DENVER, Colo. – Sophomore Alijah Comithier led the University of Colorado Colorado Springs men's basketball team to an 86-75 win at Metropolitan State University Denver Thursday night as the Mountain Lions won their second straight road game.  Comithier finished with a game high 33 points.  UCCS made 30 free throws tonight, the most by any team in the RMAC this season.


INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: UCCS 86, MSU Denver 75 
Records: UCCS (3-3, 3-3 RMAC), MSU Denver (4-6, 4-5 RMAC)
Location: Auraria Event Center | Denver, Colo.
All-Time Series: The Roadrunners hold a 51-9 all-time series advantage over UCCS.  The Mountain Lions have won the last two matchups, both in Denver, and five of the last seven meetings.
 

HOW IT HAPPENED
Comithier and DaRaun Clark combined to score the first five points of the game.  Cameron Underwood helped keep the lead, 11-8, at 13:23 in the first half with a basket but the Roadrunners went on an 8-0 run to snag a 16-11 lead. 
 
For the next seven minutes both teams swapped the lead seven times before MSU Denver hit a three-pointer with 3:03 left in the half to knot the game at 37 all.
 
The Mountain Lions responded and closed out the half with three straight three-pointers by Jezza McKenzie and back-to-back treys from Comithier, giving UCCS a 46-41 lead at halftime.
 
UCCS continued to fire off threes in the second half as Clark and Geoff Kelly made back-to-back baskets from downtown, giving UCCS a 52-43 lead just 90 seconds into the second half.
 
The Mountain Lions, who led the entire second half, grabbed their largest lead of the game with 7:32 remaining in regulation as Comithier capped a 12-3 run with a steal and fastbreak layup, giving UCCS a 16-point advantage, 72-56.
 

STATS FROM THE GAME
Three Mountain Lions scored in double digits behind Comithier's career high 33 points. His 11 made field goals and four made three-point field goals were also career highs.
 
Clark chipped in 17 points as all 12 points from the floor were from long distance.  Clark made all five free throw attempts and remains perfect from the line this season, 26-for-26, which is the most made free throws this season in Division II.
 
Kelly registered 11 points, six of which came from the charity stripe, and added five rebounds and two assists. 
 
The Mountain Lions 30 made free throws are tied for the seventh most in Division II this season.
 
UCCS edged the Roadrunners on the boards, 38-37, and forced MSUD to commit 17 steals.  The Mountain Lions scored 35 combined points between MSU Denver's turnovers and second chance points.
 
The Mountain Lions shot 42.6 percent from the floor (23-54), 34.5 percent from downtown (10-29), and 85.7 percent from the line (30-35).
 
Kobe Sanders led the Roadrunners with 18 points.  Teammate Laolu Oke added 14 points and 13 rebounds.
 
 
UP NEXT
The Mountain Lions are scheduled to play at home on Tuesday, Jan. 26 against Regis University at 7:30 p.m.  The game will be UCCS' first home game since Dec. 10, 2020 (def. CSU Pueblo, 83-67).
 

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As a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs competes in 16 varsity sports in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics.