PUEBLO, Colo. — MSU Denver men's basketball went toe-to-toe with UT Permian Basin for 50 minutes on Saturday afternoon, but despite a gritty effort and multiple clutch responses, the Roadrunners came up short in a 103–93 double-overtime loss at Massari Arena. MSU Denver moves to 1–5 overall with the setback, while UT Permian Basin improves to 3–3.
The matchup produced 12 ties and 10 lead changes, with neither team allowing the other to pull away until late in the second overtime.
Redshirt freshman Amare Bethel delivered the best game of his young career, scoring a career-high 19 points on 7-of-15 shooting, including three made threes. He was a steady spark throughout the afternoon and one of the main reasons the Roadrunners surged back from an early deficit.
Senior guard Quave Propst-Allison added 21 points, marking his second 20-point game of the season, while grabbing seven rebounds and distributing four assists. His free throws and late-game drives repeatedly kept MSU Denver in striking distance.
After trailing by as many as 13 in the first half, the Roadrunners climbed back behind Bethel, Propst-Allison, and key scoring from Garrett Falls (12 points) and Daniel Thomason (8 points). MSU Denver outscored UTPB 44–41 in the second half and forced overtime after a defensive stand in the final seconds.
The first overtime was another grind, ending tied 84–84 after a clutch layup and free throw from Falls brought the Roadrunners even in the closing seconds.
But the turning point arrived in double overtime, when UT Permian Basin buried three three-pointers in the period — two by Sharrod Taylor and one by Tash Lunday — to break the game open. The Falcons outscored MSU Denver 19–9 in the final frame, capitalizing on second-chance opportunities and the Roadrunners' struggles at the free-throw line (17-of-31).
MSU Denver also hit 10 three-pointers, continuing its strong perimeter shooting this season, and recorded 43 bench points, but UTPB's dominance on the glass (52–36) proved costly.
The Roadrunners return home on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. to open RMAC play against Fort Lewis at the Auraria Event Center.
