DENVER  Western Colorado pushed four players into double figures in scoring Saturday, helping the Mountaineers score a 75-69 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference road victory at MSU Denver.

The host Roadrunners led for just 2 minutes and 50 seconds as the Mountaineers earned a victory to pull them even with MSUD in the conference standings.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: Western def. MSU Denver, 75-69
Records: Western 7-15 overall (5-9 RMAC), MSUD 7-15 (5-9)
Location: Auraria Events Center, Denver, Colo.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The majority of the Roadrunners' lead during the game occurred in the opening minutes, until a Quincy Scott layup at the 11:19 mark provided Western with a 15-14 lead that would stretch out to a 32-20 gap with just under six minutes left in the half.
• MSUD would finish the frame with a 16-5 run, however, pulling to within a point, 37-36, just before the halftime break.
• The Roadrunners scored the opening bucket of the second half to steal back the lead, but Mason Mottashed splashed down a 3-pointer on Western's ensuing possession and the Mountaineers never again trailed.
• Eventually Western stretched to a double digit lead, 58-48, at the 11:27 mark and then again with 6:01 to play (69-59) on an Aidan McDowell short jumper from in the paint.
• The lead was whittled down to four points twice over the remaining six minutes, but McDowell ended the first of those threats with a driving layup from the left side and then would drop in a pair of free throws to fend off that second threat with 18 seconds to go.

HARDWOOD NOTES

• McDowell's game-high 21 points led the way during the win, but the Mountaineers added scoring from the rest of their starters as well.
• Jordan Kuac scored 14 points in the game while Mottashed added 13, Scott finished with 12, and Joanis Koulisianis chipped in with 9 points.
• Aiding Western in holding the Roadrunners at arms length for most of the game was a 37-28 advantage off the glass. Scott finished with a game-best seven rebounds and Koulisianis pulled down six as the Mountaineers limited the Roadrunners to just 11 second chance points.
• Also helping to maintain its lead was Western's 18-for-22 (82%) afternoon from the free throw line. McDowell was 9 of 11 from the stripe with Koulisianis finishing 3-of-4 and Mottashed, Scott and Kuac each hitting 2 of 2 from the line. In contrast, MSUD shot just 69% from the line (11-of-16).

UP NEXT
Western hosts Adams State on Feb. 12 and Fort Lewis College two days later as the Mountaineers return to Paul Wright Gym while chasing a postseason RMAC tournament playoff spot.