digit victories and keep building momentum and confidence. There's still a lot to play for … including the competitive spirit of trying to win games."
 
MSU Denver shot 48.3 percent from the field (28 of 58), including 8 of 20 from 3 for 40 percent.
 
Besides Jones' 5 for 6 shooting from long distance, Yow was 2 for 3 from long range and 7 of 11 overall, and Espinosa was 6 of 12 from the field. All three are sophomore guards.
 
Espinosa is averaging 21.1 points over her last 10 games while shouldering the scoring load.
 
"It was nice to have a little more even scoring," Haave said. "Brooklynn and Ashlyn really played well and shot the ball well."
 
Jackie Pippett added six points and a season-best seven rebounds for the Roadrunners, who had a 38-22 rebounding advantage, including 14-4 on the offensive glass.
 
The win somewhat avenged a 78-63 home loss to the same Chadron State team on Jan. 6.
 
MSU Denver never trailed and led by as many as 22 points in the second half.
 
"Everybody that went in played hard, and we played together," Haave said. "It was really good to do that, and to do that on the road. We felt we owed Chadron one."
 
The Roadrunners play Saturday at Colorado Christian.
 
MSU Denver is 45-16 in February over the last eight seasons and 75-29 overall in the month in Haave's 14 seasons as head coach.