Metro State Women's Basketball Tops NSU to Improve to 3-0

DENVER - Metro State topped Nova Southeastern (Fla.) 58-51 at home on Friday at the Metro State Thanksgiving Classic as the Roadrunners improved to 3-0 for the first time since 2004-05.  Head Coach Tanya Haave also became the first coach in school history to begin her career with three wins.  NSU fell to 4-1 this season.

Metro State dominated the boards, outrebounding the Sharks 54-27 as three players reached double digits in rebounds in Tawny Drexler (11), Cassondra Bratton (10) and Kristin Valencia (10).  Drexler also recorded the team's first double-double of the season with 13 points, shooting 5-of-6 from the floor and 3-of-6 at the line.  It is the only time since complete game-by-game data (back to 2000-01) was kept that three players have had 10 or more rebounds in a game for Metro State.

Brandi Valencia poured in 11 points off the bench, hitting 5-of-12 from the floor, including her first career 3-pointer.  She scored nine points in the second half.  Jasmine Cervantes scored 10 points and had three rebounds, three assists and two steals.  Emily Wood was limited to five points, but led the team with four assists.

The Roadrunners shot just 35.6 percent from the floor, but hit 17-of-20 at the line.  Besides the strong rebounding effort, Metro State was solid defensively, holding NSU to 33.9 percent shooting and forcing 19 turnovers.  It was the third straight game to start the season that the Roadrunners have held their opponent to less than 35 percent shooting.

Drexler and Bratton shut down two-time All-America center Stephanie Saroni, limiting the 6-foot-5 senior to 13 points and eight rebounds on 6-of-14 shooting.  In her fourth year with the Sharks, she has averaged 19.7 points and 9.6 rebounds for her entire career.

As a team Nova Southeastern entered Friday averaging 74.2 points and allowing just 59.8, including a 77-70 win over perennial powerhouse Northern Kentucky to open the season.

Metro State jumped out to a 12-2 lead after Cervantes buried three straight jumpers in the first eight minutes.  The Roadrunners built an 11-point lead after Alyssa Benson scored on a fastbreak to put them up 23-12 with under three minutes remaining before half.  After NSU cut the lead to 23-16, Metro State had two consecutive stops on defense to hold that score at half.  Drexler led both teams with nine points at half and Bratton had seven boards as Metro State held a 29-12 rebounding edge at half.

A 3-pointer by Kristin Valencia quickly put Metro State back in front by double digits at 28-18 and the Roadrunners maintained a comfortable lead for much of the second half.  A 3-pointer by her twin sister Brandi Valencia gave Metro State a 13-point lead with seven minutes left.

After having their lead trimmed back to 10, the Roadrunners scored six in a row to build their largest lead of the game at 52-36 with 2:45 left.  Benson nailed a pair of free throws and Brandi Valencia hit back-to-back jump shots for the lead.  A jump shot by Kristina Cabrera at the buzzer cut Metro State's lead to 58-51, the closest the Sharks got in the final 10 minutes of the game.

Metro State will host Simon Fraser (British Columbia) at 3 p.m. on Saturday in the final day of the Metro State Thanksgiving Classic.  Play will begin at 1 p.m. when Western State takes on Nova Southeastern.