PUEBLO - Only one thing had eluded Regis University identical twins Diana and Denise Lopez in their illustrious college basketball careers. Until Sunday.

Using a balanced team effort to compensate for Diana Lopez's early foul trouble, Regis claimed its first RMAC Shootout championship since 2003 by defeating Metro State 76-62 at the State Fair Events Center.

The Lopez twins, who have rewritten the Regis women's record book and have helped the Rangers win the past three Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference regular-season titles, arrived from Ranum High School after the school's previous RMAC Shootout title.

"We knew it was our last chance to win it," Denise Lopez said. "The four seniors on this team, it's something we've never done. To win it our senior year, it's just awesome."

Diana Lopez, a three-time winner of the RMAC's player of the year award, went scoreless in the first half after two early fouls forced her off the floor after only 5 minutes.

But Denise Lopez and a handful of Regis' role players, particularly Lauren Luebbe, Breanne Burley and Nicole Gross, picked up the slack.

Luebbe, who entered the game averaging 3.9 points, came off the bench to score 11 points. Burley went 4-for-5 from three-point range and Gross scored nine points, more than double her scoring average.

"We said early on that it wasn't going to be about the twins," Regis coach Linda Raunig said. "It ended up being Lauren Luebbe, one of our freshmen who hasn't been playing a whole lot recently because she's been injured. The twins, they get their points, they get their rebounds. The games that we've struggled, it's been when the others don't step forward and contribute consistently."

The 17th-ranked Rangers (25-5) led by only two points when Metro State's Danielle Ellerington opened the second half with a three-pointer. But Burley answered with a three-pointer that sparked Regis to a 13-3 run.

Denise Lopez posted her 14th double-double of the season with 15 points and 12 rebounds and was named the Shootout's most valuable player.

Regis 76, Metro State 62

METRO STATE (24-6) - Mickens 1-8 4-7 6, Ellerington 5-9 4-5 15, Torp 1-5 0-0 2, Johnson 2-6 0-0 5, Bratton 5-6 0-0 10, Harris 3-8 2-2 9, Powers 1-3 2-2 4, Sauter 2-2 0-0 6, Dennee 0-0 0-0 0, Sinclair 2-3 1-2 5. Totals 22-50 13-18 62.

REGIS (25-5) - Seitz 2-7 4-5 9, Burley 4-7 2-2 14, Di. Lopez 3-6 3-3 11, Gross 3-7 3-3 9, De. Lopez 5-12 3-3 15, Vieira 0-2 0-0 0, Machesney 1-1 0-0 3, Rademacher 0-1 2-2 2, Luebbe 4-7 3-3 11, House 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 23-51 20-21 76.

Three-point goals - MS, Sauter 2, Johnson, Harris; R, Burley 4, Di. Lopez 2, De. Lopez 2, Seitz, Machesney.