GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – Colorado Mesa used suffocating defensive pressure to improve to 5-0 after a 56-43 win over St. Edward's in the Holiday Inn Thanksgiving Classic on Friday evening in Brownson Arena.
 
The Mavericks limited the Hilltoppers to just 29.5 percent (13-for-44) shooting from the field and just 26.7 percent (4-for-15) from beyond the three-point line. They also forced 15 turnovers, which led to 14 Maverick points.
 
At halftime, the two teams were tied 25-25 after St. Edward's outscored Colorado Mesa 15-10 in the second quarter.
 
Coming out of the break, the Mavericks outscored the Hilltoppers 23-3 in the third quarter of play.
 
Colorado Mesa led by as many as 22 points with 5:28 to play in the game at 56-34 after a made three by Erin Reichle.
 
Reichle scored 21 points on 7-of-16 shooting from the field and a perfect 4-for-4 from the free-throw line. She pulled down seven rebounds all coming in the first half of action.
 
Senior big Ma'ata Epenisa was in foul trouble all evening, finishing with five points and two rebounds in just eight minutes of floor time. She fouled out with 5:07 to play in the fourth quarter. That forced sophomore Tori Catlett and freshman Kelsey Siemons into heavy minutes. The duo combined for seven points and five rebounds in 32 minutes of action.
 
The Mavericks shot 32.7 percent from the field on the night and over 73 percent from the line.
 
St. Edward's was led by Isabel Hernandez's 11 points and five rebounds.
 
Colorado Mesa will close out the Holiday inn Thanksgiving Classic with a bout against Northern New Mexico at 5pm in Brownson Arena. The Eagles dropped a 73-57 decision to Western State in the Classic's opening game.