GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — It's only November, but when you put the women's basketball teams from Colorado Mesa and CSU Pueblo on the floor, it's "more of a March feel," Maverick coach Taylor Wagner said this week.
The last time they played was in March, with the ThunderWolves' physical style winning out after the Mavericks used their transition game to claim the two regular-season meetings.
They'll renew their rivalry at 6 p.m. on Wednesday at Brownson Arena in a nonconference clash, the home opener for the Mavericks (3-1).
With the RMAC going to a 20-game conference slate this season, it left a couple of open dates for regional crossover play, holiday tournaments, or, like Wednesday, a single midweek in-state game.
The teams will play once during the RMAC season, Jan. 30 in Pueblo, so they agreed to an early season game in Grand Junction. The conference season begins the first week of December, with the Mavericks hosting CU-Colorado Springs on Thursday, Dec. 5 and Colorado Christian on Saturday, Dec. 7. Remember, this season, the conference settled on Thursday-Saturday game days instead of the Friday-Saturday back-to-backs, helping with recovery and travel.
CMU will fill the rest of its nonconference schedule just before the Christmas break, facing Northwest Missouri State and Pittsburg State in sunny Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Dec. 19-20. The Mavs resume conference play Jan. 9 at home against New Mexico Highlands.
ABOUT LAST WEEK
The Mavericks (3-1) played better team defense in their second weekend tournament, defeating Fort Lewis and St. Edward's in the Westminster Invite in Salt Lake City, Utah.
They held both opponents to under 50 points and to 40% shooting or less.
By having three players score in double figures each night, the Mavericks shared the ball and kept defenses honest — Kylie Kravig had 10 assists against Fort Lewis in a 75-48 victory and six more in a 68-42 win over St. Edward's.
Better defensive energy led to a 40-rebound game against St. Edward's, which had only 19 rebounds (one on the offensive end), and CMU had fewer turnovers than its opponents each night.
STEPPING IN
Riley Hayes, a senior transfer from Arkansas-Fort Smith, moved into the lineup at shooting guard Saturday for Mason Rowland, who missed the game with an injury, and responded with 13 points, two assists and four rebounds.
Hayes is a perimeter shooter, with deep range from the 3-point line, but she also has a good mid-range jumper and can drive the ball. Hayes also scored 13 points against Fort Lewis, 10 coming after Rowland was injured.
MILESTONES AHEAD
Junior forward Olivia Reed Thyne needs only two points to become the 21st player to score 1,000 points at Colorado Mesa. Should that milestone happen Wednesday, she will have reached it in only 66 games. She's just behind Kelsey Siemons (1,009, 2017-22) and Katrina Selsor (1,028, 2010-13) on the all-time list.
Tonya Stites scored a record 1,932 points in her career (1990-94) and is also the record holder in career rebounds (1,032). She and Pam DeCosta (1982-86) are the only two players in program history with more than 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds. DeCosta is 10th in scoring (1,333) and second in rebounding (1,012).
Reed Thyne is seventh all-time in rebounds with 684 and last Saturday against St. Edward's recorded the 100th block of her career, one of only six players to achieve that milestone. Susan Luecke (1996-2000) blocked 272 shots in her career.
Senior point guard Kylie Kravig needs seven assists to reach 400 for her career. She's already No. 1 in program history with 393, passing Jill Teeters (370, 1988-92) when she dished out 11 assists in the season opener.
RMAC'S FINEST
Wednesday's game will feature the reigning RMAC Player of the Year, CMU's Olivia Reed Thyne, and the RMAC Defensive player of the year, CSU Pueblo's Alisha Little.
Reed Thyne, a 6-foot junior forward, leads the RMAC in scoring (21.8) and rebounding (11.8) through the first two weeks, and Little, a 6-1 senior forward, is averaging 17.5 points and 9.3 rebounds.
Just like last season, Little is a menace defensively around the basket, already blocking a dozen shots. She swatted a nation-leading 116 shots a year ago, when both players received All-America honors.
In three meetings last season, Little averaged 20.6 points and 17 rebounds and blocked 19 shots. Reed Thyne countered with 14 points, 6.7 rebounds and one blocked shot — the Mavericks won the two regular-season meetings, with the ThunderWolves upsetting the top-seeded Mavs in the first round of the RMAC playoffs.
Little is coming off a monster weekend, averaging 29 points, 13.5 rebounds and five blocks. She shot 69% from the floor and was selected the RMAC Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week.
GETTING DEFENSIVE
The Mavericks had their issues on defense the opening weekend, but showed marked improvement in Week 2. After two games, CMU was 15th in the RMAC in scoring defense, allowing 78 points per game. After holding Fort Lewis to 48 points and St. Edward's to 42, that average dropped to 61.5 points per game, jumping from last to first in the conference. The scoring margin went from .5 points, sixth in the conference, to an RMAC-best 13.5 points.
Colorado Mesa is also No. 1 in scoring offense, averaging 75 points per game, and No. 2 in turnover margin at 5.75.
KNOW YOUR FOE
Alisha Little is the headliner, but the ThunderWolves (2-2) have a solid supporting cast. Forward Autumn Watts was on the RMAC Players to Watch list and was the Pack's second-leading scorer (10.1) and rebounder (6.1) last season. Watts, however, played only three minutes in the season opener against Lubbock Christian, leaving with an apparently leg injury, and has missed the past three games.
Landri Hudson, a 5-9 guard, is 3-point threat and scores 9.3 points a game and Brynae Stewart, a 6-foot sophomore, adds 8.0 points a game. Hudson's backcourt mate, Tomia Johnson, is also back.
CSU Pueblo brought in three transfers, two from the junior college ranks and a fifth-year senior guard from conference foe MSU Denver, Tosjanae Bonds.
After a slow start on opening weekend, Little came back with an impressive pair of games, averaging 29 points, 13.5 rebounds and 5 blocked shots last weekend. Hudson made a half-dozen 3-pointers in wins over Texas A&M-Kingsville and Missouri Western.
FUTURE MAVS
CMU coach Taylor Wagner announced the addition of two highly decorated high school players for next season, one guard and one forward.
Hallie Clark, a 5-6 guard from Palmer, Alaska, is a three-time All-State performer and the Class 4A Player of the Year at Colony High School. A 4.0 student, she's scored more than 1,600 points entering her senior season.
Trinity Schlueter is a 6-foot all-state forward from Turkey, Texas. She entered her senior season with 1,125 career points and has shot over 45% from the field. Valley High School reached the Class 1A state title game last season. Schlueter also won two silver and one bronze medal in last year's Texas Class 1A state track and field championships.
DYK?
The teams know one another well, starting with their coaches, Taylor Wagner and Tommie Johnson, who played basketball together at Otero Junior College. CMU's first-year assistant coach Jaylyn Duran, who grew up in Pueblo, was on the CSU Pueblo staff before returning to coach at her alma mater this season.
