DENVER, Colo. – Northwestern Oklahoma State University men's basketball held off Metropolitan State Denver (0-2, 0-0 RMAC) in a 69-65 victory for the Rangers' first win of the 2018-19 season. JJ Moorer paced the Rangers (1-2, 0-0 GAC) with a game-high 28 points and Treyvon Andres chipped in 18 points and nine rebounds.

The Denver, Colorado native went a perfect 5-for-5 from three-point territory and had two blocked shots in front of friends and family. Andres gave the Rangers a late 62-61 lead with a deep three from the top of the arc and Northwestern never looked back.

Northwestern's defense held the Roadrunners scoreless on their next four possessions before David Thornton hit four free throws to put Metro State away. The red-and-black held MSU to just 26 percent from three (7-of-26).

The Rangers went 41 percent from the field in the game, including an impressive 61 percent (11-of-18) from beyond-the-arc. Andres and Moorer combined for nine of Northwestern's 11 long balls. A.J. Jones played a team-high 39 minutes and led the passing attack with eight assists while adding seven points.

After the Rangers raced out to an early 6-0 lead thanks to back-to-back threes from Andres, Metro State tightened up on defense leading to the Roadrunners leading by as many as seven points in the first half. But a 16-7 Northwestern run to close the frame gave the Rangers a two-point lead at the intermission.

Northwestern will wrap up the 2018 Holiday Inn Cherry Creek Denver Thanksgiving Classic tomorrow when they square off against #25 Regis University in the 'Battle of the Rangers'. Northwestern won the last time the two teams met in 2013 as Adrian Motley led the red-and-black to a 67-62 win, recording a double-double with a game-high 17 points. Game time is set for 6 p.m. central/5 p.m. mountain and can be heard live on the Pulse 105.7 FM.

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