Box Score GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – Jerry Duck Worth drained five 3-pointers and Mike Melillo added a double-double (13 points and 12 rebounds) to lead the Colorado Mesa men's basketball team to a 69-64 defeat over Montana Western 69-64 Friday (Nov. 29) in the Holiday Inn Airport Thanksgiving Classic. The win was the first for head coach Andy Shantz.

The teams were evenly matched with the Mavericks outshooting the Bulldogs 47-percent (11-23) to 45-percent (10-22) from the field in the first half. Montana Western held its largest lead of the game at 26-17 with 6:23 remaining in the first, but Mesa closed on a 12-4 run to trail just one at the break 30-29.

Mesa quickly took the lead in the second half and built a lead of 10 points, its largest of the game, with 9:20 remaining. The Bulldogs were able to stay in the contest due in large part to poor free throw shooting by the Mavericks who shot 54-percent (13-24) in the game. Montana Western shot 82-percent (14-17) from the line.

Montana Western closed the Mesa lead to just two points 66-64 with 23 seconds remaining, but Landon Vermeer and Mike Melillo made a combined four free throws to lift the Mavericks to their first win of the season 69-64.

Jerry Duckworth led the Mavericks with a team-high 15 points, all from behind the arc.

Mike Melillo tallied a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds, including four on the offensive end. He also dished out five assists.

Ryan Stephan was the final Maverick in double figures as he finished with 10 points.

Maazin Butler led four Bulldogs in double figures with a game-high 17 points.

CMU finished with a 36-30 edge in rebounds and held UMW to 39-percent (11-28) from the field in the second half.

Colorado Mesa (1-2) will have Saturday off before taking on CSU-Pueblo in non-conference action Sunday (Dec. 1).

Saturday's action will feature Montana Western vs. Western State women at 3 pm, Montana Western vs. CSU-Pueblo men at 5 pm and Colorado Mesa vs. Dixie State at 7 pm.