DENVER — MSU Denver women's basketball saw its four-game winning streak come to a halt Thursday evening, falling 78–48 to No. 4 Colorado Mesa inside the Auraria Events Center.

The Roadrunners (9-12, 7-6 RMAC) ran into a hot-shooting Mavericks squad that jumped out to an early lead and never looked back. 

Colorado Mesa (23-1, 13-0 RMAC) opened the game on a dominant run, using pressure defense and efficient shooting to build a 36–14 advantage after the first quarter.

Offensively, MSU Denver was led by Mikylah Espinosa, Jadyn Watts, and Brooklyn Jones, who each scored nine points on the night. Watts provided a spark in the paint and from beyond the arc, while Jones added timely buckets off the bench.

On the glass, Keira Mitchell and Brianna Sealy paced the Roadrunners with six rebounds apiece, but rebounding proved to be a major difference in the game. Colorado Mesa held a significant edge on the boards, led by reigning RMAC Player of the Year Olivia Reed, who finished with a game-high 16 rebounds to go along with 29 points.

Turnovers also played a pivotal role in the outcome. MSU Denver committed 14 turnovers, which the Mavericks converted into 21 points, while the Roadrunners managed just four points off turnovers against Mesa's eight giveaways.

Despite trailing at halftime, MSU Denver showed resilience in the second half, outscoring Colorado Mesa 29–27 over the final two quarters, but the early deficit proved too much to overcome.

The Roadrunners will look to regroup and bounce back Saturday afternoon, when they return to RMAC play against Western Colorado at 1 p.m. MT.