GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.— The Colorado Mesa University Mavericks and the Westminster College Griffins met for the second time in 13 days on Friday night in Brownson Arena.  After giving up a 18-point second-half lead in Salt Lake City on Jan. 25, the Mavericks would prevail 50-47 as they held on thanks to some timely stops down the stretch.
 
With the victory, the Mavericks improved to 19-3 overall and to 15-1 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference women's basketball standings and now have a commanding 3-game lead over the Griffins (17-5), the Colorado School of Mines and Western Colorado University, who are all now 12-4 after other results around the conference with just six games left in the regular season.
 
Missing five of their six free throws in the final 1:11, the Mavericks needed another game-saving stop as the Griffins had a chance to tie the game with eight seconds to go. The Mavericks, one of the best defensive teams in the nation, showed it ­as they double-teamed the Griffins' Sarah McGinley, who was forced into a desperation shot from well beyond the three-point line.  The shot was well short as time expired in a hard-fought battle by both sides.
 
The game started off well for the Mavericks, who shot 50 percent (9-18) from the field in the first quarter as the Mavericks built as much as a 13-point (22-9) lead early.
 
Sydni Brandon had eight of her co-team-high 11 points in the first quarter to pace the Mavericks, who led 22-11 after the opening period.
 
However, the second stanza would be a different story for CMU as the Mavs would connect on just 2 of 17 (11.8 percent) second-quarter shots from the field while allowing Westminster to shoot 40 percent (6-15) as the Griffins clawed back into the game.
 
The Mavs surrendered the lead briefly after Westminster hit a 3-pointer with 1:20 to go before halftime.

CMU's Sierra McNicol then hit a much-needed jumper with 19 seconds left in the half to make sure the Mavericks had a 27-26 halftime lead.
 
CMU would win the third quarter, 14-9 thanks to balanced scoring with five players hitting at least one shot to help the Mavs go up 41-35 at the end of the frame. CMU shot 38.5 percent (5-13) while limiting WC to 30.8 percent (4-13) from the field.
 
The fourth quarter would be a quarter of runs as Westminster would start on a 5-0 run to take a 43-42 advantage with 6:07 to play. CMU then went on an 8-point run in the middle of the fourth, holding the Griffins scoreless for 5:27, which allowed CMU to stretch its lead to 49-42.
 
The Griffins would then out-score CMU 5-1 in the final 1:11 of the game as the Mavericks' needed the defensive stops to overcome the poor late-game free throw shooting.
 
CMU had a balanced offensive attack in the victory as five players finished with seven or more points.  Brandon and Daniella Turner each had 11 to pace the Mavericks on the evening.  The team also distributed the ball well tonight as five players had multiple assists in the win.

The Mavericks, who are now 10-0 at home this season, had a 14-0 advantage in bench scoring.
 
CMU will lace it up again Saturday night against the Dixie State University Trailblazers (14-8, 9-7 RMAC) at 5:30 p.m. before hosting Colorado Christian and Regis next weekend, in what will be the Mavs' final two regular season home games.