A little too close for comfort for a first-round game.
The Colorado Mesa University women’s basketball team was able to hold off an aggressive Black Hills State squad in a 56-49 victory to advance in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) Tournament.
Back on Jan. 5, The Mavericks scored a season-high 14 three-pointers while Jaylyn Duran broke the school record for most three’s in a single game with nine. On Tuesday, Duran did not make a signal shot in the first half and missed all three of her three-point attempts.
“I think we just came out a little flat,” Duran said. “We can’t be doing that, especially since everyone is playing to win. They gave us their best.”
CMU came out of the gate ice cold shooting less than ten percent from the field in the first quarter and struggling to get any offensive rhythm. Some would say it was the tournament jitters that were getting to both teams as the Yellow Jackets weren’t doing much better.
BHSU shot 30.43 percent from the field in the first half and made only seven field goals. After the first quarter, CMU would find themselves down 13-12.
“We gotta hang our hat on our defense no matter what,” Head Coach Taylor Wagnor said. “The offense is up and down a little bit through the game. The defense, we can’t take a breakup from that.”
In the second quarter, Sydni Brandon kept the Mavericks in the game as the junior went 8-8 from the free-throw line and stole the ball twice. Brandon made the All-RMAC First Team on Tuesday but did not win Defensive Player of the Year as many thought she should win.
“Sydni’s phenomenal,” Wagnor said. “I’m biased but she’s the MVP for us for defense…We have a great team defense, but she is really the catalyst and leader on that side of the ball and hopefully, she keeps proving it every game.”
To end the first half, Brandon was attempting to stop a buzzer-beater shot from BHSU’s Julia Seamans, but she ended up hitting the hardwood instead after getting knocked to the ground by a blindside check.
“She just didn’t it coming and got laid out,” Wagnor said. “I think they play happened real fast and luckily she’s okay.”
The Mavericks would go into halftime down 26-24 and Brandon was forced to put on a back brace she had applied the week before due to a related back injury.
Going in the third, there were doubts. The Mavericks were struggling in their shooting, however, a three-pointer by Kelsey Siemons to kick off the second half brought everything back full circle.
Jaylyn Duran, who had yet to make a shot, would start to light a fire on the CMU offense. The RMAC Player of the Year lived up to her accolade in the second half as she put up 18 points and made three crucial three-pointers to give CMU their first sizable lead.
Sydni Brandon would come back into the game shaken up but she played as if nothing affected her. Brandon would go on to rack up a double-double with 15 points, 12 rebounds and six steals.
“There are just times I know when like everybody is missing shots…I have to step up, “ Brandon said. “In those scenarios where it is a close game and we can’t get momentum…I have to work ten times harder than I would normally work.”
CMU would shoot 40.0 percent from the field in the second half and make 50.0 percent of their shots from long range. When the crucial fourth quarter came around, Wagnor and his squad knew every play would count and there would be no comfort till the final buzzer.
Black Hills State would get into foul trouble and CMU would stay crisp on the free-throw line making 18-21 on the night. The Yellow Jackets would also avoid gaining a sense of momentum in the second half due to the nine turnovers. The Mavericks were able to keep their small lead when the final buzzer sounded and everyone wearing white on the court could finally take a breath.
The final score would read 56-49 and CMU will advance to the semi-finals of the RMAC Tournament where they will face Colorado School of Mines. The Orediggers defeated CSU-Pueblo on Tuesday 62-57.
As mentioned, earlier on the in the day, Jaylyn Duran was awarded the RMAC Player of the Year. She joined Sydni Brandon in the All-RMAC first team while Karina Brandon was awarded Honorable Mention. Taylor Wagnor was also awarded RMAC Coach of the Year.
The game against Mines will take place on Friday, March 8 with a 5:30 p.m. tip-off time.
