Sophomore center Ethan Menzies posted a double-double in the second half with 17 points and 10 rebounds to help the Mavericks beat the Eagles 67-52.
Menzies finished the game with 19 points and 13 rebounds to help the Mavericks win.
Colorado Mesa University (CMU) now advances to the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) Tournament Semifinals. They will play Adams State University to potentially advance to the RMAC Tournament Championship.
“Coach said it the best, he said, ‘it’s hard to end anybody’s season. It’s going to be a tough thing every game from now on, it’s going to be hard to end people’s seasons,” senior guard Jared Small said. “I remember, we got to the free-throw line and we got it to 16 or something and we scored. One of their players just went ‘oh man’. I heard the sigh and I was like, it’s going to chill out from here on.”
Freshman guard Blaise Threatt finished the game as CMU’s second-leading scorer with 13 points along with seven rebounds.
The Mavericks finished the game with a rebound advantage of 38 to 26.
CMU took a 10-8 lead in the opening five minutes of the game as senior guard Georgie Dancer got into the paint to convert a layup. Chadron State College (CSC) took a one-point lead two minutes later as Deundra Roberson hit a three-pointer.
Brady Delimont increased the Eagle’s lead to three points as he got into the paint to convert a layup.
Threatt made a layup with 12:06 to bring the Mavericks within one point. Freshman guard Reece Johnson gave CMU a two-point lead on their next possession as he made a three-pointer.
Freshman forward Trevor Baskin increased the Mavericks lead to four points as he got into the paint to convert a layup. Psalm Maduakor immediately answered Baskin’s basket with a three-pointer to bring the Eagles within one-point with 10:19 left in the half.
Both teams traded shots for the remainder of the half as the Eagles wouldn’t let the Mavericks get ahead by more than four points. Baskin gave the Mavericks a three-point lead as he went two-for-two from the free-throw line to score the final points of the half.
“They had eight offensive rebounds in the first half so one of the biggest [adjustments] was rebounding, taking care of the ball and more pace on offense. So, I have to sprint into the first action, the first ball screen, and the guard has to dribble down with pace,” Menzies said.
The Mavericks opened the second half on an 11 to seven-run with Menzies scoring all 11 points for CMU. Kayden Sund cut the Mavericks lead down to five-points with 14:39 left in the second half.
Freshman guard Christopher Speller answered with a three-pointer to give CMU an eight-point lead. Teddy Parham Jr. immediately answered with a three of his own for the Eagles.
CMU started to separate from CSC with 13:11 left in the game as Threatt set off a 19 to six run to give the Mavericks an 18-point lead. The Eagles worked tirelessly to try to get back into the game but they were unable to get the Mavericks lead below 13-points.
The Mavericks bench played a big factor in the game as they scored 30 points, and CMU also scored 42 points in the paint.
“In the second half, we were just able to keep the ball in a stronger position because they are going to come and rotate and be grabbing at you to knocking it away.” Head Coach Mike DeGeorge said. “We were just a little loose with it in the first half, and that created a lot of turnovers for them and missed opportunities for us around the basket.”
The Mavericks held the Eagles to 29.2% shooting from the floor, and CMU shot 59.5% from the floor. CMU also went a perfect 13 for 13 from the free-throw line.
CMU’s next game is Friday, March 5 against the Grizzlies in the RMAC Tournament Semifinals in Grand Junction, Colo.
