GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The Colorado Mesa men's basketball team opened the New Year and the second half of the schedule with an 89-77 win over the New Mexico Highlands Cowboys on Thursday (Jan. 9) evening in Brownson Arena.
 
The Mavericks trailed 45-40 at the break as they shot 51.6 percent from the field but had eight turnovers that New Mexico Highlands converted into 12 points. The Cowboys shot 50 percent from the field and made 6-of-12 from behind the arc to take control of the half.
 
Colorado Mesa continued to chip away but couldn't get a defensive stop until the final 10 minutes of the game. The Mavericks trailed 67-61 with 10:09 to play and wound up getting three straight stops to cut it 67-66 with 8:07 to play.
 
Mason Honeyman's three-pointer with 6:13 to play gave the Mavericks the lead at 74-72.
 
The Cowboys hit a pair of free-throws and retained possession on a flagrant-1 call to make it 74-74. Yaak Yaak had a huge block that put the Mavericks in transition with Harvey White burying a three-pointer to give the Mavericks a 77-74 lead that they would not relinquish.
 
Colorado Mesa outscored Highlands 28-10 in the second half and didn't commit a turnover. The defense limited the Cowboys to just 32.3 percent shooting in the half and were able to get baskets in transition as they outscored them 13-0 on fast break points.
 
Will Mortimore and Harvey White tied for the game-high with 17 points apiece. Mortimore added five rebounds and an assist while White had four rebounds and three assists.
 
Ty Allred finished with 16 points while Honeyman added 15 points. Jaylen Pitman scored 10 points with all of them coming in the first half of action.
 
The five Australia natives that played in the game accounted for 65 of the Mavericks 89 points in the game.
 
Kenard Richardson led New Mexico Highlands with 17 points while Ja'Kwon Hill finished with a double-double at 16 points and 11 rebounds.
 
Colorado Mesa picked up their first Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference win of the season and the first conference win for head coach Mike Dunlap in his return to the conference. They also improved to 7-6 on the season.
 
The Mavericks will host the Adams State Grizzlies on Saturday at 3pm to close out the weekend. Adams State was on the wrong end of a 107-95 final on Thursday evening in Salt Lake City.