GUNNISON, Colo.  The opening 20 minutes contained eight lead changes Friday night at Paul Wright Gymnasium. But the next flip of the scoreboard proved to be the deciding one as visiting Metropolitan State University Denver used a 9-0 run to open the second half and erase Western Colorado's three-point halftime lead on the way to a 77-70 Roadrunners victory in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference men's basketball action.

The Mountaineers' Avery Rembao scored a game-high 24 points, including 16 in the second half, but those efforts weren't enough to overcome MSU's opening burst of the final 20 minutes.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: MSU Denver def. Western Colorado, 77-70
Records: Western 3-12 (1-10 RMAC), MSU 7-11 (4-8)
Location: Paul Wright Gym, Gunnison, Colo.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The 9-0 dagger came largely from the Roadrunners' Caleb McGill who tallied the first six points of that run on his way to an MSU-best 20-point night.
• Western never led after surrendering that 33-30 mid-game advantage, though they closed to within four points, 70-66, with 67 seconds remaining in the game.
• The fast-paced first half was a track meet as both teams put on athletic displays. MSU established full-court pressure early on, but quick passes overcame the press often and allowed the Mountaineers to score 16 of their 33 points from within the paint.
• That also helped Western finish the half shooting 52 percent from the floor, including 3-of-9 from behind the arc.
• The first 20 minutes saw each team put together unbroken scoring streaks. The Roadrunners erased a game-opening four-point deficit with a 7-0 run, but Western immediately followed with an 8-0 string to regain the lead.
• Later, with Western ahead 27-24, MSU scored six straight to wrest back the lead, only to give up that advantage when Kade Juelfs and Mason Black knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers from the left wing to close out the first-half scoring.

NUMBERS GAME

• Along with Rembao reaching double digits for Western, both Gino Corridori (15 points) and Juelfs (12) scored in double figures. McGill led the Roadrunners but got assistance from three others who had 11 or more points.
• McGill also posted a game-high nine rebounds, while Corridori led Western with eight. And though MSU barely won the rebounding battle (39-37), it scored 28 second-chance points while the Mountaineers managed to add just 10.
• Turnovers reflected on the final score as Western gave up 20 to MSU's 9, and the Roadrunners added 22 points off turnovers to the Mountaineers' 13.

NEXT UP
Western gets no favors with its schedule, as Saturday brings fifth-ranked Colorado School of Mines to Paul Wright Gym for a 7 p.m. RMAC contest.