GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The Colorado Mesa men's basketball team will look to get back on the winning track this weekend when they host Dixie State and Westminster in Brownson Arena on Friday and Saturday. This weekend will be the first of back-to-back home weekends for the Mavericks.
 
50 PERCENT MARK
The Mavericks are 3-4 in true road games this season with splits in their last three conference road weekends. In those four road losses, Colorado Mesa shot above 50 percent from the field in just one of those games, the loss to St. Edward's in the second game of the season where they shot 53.2 percent from the field. The Hilltoppers checked in at No. 4 in this week's NABC National Poll.
 
On the season, Colorado Mesa has shot 52.4 percent from the field, 38.9 percent from the field and 71.2 percent from the free throw line. Senior Connor Nichols leads the team and ranks third in the conference in field goal percentage at 54.9 percent.
 
MOVING ON UP
Senior Connor Nichols is holding at the No. 7 spot on the all-time scoring list with 1,451 total points in his career. He is 51 points behind Daven Bond (current softball coach at Regis) who has 1,502 points and 58 points behind Eric Hawkins who sits in the No. 5 position.
 
Nichols is averaging 22.4 points and 7.7 rebounds per game in his final campaign with the Mavericks.
 
BIG MAN
Maverick big man Damon Dubots is having another solid season for the Mavericks and has gone relatively unnoticed. Dubots is averaging 11.9 points and 4.8 rebounds per game in his final season. The Temecula, Calif. native had a career-high 28 points in the Mavericks win against South Dakota Mines back on January 4.
 
SCOUTING THE TRAILBLAZERS
Dixie State enters the weekend with a 7-8 record overall and a 5-6 mark in the conference and are looking to get above the .500 mark for the first time since December 1. The Trailblazers were picked to finish fourth in the RMAC Preseason Coach's Poll and received two first-place votes but are sitting in a tie for eighth place heading into the weekend.
 
Dixie is coming off a pair of road wins in the Denver area, defeating Colorado Christian 84-48 in Lakewood before a 77-74 win over Regis. They are winners in three of their last four games.
 
The Trailblazers are led by Matt Conway who averages 17.0 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. Conway had a season-high 25 points in the game against Western Oregon and combined for 43 total points in the two wins last weekend.
 
Last Five Meetings
November 8, 2013 – @ Dixie State 85, Colorado Mesa 81
November 24, 2012 – @ Colorado Mesa 80, Dixie State 61
November 10, 2012 – @ Dixie State 77, Colorado Mesa 65
November 26, 2011 – Dixie State 67, @ Colorado Mesa 63
November 27, 2010 – @ Colorado Mesa 65, Dixie State 57
 
SCOUTING THE GRIFFINS
Westminster comes into the weekend with a 6-9 overall record with a 4-7 mark inside the conference. They dropped both games last weekend to Colorado Christian and Regis on the road, falling 86-77 to the Cougars and 77-76 to Regis. The Griffins are 4-1 in games in Salt Lake City this season but have failed to win a game on the road with an 0-7 mark.
 
Sophomore Brandon Warr leads the Griffins with 14.3 points and 7.8 rebounds per game this season. Warr scored a career-high 29 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field against Chadron State
 
Last Five Meetings
February 3, 2018 – @ Westminster 83, Colorado Mesa 70
November 30, 2017 – Westminster 74, @ Colorado Mesa 62
February 4, 2017 – Westminster 89, @ Colorado Mesa 82
December 3, 2016 – @ Westminster 89, Colorado Mesa 68
February 26, 2016 – @ Colorado Mesa 85, Westminster 64
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Colorado Mesa will be at home for the second straight weekend when they host Regis and Colorado Christian. Both matchups will be crucial for the Mavericks when it comes to Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament seeding.