GOLDEN, Colo. – MSU Denver men's basketball earned its first win of the 2026-27 season Saturday night, using a strong first-half performance and balanced scoring to defeat St. Mary's 75-63 at Lockridge Arena.
The Roadrunners set the tone early, opening the game with a 14-3 run behind a pair of three-pointers from Caden Holmes and an early scoring burst from Mario Williams Jr. MSU Denver continued to build its advantage throughout the half, pushing the lead to as many as 16 points before taking a 37-23 advantage into the break.
MSU Denver's perimeter shooting played a key role in the opening 20 minutes, as the Roadrunners knocked down eight three-pointers. Williams led the way from beyond the arc, connecting on four of his seven attempts, while Holmes added three triples on five attempts.
St. Mary's looked to cut into the deficit coming out of halftime, but the Roadrunners consistently answered to maintain control. Ace Hackett provided a spark off the bench, scoring 13 points on 6-of-10 shooting while grabbing a team-high five rebounds. His contributions included a three-pointer and several timely baskets in the paint as MSU Denver kept the Rattlers at a distance.
Williams finished with a team-best 14 points, shooting 4-of-7 from three-point range, while Holmes added nine points on 3-of-5 shooting from deep. Amare Bethel also reached double figures with nine points, and Coban Porter contributed eight points off the bench.
Justin Mack directed the offense with a team-high six assists to go with seven points, while Daniel Thomason added seven points, three steals and a block. The Roadrunners also made their mark defensively, turning 20 St. Mary's turnovers into 27 points.
MSU Denver finished the night shooting 50 percent from the field (27-of-54) and 36.4 percent from three-point range (12-of-33). The Roadrunners also held a 38-21 advantage in bench points and scored 17 fast-break points.
The win moves MSU Denver to 1-1 on the season after opening the campaign with a narrow overtime loss to Lubbock Christian on Friday. The Roadrunners will look to carry Saturday's momentum into their upcoming schedule as they continue non-conference play.
