GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The Colorado Mesa Women's Basketball team (1-1) will travel to St. George, Utah this weekend for the Dixie State Tournament. In that tournament, the Mavericks will face Saint Martin's University on Nov 22 at 3 pm and Northwest Nazarene University on Nov 23 at 1 pm.
Live stream and live stats will be provided by Dixie State and can be accessed through the links provided above.
Texan-Tip Off Recap
The Mavericks will enter the weekend with a 1-1 overall record after defeating Cameron 87-49 in the season opener and falling to Tarleton State, 57-53. Both games were a part of the Texan Tip-off Classic that was hosted by Tarleton in Stephenville, TX.
Kelsey Siemons led the Mavericks that weekend averaging 15.0 points per game and recording six blocks. She shot 52.6 percent from the field and 50.0 percent from beyond the three-point line. Coming off the bench, Daniella Turner was the Mavericks next best scorer averaging 14.5 points while shooting 47.6 percent from the field.
Head coach Taylor Wagner has been consistent with his starting five to begin the season. Elly Walters, Sydni Brandon, Kylyn Rigsby, Sierra McNicol, and Siemons started each of the Mavericks two previous games.
Regional Rankings
After being ranked No. 2 in week 1 of the D2SIDA South Central Regional Poll the Mavericks fell to No. 9 in the most recent poll which was released Nov 19.
The Mavericks dropped out of the D2SIDA National Poll after being placed No. 11 in week 1.
The voting is compiled by three sports information directors from the Lone Star Conference and three sports information directors from the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference for the South Central Regional Poll. Two SIDs from each of the Division II's eight regions vote in the national poll.
Dixie State Tournament History
The Mavericks have participated in the Dixie State Tournament since the 2016-17 season and have gone 4-2 over the past three seasons. This will the second consecutive season that the Mavs will open up the tournament against Saint Martins. A season ago in the first game the year the Mavericks defeated the Saints 66-54 inside Burns Arena.
In the three previous trips to St. George, the Mavs have only swept the tournament one time during the 2017-18 season when they defeated Dixie State and Montana State Northern.
Scouting Saint Martin's
The Saints of Lacey, WA come into the weekend with a 2-0 record after defeating Pacific Lutheran, 73-64, and Warner Pacific, 72-61. Both those games were played on their home court inside the Marcus Pavilion.
Two of the Saints starters averaged double-digits over the weekend and were led by Bria Thames who averaged 18.5 points at a 58.3 clip (14-of-24 FG). The next best scorer, Claire Dingus, averaged 16.5 points while shooting 44.4 percent (12-of-27 FG). Each of them grabbed down a team high 17 rebounds over the two games.
Last season the Saint went 7-21 overall and 5-15 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. Dingus led the team with 13.5 points per game and 7.4 rebounds per game. She earned Freshmen of the Year honors for the GNAC.
Scouting Northwest Nazarene University
The Nighthawks enter the Dixie State Tournament with a 2-2 record. Their two wins come against Stanislaus State, 76-63, and Colorado Christian, 87-64.
So far this season Marina Valles leads the team with 16.0 points per game but has only played in two of the Nighthawks' four games. She was named to the preseason All-Conference team after earning second team All-GNAC last season.
Avery Albrecht who has started in each contest for the Nighthawks leads the team with 13.5 points and is followed by Erin Jenkins who has averaged 13.3 points per game.
Up Next
After the Dixie State Tournament, the Mavericks will host the Holiday Inn- Airport Thanksgiving Classic from Nov 29-30. On Nov 29 at 5 pm the Mavericks will play University of the Southwest (N.M.) and on Nov 30 at 5 pm the Mavericks will face Montana Western.
The Mavericks will begin the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference season on Dec 6 against UCCS in Colorado Springs, Colo.
