GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — It didn't take long for Olivia Reed Thyne to reach her latest milestone.
Only 15 seconds into Wednesday night's 70-52 nonconference victory over CSU Pueblo at Brownson Arena, the junior forward hit the first shot of the game, a jumper just outside the paint.
It was the 1,000th point of her career, only 66 games in.
Not bad for a player whose hands were shaking trying to tie her shoes before her first college game.
"We were in shootaround and her shoe was untied and she was down there trying to tie her shoe and her hands were shaking," CMU coach Taylor Wagner said. "That's what I remember about her first game. Ever since then she's been on a tear. She puts the work in every day.
"She's gotten better every year, and she deserves the 1,000 points. Hopefully she gets a whole lot more in her next year and a half, but she's a phenomenal player, she's a phenomenal teammate, and I think that's the best thing. Everybody loves being her teammate. Everybody cheers for and that says a lot for our leader about what her teammates think of her. She's about the team, and I know she does a little bit of scoring and and a little bit of rebounding, but she's about the team and about winning, and that's what I really love about her."
Reed Thyne laughed when she thought back at that first game, a 14-point, 8-rebound performance against West Texas A&M.
"Freshman year, I was nervous," she said.
"I mean, it's always great to see the work that you put in, the hours that you put in in the gym pay off on game day. And so I'm just thankful for that, and I'm just thankful for my teammates, they've always been able to get me the ball at good times and when I'm in position."
Reed Thyne was one of four players in double figures in the crucial victory, recording her 24th double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
The Mavericks (4-1) actually made their move with Reed Thyne on the bench after picking up her second foul in the final minute of the first quarter.
The game was tied 15-15 at the time, and the Mavs eased out to a three-point lead.
That's when Riley Hayes took over, scoring the next 11 points for CMU on a trio of 3-pointers and a pair of free throws.
Wagner also made a bit of a defensive adjustment with Reed Thyne on the bench, having 6-foot-2 Brooklyn Palmer guard Alisha Little. By having a bigger, more physical player to go against, Little had to work for her 22 points, especially when the Mavericks started sending a second player in to help double-team her in the low post.
Palmer had her best game as a Maverick, with 14 points and seven rebounds, and had a perfect shooting night. She made all six of her field goals, including a pair of 3-pointers.
"It's just a different look. You know, Alicia's played against Olivia for a while, kind of knows tendencies, and really hasn't played against Brooklyn. I thought Brooklyn did a phenomenal job getting in there," Wagner said. "Every week she gets more physical and and just is starting to really settle in on our team, and it's fun to see that. On both sides of the ball, she's really doing a phenomenal job for us."
By the time Macy Larsen hit a 3-pointer with the clock running down at the end of the first half, the Mavericks had outscored the ThunderWolves 28-10 and led 43-25.
That key 10-minute stretch allowed the Mavericks enough breathing room in the second half when the teams traded baskets. The first, third and fourth quarters were virtual standoffs, 15-15, 13-13 and 14-14, respectively.
Hayes, making her second straight start, led the Mavericks with 18 points and seven rebounds, and Kylie Kravig had 12 points and eight assists.
"I mean, it's going to it's going to take some time," Wagner said of the Mavericks shuffling roles with the loss of guard Mason Rowland to an injury. "You know, Mason is a great player for us, and I think from game to game, it's going to be different on how teams attack us, and then it's just us kind of by committee of who's going to be able to fill those shoes. Mason is a great ball handler, great rebounder, obviously a great offensive player and a great defender, so we miss her in every little aspect of the game. So by committee, I think everybody's just got to chip in a little bit."
A point of emphasis was keeping the ThunderWolves off the free-throw line, and the Mavericks did that. CSU Pueblo made 8 of 10 free throws, the Mavs 20 of 22.
The marquee matchup of the reigning RMAC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year was a battle of which player could establish her game — Little finished with 22 points, six rebounds, four steals and three blocked shots. Reed Thyne had the 12-10 double-double, one assist and two blocked shots.
"Defensively, I think for me, at least limiting her touches the best I can, and sometimes she doesn't like a lot of contact, so trying to be physical," Reed Thyne said. "I needed to be a little bit smarter in terms of deciding when to be physical, but I don't know, that's always a thing for me.
"Then offensively again, just with her being the defender that she is, and just the past games, a lot of my scoring has come from me kind of stretching out a little bit and finding those little jumpers and hitting them and knocking them down. And then when I am inside and I do get the ball, maybe needing to alter my shot just a little bit, because she is such a good defender."
The Mavericks are off until RMAC play begins on Dec. 5, so they'll have a short break for Thanksgiving, but Wagner said this is a good time to get back to some skill development.
"I was just telling them in the locker room, we can get better or worse in the next few days," Wagner said "Hopefully everybody puts the time in. I don't want to do a whole lot of physical stuff the next couple of days, but I feel like skill work we can make some ground in the next few days."
