GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – A balanced attack with four Mavs in double figures helped Colorado Mesa to a 68-56 win over the Dallas Baptist Patriots and secure a 2-0 start to the season.

Blaise Threatt had a double-double with 15 points and 14 rebounds and added five assists to lead all players in each category. The 14 rebounds tied a career-high for Threatt. Trevor Baskin (14 points), Reece Johnson (14) and Mac Riniker (12) also chipped in offensively.

The win meant the Mavericks went 2-0 in the D2 Conference Challenge for the first time in the eight-year history of the tournament. CMU was 3-4 against Dallas Baptist and 1-6 against St. Edward's prior to this season.

The Mavs came out with defensive energy, with Riniker collecting steals on each of DBU's first two positions. Although DBU managed a momentary 4-2 lead, the Mavs went on a 10-0 run that included six points from Johnson and a fast break layup from Baskin that prompted DBU to call timeout at 13:13 in the first half and the Mavs up 12-4.

CMU kept up the pressure with fast-paced offense. After Owen Koonce hit a pull-up jumper to make it 22-16 Mavs, neither team scored for 2:15 until Threatt drained a three-pointer to open up CMU's largest lead of the half at 25-16.

DBU went on a 5-0 run to close the first half and had the score within two before a Baskin bucket and Threatt three-pointer stretched the lead back to 32-25.

A rash of Maverick turnovers allowed DBU to get back in the game. Eleven of CMU's 19 turnovers came after halftime, and DBU scored 12 points off those turnovers, including a Ta'Jay Dunlap steal that led to two free throws at the other end that brought DBU within one, 48-47 with 7:29 to play.

The two teams traded baskets before Isaac Jessup made a huge three-pointer off an offensive rebound and Riniker missed a dunk but contributed to a defensive stop and then threw down a dunk on the next possession.

Cameron Kahn answered with a layup for DBU that made it 55-53 Mavericks with 4:14 to play, but the CMU defense clamped down and held the Patriots without a field goal for the rest of the game. The Mavs pulled away at the line, with Threatt hitting five free throws in the last few minutes.

The Mavs shot 49 percent from the field for the game, including 50 percent in the second half. They shot 35 percent from beyond the arc, outshooting DBU, which shot 39 percent from the field and 30 percent from deep. Christopher Speller had four of CMU's 12 steals.

The Mavericks will hit the road next weekend, heading to the Lone Star state to take on Texas A&M Kingsville at 6 p.m. on Friday and Texas A&M International at 6 p.m. on Saturday. Kingsville and International are ranked sixth and 12^th, respectively, in the Lone Star Conference Preseason Poll.