by Bryce Reedy
With 34 seconds remaining, the Mavericks found themselves down 67-66 against RMAC rival Metro State. Colorado Mesa University was going to have the final opportunity to come up with a last second victory out of the timeout. They swung the ball around the perimeter until it finally fell into the hands of senior guard Eimer Lopez.
Lopez had 15 points for the Mavericks at that point, but it came on 4-14 shooting, including going 0-5 from behind the arc. The time was ticking down. Fifteen seconds left. Lopez had to do something with the ball.
The Roadrunner defender was playing off of him trying not to let Lopez drive to the rim. With eight seconds remaining, Lopez rose up from 30 feet out and buried his first three of the game to give the Mavericks the 69-67 victory.
“I was just taking the open shot,” Lopez said after the game. “[…] If I have to space the floor and take a couple of threes, I will do that.”
Lopez finished the game as the leading Mavericks scorer with 18 points while adding four rebounds and three assists.
“He is a talented offensive player for sure,” head coach Andy Shantz said when asked about Lopez’s performance.
This win came at a crucial time for CMU, who entered the game on a three-game losing streak. But after severe losses against other top RMAC opponents the Mavericks were finally able to get the monkey off of their back and beat one of the top teams in the conference.
“I think we have been so close these last couple of games,” guard CJ Davis said. “[…] We have been close with the good teams, and finally we beat one of them, so I think that could get us onto a win streak.”
Metro entered the game with a 10-6 record and 6-4 in the conference, which includes a defeat over the Mavericks on their home floor earlier in the year 98-89.
“You hope to get that one feel-good win on the season,” Shantz said. “They are far and few in between.”
CMU hoped that the win against Metro could ignite a fire and propel this team to put together a win streak, something they had yet to obtain at any point this season. And it started with UCCS at home on Saturday night.
After being neck and neck for most of the first half, a late run by CMU allowed them to take a 42-34 lead into halftime. But there was a feeling in the gym that the lead was never going to be safe.
The Mountain Lions were able to tie it at 73 with 1:56 to go in the half. But a three by Davis at the top of the key gave the Mavericks the lead once again. CMU clung to the lead for an 80-75 victory.
Lopez led the way with 20 points on the night, followed by Davis with 16, and Connor Nichols with 12. The win moved the Mavericks to a 5-14 record on the season, and 4-9 in the conference as well as gave the team its first win streak of the season.
The Mavericks look to continue the streak as they travel up to South Dakota for two games this weekend.
