LAS VEGAS, N.M. – The Colorado Mesa University men's basketball team used a strong 10-point advantage to close out the final five minutes against New Mexico Highlands University this evening as the Mavericks worked their way to a 94-84 RMAC road victory over the Cowboys at John A. Wilson Complex.
Playing to their third straight win and second consecutive RMAC win of the new year the Mavs are now 8-5 on the season while improving to 4-1 in the RMAC. They handed the Cowboys their 12th loss of the season in return who now sit at 4-12 (2-3 RMAC).
The Mavs collected a 16-5 run to start the game as they used a strong shooting performance through the first six minutes making four jumpers and two three pointers.
The Cowboys retaliated on a 12-5 run to follow, but saw their momentum be short lived as Colorado Mesa jumped back out to 13-point lead with less than three minutes left in the half.
A pair of steals and dunks allowed the Cowboys to claw their way back to a single-digit margin in the final minute of the first half, but a Cohenj Gonzales mid-range shot closed out the final seconds as the Mavs led 41-33 after the opening 20 minutes.
Through the first half Colorado Mesa shot an astounding 60 percent from the field while also owning a 41.7 percent mark from three-point range as they 5-for-12.
After just three minutes into the second half the Cowboys were able to even the game up quickly at 45 apiece with there being six lead changes taking place with both teams then going back and forth for the following 10 minutes.
The game stood all square for the final time at 68-68 before Colorado Mesa went on to break away in the final five minutes outscoring the Cowboys 19-9. Nine of those points in the final two minutes would come from the free throw line with CMU finishing 31-34 total to own a season game-high 91.2 percent free throw percentage.
Four different Mavs scored in double figures to bolster the win as both Harvey White and Ty Allred eclipsed the 20-point mark with White owning 23 and Allred adding 21.
Cohenj Gonzales added 19 points off the bench while making three three-pointers with Clayton Jewell rounding out the bunch at 13 points.
Gonzales had 10 of his points in the first half as he was one of two Mavs to already reach double figures with Harvey White having 11 points in the first half as well.
Allred came up just one board short of a double-double with nine rebounds in the game. Jewell added eight rebounds to be two short.
White would also record a season-high eight assists in the win.
The Mavs will get tomorrow off now before continuing their road trip on Saturday when they travel to Alamosa, Colo. to take on Adams State University. Game time is set for 3 P.M. with streaming found on the RMAC Network.
