PUEBLO, Colo. – Redshirt sophomore Natalie Bartle poured in a career-high 32 points to pace the No. 24 Colorado Mesa women's basketball team to an 81-67 win over the CSU Pueblo ThunderWolves in Massari Arena.
 
The Negaunee, Mich. product was 9-for-14 from the field and 4-of-6 from the three-point line, including a pair of long bombs. She was also 10-for-15 from the free-throw line. Bartle wasn't only deadly on the offensive end of the floor, she completed her first career double-double with a career-high 11 rebounds.
 
Bartle had 17 of her 32 points by halftime.
 
The 30-point game by Bartle is the first since December 16, 2018 when Jaylyn Duran scored 32 points against Chadron State.
 
Colorado Mesa led 24-20 at the end of the first and was looking to extend their lead early in the second quarter. The Mavericks stretched their lead to seven at 29-22 after a made three-pointer by Kelsey Siemons with 8:19 to play in the half. That was the last field goal they would make in the half but added seven points, all from the free-throw line.
 
The lead would go on to change hands 11 times in the game and was tied 8 times. CSU Pueblo's last lead came with 3:16 in the third at 50-49. A pair of Kylyn Rigsby free-throws gave the Mavericks the lead for good.
 
Colorado Mesa had a 15 point lead with 27 seconds left in the game for their biggest lead of the night while they led for nearly 29 minutes of the contest.
 
Rigsby finished her night with 19 points, making all five of her field goals from beyond the arc.
 
Kelsey Siemons was the only other Maverick in double figures with 11 points and eight rebounds.
 
The Mavericks shot 42.6 percent from the field and buried 13 three-point baskets (56.5 percent). They also added 28 points from the charity stripe, making them at a 75.7 percent clip.
 
The ThunderWolves had a pair score 20 points in JaNaiya Davis (22) and Sydni Williams (20) while Jazzy Hughes finished with 10 rebounds.
 
The win moves Colorado Mesa to 5-1 heading into the winter break but also gives head coach Taylor Wagner his 199^th win of his Maverick coaching tenure.
 
Colorado Mesa will return home after the New Year with a matchup against UCCS on January 4 in Brownson Arena.