ALAMOSA, Colo. – Colorado Mesa's defense continues to be as dominant as ever as the season starts to pick up steam. After holding the Chadron State Eagles to 21.4 percent shooting last weekend, the Mavericks were able to hold Adams State to 26.4 percent shooting tonight in the 66-38 win at Plachy Hall
The No. 24 ranked Mavericks dominated on the defensive end for all four quarters while doing enough on the offensive end to pull away with the decisive victory. The Grizzlies were limited to a combine\d 17 points in the second in third quarter and and 25.7 percent shooting in the second half, including 18.18 percent in the fourth quarter.
Scoring wise, it was
Kylyn Rigsby having a game-high 16 points consisting of her going 4-9 from three-point range.
Daniella Turner added 12 points while junior transfer,
Monica Brooks, had a career-high 11 points while pulling down three boards.
In the first quarter, it was even for the most part until two three pointers from
Daniella Turner and
Monica Brooks allowed CMU to have a 17-11 lead at the end of the first. The second quarter was the Mavericks worst span of shooting, making only five field goals and racking up a floor percentage of 31.25 percent. But going 5-6 from the line helped them go into halftime with the 30-19 lead.
The defensive dominance only got stronger in the latter half of play for CMU. After the Grizzlies scored three buckets to bring the game back within six points, the Maverick defense would prevent them from scoring for seven minutes until the final six seconds of the quarter.
In the fourth, Adams shot the ball 11 times but only found the bottom of the net twice. Here is when
Kylyn Rigsby would lead the Mavericks in their highest scoring quarter of the game (46.15 fg percentage) and give CMU their biggest lead of the night of 28 points. Adams State would end the game shooting 26.4 percent which is the second lowest a CMU opponent has shot all season.
Coming into this weekend, CMU had the fifth best scoring defense in the entire country allowing only 51.5 ppg. After tonight, that average drops down to 48.8 percent which would bump them up to third best ahead of Colorado School of Mines who was third entering Friday night.
This marks the 18th win in a row against the Grizzlies that goes back to the 2011 season.
Other things to note is that
Kelsey Siemons only shot three pointers tonight going 2-3 from deep bringing her season average to 48.0 percent success from three-point territory...the best on the team.
Siemons ended the night with six points, six rebounds and one block.
Sierra McNicol tied for a game-high seven rebounds to go with her seven points and two assists.
Natalie Bartle also had the same number of points and boards.
Sophie Hadad tied her season-high with five rebounds.
Tomorrow the Mavericks will close out the weekend by taking on CSU Pueblo who CMU has beaten three out of last five games.
