GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. —The Colorado Mesa Mavericks (21-3, 17-1 RMAC) overcame another sluggish start this time to the Colorado Christian Cougars (7-17, 7-10 RMAC). Kylyn Rigsby led the team with a game-high 14 points, which all occurred in the second half. The Mavericks would go on to win 50-39 inside Brownson Arena on Friday night.
With this win the Mavericks remain undefeated at home this season, 12-0.
Colorado Mesa maintains a commanding three game lead in the Rocky Mountain Atheltic Conference standings with four games remaining. This win snapped a two-game winning streak for CCU who is fading out of the conference playoff picture.
Kelsey Siemons and Daniella Turner chipped in 12 and nine points respectively. All three of Siemons points came from beyond the arc.
The Mavericks shot 40.4 percent from the field (21-of-52), 44.4 percent (8-of-18) from the three-point, and did not attempt a free throw in tonight's contest.
The first quarter shooting woes continued for CMU as they only connected on two shots in the frame to fall behind early, 10-5 after the opening ten minutes. The Maverick offense improved from there in the next three quarters. They shot at least 50 percent in the remaining quarters which included an excellent 55.6 percent shooting in the fourth quarter.
The opening quarter was a back and forth battle as neither team led by more than three points, until the final minute of the quarter when CCU went on a four-point run to take a 10-5 lead to the second frame. They ended the quarter with buckets on back-to-back possessions.
This five-point lead would be their largest lead of the game, which they matched three more times. They also shot a team-high 38.5 percent from the field in the first quarter.
CCU matched their largest lead early in the second quarter holding a 14-9 lead which matched their biggest of the game.
Colorado Mesa went on to outscore the Cougars 16-12 on 7-of-4 shooting, including two made three-pointers hit by Siemons. Her second three of the quarter took the lead, 21-19 with 1:24 remaining just before the Cougars would hit a late three ball off of a steal and take a one-point lead, 22-21, into halftime.
In that second quarter, junior Turner scored six points on 50 percent shooting (3-of-6) to help pace the Mavs.
After halftime, Rigsby caught fire shooting 4-of-7 from the field. She recorded the opening basket of the game to take a lead that the Mavs would keep throughout the remainder of the game.
Rigsby's opening basket struck a 7-0 run that lasted nearly half the quarter taking a 28-22 lead. This was ended by a CCU three-pointer seconds before the second media timeout in the third quarter.
The Mavs reached their biggest lead of the quarter 35-28 before the two teams exchanged buckets to close out the quarter with the Mavs holding a 37-31 advantage.
The fourth quarter was all Mavericks, shooting a team best 55.6 percent and connecting on five shots, three of those field goals came from beyond the arc.
Rigsby and Turner were huge for the Mavs scoring 11 of the teams 13 points in the fourth quarter. Turner also hit the shot that gave CMU their biggest lead of the game, 45-32 with 4:50 remaining in the game.
Sydni Brandon and Siemons led the defense on the glass in the quarter as they gobbled up six defensive rebounds giving up only one offensive rebound in the final frame. The Maverick defense only surrender three makes on twelve shots by the Cougars to close out the game.
Brandon finished with ten rebounds which marks back-to-back games for the Grand Junction, Colo. native.
The Mavs were balanced as a whole unit in the effort as seven of the eight players who took the floor connected on at least one shot.
The Mavs will lace up tomorrow for the final time at Brownson Arena during the regular season as they face the Regis Rangers at 5:30 pm before hitting the road for the last three regular season games.
