LAKEWOOD, Colo. – Colorado Mesa's last chance effort came up just short in a 67-66 loss to Dallas Baptist to close out the D2 Conference Challenge event at the CCU Events Center on Saturday (Nov. 9.)
 
The Mavericks (0-2) trailed by four, 67-63, with 56 seconds left when Kolton Peterson buried his fifth three-pointer of the game and was fouled on the play. Peterson missed the free-throw but Jared Small collected the long offensive rebound.
 
Colorado Mesa got a pair of stops on the defensive end but two offensive fouls on successive possessions led to no points and one final desperation attempt with three seconds left that came up short.
 
Turnovers once again plagued the Mavericks as they committed 19 turnovers that led to 22 DBU points.
 
In the two games of the event, the Mavericks lost by a combined four points to a pair of NCAA Tournament teams from a year ago.
 
Tommy Nuno led four double digit scorers for the Mavericks. The senior had a game-high 16 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the field including 2-for-2 from beyond the three-point arc. He fouled out late in the game but not before pulling down four rebounds and handing out four assists.
 
Peterson finished with 15 and Michael Skinner recorded his second-straight double-digit performance with 14 points.
 
Georgie Dancer added 13 points and tied for a game-high seven rebounds and five assists.
 
DBU's Tylan Dean finished with a team-high 15 points.
 
Both teams shot the exact same percentage from the field at 42.6 percent with the Patriots making three more shots (26-23.) Both teams made eight three-point baskets and Colorado Mesa made five more free-throws (12-7.)
 
Colorado Mesa will have the week off before heading up country to Gunnison for the Comfort Inn Classic at Western Colorado. The Mavericks will take on a pair of NAIA schools in Midland University and Pacific Union.