PUEBLO, Colo. – Trevor Baskin came away with a key steal with 12 seconds left and successfully iced the game at the free throw line as Colorado Mesa survived a tough test from CSU Pueblo but came away with an 82-80 win at Massari Arena.

Baskin finished with 17 points to lead four Mavericks in double figures ahead of Christopher Speller (16 points), Michael McCurry (14) and Owen Koonce (12). Baskin also recorded a team-high eight rebounds and team-high four assists, as well as a block and the all-important steal.

The win improves the Mavericks to 23-3 overall and 19-1 in the RMAC, still tied with Fort Lewis (24-2, 19-1 RMAC), who narrowly beat South Dakota Mines 86-83 tonight. The RMAC's top two teams continued to rattle off victories on a night where the Lone Star Conference's leaders, No. 1 West Texas A&M and No. 8 DBU, both suffered upset losses.

The ThunderWolves outshot Colorado Mesa from both the field (46 percent to 44 percent) and from behind the arc (38 percent to 30 percent), but this Maverick team which has seemingly forgotten how to miss a free throw put in another phenomenal performance from the stripe, going 21-for-22 from the line and failing to falter in the second half by going a perfect 14-for-14.

The Mavericks withstood a well-played game from a CSU Pueblo team currently fighting for its postseason lives in the RMAC. The game featured six ties and 11 lead changes, nine of which came in the second half.

Colorado Mesa got off to a hot start, climbing out to a 13-6 lead in the game's first four-and-a-half minutes. The Mavs held the lead for nearly the entire first half, but never led by more than seven points. A mini 5-0 run for CSU Pueblo comprised of a De'Shaun Cooper dunk and a three-point play by Makiah Morris gave the Pack their first lead of the game at 39-38 with 3:40 to play in the first half, but CMU took the lead back immediately on a Michael McCurry three-pointer and led at halftime, 45-41.

Baskin, who is making a habit of monster second-half performances, scored 13 of his 17 points after the break to go back and forth with the ThunderWolves. Baskin went on a personal 5-0 run, netting a layup inside with 3:35 remaining and then draining a cold-blooded three-pointer with a hand in his face to put the Mavs up by three, 76-73, with 2:08 left to play in the game.

From then on, CSU Pueblo sent Mesa to the line, and the Mavs didn't miss. Speller and Michael McCurry each went 2-for-2 from the line on initial one-and-one opportunities, but the ThunderWolves hit foul shots on the other end to keep it at a three-point game, 80-77 CMU with 12 seconds to go.

Out of a timeout, the ThunderWolves attempted to inbound, but Brevin Walter's pass was picked off by Baskin, who dribbled across halfcourt before being fouled. Baskin hit both free throws to give the Mavericks a five-point lead, part of his overall 6-for-6 performance from the free-throw line.

The ThunderWolves missed one pointer from Walter, but Makiah Morris got an offensive rebound, dribbled out to the corner and drilled a three as time expired to ensure the final two-point margin of victory, CMU's closest of the 2023-24 season.

The Mavs have a quicker-than-usual turnaround after a full weekend of games, heading to Salt Lake City to face Westminster (8-17, 4-15 RMAC) on Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m. The Griffins defeated New Mexico Highlands on Friday night, 75-71.