DENVER, Colo. – The Rogers State men's basketball team battled back from a double-digit deficit to take a second-half lead but could not pull off the upset at preseason No. 3 Metropolitan State University of Denver dropping its season opener, 73-68, Friday night at Auraria Event Center.
 
A semifinalist at the 2013-14 NCAA Division II National Tournament, the Roadrunners got all they could handle with the Hillcats who would not back down despite being vastly undersized at nearly every position on the court.
 
RSU trailed by as many as 16 points during the game, but got its only lead of the night with 11 minutes remaining in regulation as Carlos Perez knocked down a pair of free throws giving the team a 52-50 lead.
 
After allowing the opening six points of the game, the Hillcats scored their first points of the season from the free throw line as DesJuan Newton converted a pair and added a dunk three minutes later trailing 10-5.
 
Donald Moore hit a long-range three pointer during a 6-0 run for RSU forcing a MSU Denver timeout. Coming out of the break, Corey Ayala corralled a rebound and lofted a full-court pass to Newton who scored on an up-and-under move at the basket as the Hillcats cut the deficit to five, 23-18.
 
The Roadrunners responded by hitting back-to-back three pointers starting an 11-0 stretch for their largest lead, 37-21, until another Moore shot from behind the arc stopped the run. MSU Denver closed the half with the final four points for a 43-32 advantage at the break.
 
The Hillcats opened the second half playing inspired basketball as Jeylyn Sharpe hit a jumper on the first possession and J.C. Hartzler knocked down another RSU three closing the gap to six, 43-37. The comeback continued with Newton hitting a tough runner in the lane eliciting a fist pump from Head Coach Justin Barkley and the newcomer hit from downtown on the next trip down the court on a great feed from Ayala as the Hillcats made it a one-point game, 48-47.
 
Moore evened the score taking an in-bound pass coast-to-coast scoring at the rim while drawing a foul. The junior transfer converted the three-point play tying the score for the first time since the opening tip, 50-50. Perez gave the Hillcats their first lead knocking down two at the charity stripe.
 
MSU Denver regained control scoring the next eight points and never relented making seven of eight free throws over the final two minutes to hold off a threatening Hillcat squad for the 73-68 victory extending its unbeaten streak to 24 on their home court.
 
Nicholas Kay scored 19 of his career-high 30 points in the first half as the 6-9 center pushed his way down low while MSU Denver outscored RSU 36-22 in the paint for the night.
 
Newton led the Hillcats in his debut with 15 points with Hartzler and Moore joining him in double figures adding 14 and 13 points, respectively. Hartzler hit four of RSU's eight made three pointers and Moore hit two.
 
The Hillcats have a quick turnaround against another nationally-ranked opponent facing the University of Colorado Colorado Springs Saturday night. The Mountain Lions defeated UA Fort Smith 91-89 in overtime in Friday's game one. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. and can be heard live on the Hillcat Network at www.rsuhillcats.com/live.