DENVER — MSU Denver men's basketball dropped a hard-fought RMAC contest to South Dakota Mines, 68–62, on Thursday night at the Auraria Events Center. The Roadrunners fell to 4–9 overall and 2–3 in conference play, while the Hardrockers improved to 7–6 overall and 4–1 in the RMAC.
The game was tightly contested throughout, but MSU Denver struggled to find consistency offensively, particularly from beyond the arc. The Roadrunners finished just 4-of-22 (18.2%) from three-point range, a hurdle that proved difficult to overcome despite solid defensive efforts and strong play inside.
South Dakota Mines carried a 36–30 advantage into halftime after a back-and-forth opening period that featured six ties and multiple lead changes. MSU Denver kept pace by attacking the paint and capitalizing in transition, but the inability to connect from long range limited any sustained momentum in the first half.
The Roadrunners opened the second half with some new life and briefly took the lead midway through the period, sparked by defensive stops and interior scoring. However, the Hardrockers responded with timely baskets and pulled ahead down the stretch, using a late surge to create separation in the final minutes.
Logan Threatt led MSU Denver with 17 points, attacking the rim and shouldering much of the offensive load. Adam Hackett added eight points and a team-high seven rebounds, providing a steady presence on both ends of the floor.
Brian Unachukwu anchored the defense with a standout performance, recording seven blocks—just one shy of the program record set by Ben Ortner in 2005. It marked the most blocks by a Roadrunner since Maris Colton posted five during the 2019–20 season, highlighting Unachukwu's impact protecting the rim.
Despite holding advantages in points in the paint and fast-break scoring, MSU Denver was unable to overcome its shooting struggles as South Dakota Mines closed out the game from the free-throw line.
The Roadrunners will look to bounce back on Saturday when they return to Auraria Events Center to host Black Hills State at 3 p.m.
