DENVER — The MSU Denver Roadrunners (5-10, 3-4 RMAC) secured a hard-fought 65-60 victory over the Colorado Christian Cougars inside the CCU Event Center Thursday night.

MSU Denver set the tone early, jumping out to a 16-8 lead in the first quarter. However, the Cougars responded with a massive 26-point second quarter to take a 34-30 lead into halftime. 

The game remained a defensive struggle through the third quarter, with both teams trading blows and the score remaining tied at 46-46 heading into the final frame.

But it was the fourth quarter that proved to be the difference-maker for the Roadrunners.

Down the stretch, MSU Denver's clinical performance from the free-throw line (7-for-9 in the quarter) and shooting a game-high 55% from the floor in the fourth as a unit allowed them to regain and hold the lead for the win.

A critical three-point play by Mikylah Espinosa and steady shooting by Brooklynn Jones, who went a perfect 3-for-3 from the stripe in the final minutes, helped seal the victory as the Roadrunners outscored the Cougars 19-10 in the final 10 minutes.

• Mikylah Espinosa: The standout senior continued her torrid scoring pace, leading all players with 23 points. Espinosa, who ranks 4th in the RMAC at 17.6 points per game, has now scored 18 or more points in six of her last seven outings. For the second consecutive game, she was flawless from the charity stripe, going 6-for-6, while also leading the team with 4 assists and 3 steals.
• Keira Mitchell: In just her third game of the season, Mitchell provided a massive presence in the paint. She snatched a game and season-high 11 rebounds, bringing her total to 26 boards over her first three contests. Her defensive rim protection was equally vital, as she recorded 3 blocks in 34 minutes of action, bringing her total to nine swats on the year.
• Jadyn Watts: Delivering a strong performance off the bench, Watts contributed 12 points, marking her first double-digit scoring effort since December 18th against Lubbock Christian. She was aggressive attacking the basket, finishing 6-for-8 from the free-throw line and adding 5 rebounds.
• Nevaeh Millard: Millard played a team-high 35 minutes, chipping in 9 points and 2 steals to help stabilize the backcourt.

The Roadrunners will look to carry this momentum into their next matchup as they continue their road trip against UCCS on Saturday at 1 p.m. MT.