The moment of truth came at a Saturday matinee between the Spartans and Broncos in the Event Center.
The Broncos went on a 7-0 run in the first 1:31 to start the ballgame. The Spartans got on the board when forward Brandon Clarke scored a layup to reduce the Broncos' lead to 7-2.
The Spartans pulled closer to the Broncos at the 11:48 mark, but continued to trail 17-15 before the TV timeout. Clarke threw down a two-handed jam to make it a one-point game.
The Spartans fell victim to the Broncos, who entered the locker room with a 43-30 lead.