Jan. 26, 2008

Box Score

DENVER, COLO. - Stephanie Sauter scored a career-high 24 points, including a career-high eight three pointers, to lead Metro State to a 67-49 victory over Regis in a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference women's basketball game, Saturday evening at the Auraria Events Center.

All eight of Sauter's field goals came from long range as she was 8-for-17 from beyond the arc. She also added four assists and four rebounds. Anne-Marie Torp added 13 points and five boards, while Ashley Mickens had 10 boards for the Roadrunners. Paulina Tuell scored a team-high 14 points, while Breanne Burley posted 10 assists for Regis.

"It was real key for us to come out fast," said Mickens. "We're doing well in the RMAC so far and we want to keep it going. Any game against Regis is a big game. We showed great team balance tonight going inside and outside."

The Roadrunners took advantage of a rough start by Regis, jumping out to a 17-2 lead as the Rangers missed their first eight field goals and scored just two points in the first seven-plus minutes of the contest. Metro State led by as many as 16 points in the period, 27-11, but Regis cut it to nine, 31-22, with 1:05 to play. However, back-to-back treys by Sauter to end the half pushed the lead back up to 15 at the break, 37-22. Sauter posted 21 of her points and went 7-for-11 from beyond the arc in the opening period. On the other hand, Regis was just 1-for-11 from long range.

"We wanted to come out tough with a defensive stop and we did that," said Mickens. We really stepped it up tonight."

Metro State never trailed in the contest as its bench outscored the Rangers' bench, 21-1, and the Roadrunners also held a 38-26 advantage on the boards. It was just Metro State's second win in the past seven meetings between the two schools.

In the second half, Regis cut the lead to just eight, 44-36, with 13:50 remaining, but Metro State went on a 12-4 run to push its advantage back up to 16 points, 56-40, with 7:13 to play and only extended its lead from there.

Metro State has now won eight straight games and has not lost in the month of January.

With the win, Metro State improves to 13-6 overall, 9-2 RMAC, while Regis falls to 9-10 overall, 5-6 in the RMAC. The Roadrunners are at Chadron State, Jan. 31.