There is no way they can lose at home. It’s almost as if it’s a written rule.
The Colorado Mesa University women’s basketball team was tested by Colorado Christian University on Friday night but ultimately downed the Cougars 50-39 to remain undefeated at home.
“We can’t be dropping games to a below .500 team. We can’t drop these games at home when we don’t lose at home,” CMU guard Kylyn Rigbsy said. “We know that we do not lose at home in our hearts. We are not gonna let anyone outwork us on our home court.”
The Mavericks have not lost a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) home game since Jan. 26 of 2018 when Black HIlls State won 56-53. Since then, CMU has gone 24-0 at home against conference opponents and after Friday, the streak continues into Saturday.
“Knowing what’s at stake right now. That’s the biggest concern,” Head Coach Taylor Wagner said. “We gotta finish this off. We haven’t done anything yet this year. There is still four more games. You’ve got to go out and finish the regular season”
The win against CCU didn’t necessarily come on a silver platter. The Cougars held the Mavericks to 13.3 percent from the field in the first quarter and were leading the majority of the game.
CMU was slow out of the gates and waited until the second quarter to get any sort of efficient offense going. Kylyn Rigbsy missed all of her shots in the first half but finished with team-high 14 points made crucial shots in the fourth quarter to bring the Mavericks out in front permanently.
Kelsey Siemons dominated the paint for three of the four quarters and shut down CCU forward Taylor Ferris who Siemons was guarding the majority of the game. The Tuscon, AZ native racked up six boards and three blocks. She also scored nine points with all of her shots being made from beyond the arc.
“[Ferris] is tough, she’s a tough girl to guard,” Siemons said. “Coach warned us all week he’s been talking to the post all week saying they’re gonna come and they’re gonna crash so hard when you don’t even know it. I think it took the first quarter/half to get used to it and match their physicality.”
Sydni Brandon, fresh off her third RMAC Defensive Player of the Week award, grabbed a game-high ten boards to go along with her five points and six assists. Taylor Wagner utilized Brandon for 38 minutes of the game while the rest of the starting five all played 27 minutes or more. Only three bench players saw minutes on Friday.
Moving forward, the target on CMU’s back continues to grow and it appears each of their opponents, not matter who is it nor their record, is going to give 100 percent and then a little bit extra…because it’s CMU.
Regis comes to town on Saturday and it is well known that the Mavericks and Rangers will not be feeling the love even a day after Valentine’s Day.
“They literally call this their cheesecake game,” Kylyn Rigbsy said about Regis. “If they win this game then they get cheesecake.”
That is the actual truth btw. CMU guard Elly Walters who transferred from Regis this last year can confirm that previous statement.
