This time, Metropolitan State wasn't just happy to be there.

After suffering a 15-point loss to Kentucky Wesleyan in last year's championship-game debut, the Roadrunners dropped an anvil on the defending champions, 97-79.

The victory gave Metropolitan State its first Division II Men's Basketball Championship March 25 in Louisville, Kentucky.

"Last year, we were just excited to be here and we had the experience of being on national TV," said the Roadrunners' Lee Barlow, who had 17 points in the title game and was voted to the all-tournament team for the second straight year. "We knew what to expect (this year). Last year, we were just happy to be here, and this year we wanted to win it."

Metropolitan State coach Mike Dunlap said outside shooting and the ability to keep the Kentucky Wesleyan fans from becoming a factor were keys.

"We exposed their transition defense with our threes, and we took their crowd out of the game," he said.

Kentucky Wesleyan coach Ray Harper praised the Roadrunners' defense.

"They played very physical," he said. "They cut us off where we like to catch the ball. We couldn't score to get our defense set, and we turned the ball over too much. And they defeated our transition defense."

Metropolitan State left the starting gate in a hurry, blistering the nets at better than 60 percent from the field in the first half and sinking 14 of 17 free throws to build a 50-30 lead at intermission.

"At the beginning of the game, they wanted it more," said Kentucky Wesleyan's Anwar Perry. "We were very timid, then we were down by 20. It was a very hard hole to dig out of."

And the Panthers never did.

The Roadrunners' DeMarcos Anzures had a team-high 32 points on 10-of-16 shooting to claim most outstanding player. Metropolitan State teammate Kane Oakley had 21 points, and John Bynum had 16. Each joined Barlow on the all-tournament squad.

The Panthers Lorico Duncan, who had a game-high 33 points, rounded out the all-tournament team.

Metropolitan State finished the season with a 33-4 record, while Kentucky Wesleyan completed a 31-3 campaign.

SEMIFINALS

Metro St. 75, Mo. Southern St. 74

Metro St.: Lee Barlow 5-15, 5-6, 7, 15; Michael Alcock 2-4, 2-4, 9, 6; Kane Oakley 6-11, 0-0, 4, 12; DeMarcos Anzures 6-15, 0-0, 2, 14; John Bynum 5-10, 2-2, 3, 12; Shane Ah Matt 2-4, 1-3, 2, 7; Rashawn Fulcher 3-5, 3-6, 5, 9; Todd Gower 0-0, 0-0, 1, 0. TOTALS: 29-64, 13-21, 34 (1 team), 75.

Mo. Southern St.: Carols Escalera 8-14, 0-0, 0, 19; Carlos Newberry 0-2, 0-0, 2, 0; Osiris Ricardo, 7-13, 2-4, 9, 16; Eddin Santiago, 0-3, 2-5, 4, 2; Terry Shumpert 6-9, 2-2, 3, 17; Brad Mann 2-2, 0-0, 7, 4; Adam Babcock 4-5, 0-0, 4, 8; Leo Gomes 1-2, 2-2, 3, 4; Blake Bard 2-4, 0-0, 2, 4; David Ragland 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0. TOTALS: 30-54, 8-13, 34 (0 team), 74.

Half time: Mo. Southern St. 38, Metro St. 34. Three-point field goals: Metro St. 4-14 (Barlow 0-1, Anzures 2-7, Bynum 0-2, Ah Matt 2-4); Mo. Southern St. 6-13 (Escalera 3-5, Newberry 0-2, Shumpert 3-5, Bard 0-1). Disqualifications: None. Officials: Mike Eades, Jerry Hill, Sean Hull. Attendance: 2,976.

Ky. Wesleyan 87, Seattle Pacific 81 (ot)

Ky. Wesleyan: Martin Palmer 2-5, 0-0, 4, 5; Leroy John 1-4, 3-4, 10, 5; Albert Richardson 8-12, 5-8, 12, 21; Anwar Perry 1-5, 4-4, 4, 6; Lorico Duncan 11-28, 7-7, 7, 31; Gino Bartolone 2-10, 1-2, 3, 7; Derek McGhee 1-2, 0-0, 0, 2; Chris Thomas 2-3, 0-0, 7, 4; Bobby Zuerner 2-5, 1-2, 0, 6. TOTALS: 30-74, 21-27, 50 (3 team), 87.

Seattle Pacific: Brannon Stone 6-15, 0-0, 4, 15; Donte Quinne 5-12, 5-6, 5, 16; Kory Leadon 1-2, 0-0, 1, 2; Drake Hudgins 4-12, 2-2, 1, 13; Ryan Skogstad 2-3, 6-6, 5, 12; Nick Johnson 0-0, 0-0, 1, 0; John Hubbard 8-13, 2-2, 5, 21; Bruce Zabukovec 1-2, 0-0, 6, 2; Jeff Bukoski 0-1, 0-0, 0, 0. TOTALS: 27-60, 15-16, 29 (1 team), 81.

Half time: Seattle Pacific 37, Ky. Wesleyan 35. End of regulation: Tied at 73. Three-point field goals: Ky. Wesleyan 6-25 (Palmer 1-4, Duncan 2-9, Bartolone 2-8, McGhee 0-1, Zuerner 1-3); Seattle Pacific 12-31 (Stone 3-10, Quinne 1-1, Hudgins 3-9, Skogstad 2-3, Hubbard 3-8). Disqualifications: None. Officials: John Yorkovich, Brent Sherrod, Bill Westbrooks. Attendance: 2,976.

Metro St. 97, Ky. Wesleyan 79

Ky. Wesleyan: Martin Palmer 0-4, 0-0, 0, 0; Leroy John 3-7, 5-9, 10, 11; Albert Richardson 5-7, 4-8, 8, 14; Anwar Perry 1-2, 2-2, 5, 4; Lorico Duncan 13-22, 2-2, 1, 33; Chris Thomas 4-8, 0-0, 3, 8; Gino Bartolone 1-9, 4-4, 3, 7; Derek McGhee 0-1, 0-0, 0, 0; Bobby Zuerner 0-1, 0-0, 0, 0; Bruce Johnson 1-2, 0-0, 0, 2. TOTALS: 28-63, 17-25, 31 (1 team), 79.

Metro St.: Lee Barlow 3-8, 11-13, 7, 17; Michael Alcock 0-0, 0-1, 3, 0; Kane Oakley 8-13, 5-6, 8, 21; DeMarcos Anzures 10-16, 7-7, 2, 32; John Bynum 7-9, 1-2, 7, 16; Rashawn Fulcher 3-5, 2-2, 3, 8; Shane Ah Matt 1-2, 0-0, 2, 3; Clayton Smith 0-0, 0-2, 0, 0; Todd Gower 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0. TOTALS: 32-53, 26-33, 32 (0 team), 97.

Half time: Metro St. 50, Ky. Wesleyan 30. Three-point field goals: Ky. Wesleyan 6-21 (Palmer 0-3, John 0-1, Duncan 5-11, Bartolone 1-4, McGhee 0-1, Zuerner 0-1); Metro St. 7-13 (Anzures 5-10, Bynum 1-1, Ah Matt 1-2). Disqualifications: Fulcher. Officials: Mike Eades, Jerry Hill, Sean Hull. Attendance: 4,648

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