GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — They avenged that double-overtime loss back in December with a vengeance.
The Colorado Mesa women's basketball team used stifling defense Friday (Feb. 16) to hold No. 20 Colorado School of Mines to its worst offensive output of the season in a 74-47 runaway victory at Brownson Arena.
The win kept the Mavericks undefeated at home at 11-0 and improved their overall record to 19-5, with a conference mark of 13-4, only one-half game behind the Orediggers for the RMAC lead. There's a four-way tie for first place, with Colorado School of Mines, Regis, Adams State and CU-Colorado Springs all owning 14-4 conference records.
Colorado Mesa led for all but 10 seconds — the Orediggers' Ashley Steffeck hit a transition 3-pointer for a 9-7 lead with 6:26 on the clock in the first quarter. Ten seconds later, Laura Gutierrez hit a jumper to tie it and Olivia Reed went inside for two of her 17 points at the 5:33 mark to give CMU the lead for good.
"I thought we started the game really well," CMU coach Taylor Wagner said. "The girls hit a couple of shots and they kind of threw a couple of punches back and took the lead, and then we made a surge there in the first quarter. The defense was great. Obviously we hit those early shots and I felt like it opened everything up and we had a lot of confidence on the offensive side, but I thought it was all from our defense."
That 3-pointer by Steffeck was the last basket for Mines until 38 seconds remained in the first quarter, with the Mavs going on an 18-0 run to take command. Steffeck, who averages 19 points a game, finished with 15 on 4-of-19 shooting and hit only one 3-pointer.
The Mavericks were up 15 at the end of the first quarter, allowing the Orediggers to shoot only 29 percent from the field. That defensive effort led to a highly efficient offense, with CMU shooting 62.5 percent in the first quarter (10 of 16) and 50 percent from the 3-point line (4 of 8).
Coming off their worst shooting game of the season in a loss to CU-Colorado Springs, the Mavericks shot an even 50 percent for the game and nearly 43 percent from the 3-point line, making 9 of 21.
Gutierrez made three of those treys and finished with 15 points, one of four players to reach double figures for CMU. Claire Heitschmidt had her third straight game in double figured, adding 13 points, including three 3-pointers, and Mason Rowland added 11.
"I know when I rush shots, it usually doesn't go in, so I've gotta give praise to my teammates," Gutierrez said of her good shooting night. "All those shots they created for me and I was set and able to hit them."
Heitschmidt came up big, taking some pressure off Reed by driving into the paint for a couple of baskets and also hitting the crucial 3-pointers.
"Always when a new person comes in it takes awhile," Wagner said of the transfer from Central Washington. "I feel like now she's in a good rhythm and she knows what to expect. She knows where to look for her shots and she's playing great defense."
It was 39-26 at halftime after the Orediggers regrouped and outscored CMU 15-13, but the third quarter, the Mavericks came out tough on the defensive end again, giving up only nine points to pull ahead by 20, 55-35.
Mines made only one field goal in the third quarter in 10 attempts, a layup by Loralee Stock in the opening minute, with the other seven points coming at the free throw line (Mines was 17 of 18 at the line, CMU 11 of 16).
Reed went to work in the post early, with quick passes allowing her to beat the double-team for layups. When the Orediggers did double the post, she found open shooters, with three of CMU's 19 assists.
Reed also led the Mavs' 43-27 rebounding advantage with 17 boards, added one steal and blocked one shot.
"Mines plays a really aggressive defense, so at the beginning we were kind of able to move the ball and get inside when there wasn't as much of a double-team or triple-team, so that opened up," Reed said. "On the glass, I think we just knew from the start that rebounding was going to be huge in this game and we executed."
Kylie Kravig dished out nine assists, with two steals. She scored only four points, but her one field goal had the Mavericks fired up after she patiently handed Mines pressuring out on the ball, then picked her way through the lane for a layup with 5:29 to play in the game. She also drew a foul and completed the three-point play for a 66-39 lead.
"There's more smiles when they play hard," Wagner said. "There's more wins. I feel like they like that and they know what the program is about. I'm excited to see what they do."
The Mavericks, who used 11 offensive rebounds to score 12 second-chance points and outscored Mines 28-22 in the paint, face MSU Denver at 5:30 tonight at Brownson Arena.
