GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The Colorado Mesa women's basketball team led by as many as 24 points, but a cold second half helped the Wayne State Wildcats chip away and eventually pull away with a 62-59 win on Saturday (Nov. 26) evening in Brownson Arena as a part of the Holiday Inn Airport Thanksgiving Classic.
 
The Mavericks led 43-22 at halftime and stretched the lead to 24 at 46-22 with 9:09 left in the third quarter after Kylie Kravig hit the first of two free-throws. After that it was all Wildcats, as they cut the Maverick lead to 12 at the end of the third quarter, 50-38.
 
Wayne State took their first lead with 1:04 to play in the fourth quarter at 59-57 and never trailed after.
 
In the second half, the Mavericks were 4-for-23 shooting that included 0-for-11 from beyond the arc. They were only able to muster 16 points in the half as opposed to the 40 points from Wayne State.
 
Colorado Mesa built their lead in the first half thanks in large part to a 17-2 run that spanned from the 6:58 mark to the 49 second mark of the second quarter. Laura Gutierrez buried two threes and Jamisyn Heaton added six points during the run.
 
Jamisyn Heaton led Colorado Mesa in scoring with 14 points while teammate Kylie Kravig finished with 13 and were the only two Mavericks in double figures.
 
Olivia Reed had her third double figure rebounding effort as she finished with 14 boards while her teammate Monica Brooks also had 14 rebounds.
 
The Mavericks will close out the Holiday Inn Airport Thanksgiving Classic on Sunday with a non-conference matchup with Fort Lewis at 5:00pm in Brownson Arena.