On Friday night, the Colorado Mesa University (CMU) women’s basketball team began their final homestand of the regular season. The squad faced off against Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) opponents New Mexico Highlands University (NMHU) and Colorado State University, Pueblo (CSU-P).
The weekend was a successful one, as the Mavericks beat NMHU 60-43, then convincingly beat CSU-P 74-43.
CMU is now on a five game win streak, having just recently defeated the number one RMAC ranked Colorado School of Mines (CSM) on Feb. 10.
Against NMHU on Friday, the first two minutes of the game were a tough back and forth between the two teams, but after the first shot fell with 7:30 left in the first quarter, things began heating up. NMHU managed to keep a lead throughout most of the opening period, until the closing seconds, when CMU regained the lead.
After that, CMU took their lead and ran with it, keeping it for the rest of the game and outscoring NMHU 47-31 in the last three quarters of regulation.
The Mavericks were led by freshman Olivia Reed. Reed collected her 11th double-double of the season, shooting 10-15 from the floor for 20 points in addition to her 17 rebounds. Reed was also a force on the defensive side, blocking four shots.
Senior Monica Brooks had a similarly strong showing against NMHU, adding 17 points of her own, as well as seven rebounds, and three assists.
“The first couple weeks, I don’t think they knew what was going on.” Brooks talking about the youth of the team. “It was chaotic. When we played 5-on-5, it was more free, but when the system came in, you could see them kind of struggling. But I feel like they got in and just kept working, and you can see the outcome now.
Following up their win on Friday night, the Mavericks faced off against CSU-P, who they lost to just over a month earlier by 1 point.
The Mavs started the game going full throttle and never looked back, ending the first quarter with 25 points on the board. The tone that they set in the first period set the mood for the entire night, with CMU putting together one of the best games they’ve had all season. The 74 points were the most the team has scored since a win in early Jan.
For the third time in four games, Reed had herself yet another double-double, making this her 11th, and third in four games. In the first half alone, Reed had 15 points and 12 boards. She finished the night with 23 points, and tied her career high with 18 rebounds.
Sophomore Tia Slade added a double-double herself, making this her second of the season. She scored 12, and added 11 boards in her 29 minutes of action.
Coincidentally, this was the second time all season where multiple Maverick players had doubles. The first one also came against CSU-P, with both Reed and Slade having double doubles that night as well.
“I think it’s just growth and experience.” Reed said on Saturday night. “We’re a lot more consistent. We kinda used to go through these lulls, and just continuing to shorten that and just be consistent, and always being aggressive. And I also think that our defense has gotten better, just with knowing when to help and to not help and just staying in front of our man. I think we’ve improved in a lot of ways.”
Saturday night was also Senior Night, and the team recognized lone senior, Monica Brooks, who has scored 559 points so far in her three seasons as a Maverick. She also has 336 rebounds, 101 assists, 28 blocks, and 40 steals in her career.
“It was a big game for us, and I think for them as well. Senior Night for Monica, and the girls did a phenomenal job honoring her and everything that she’s meant to the program.” Head Coach Taylor Wagner said after their huge win over CSU-P. “They came out and everyone played well. Everyone did their job. What a fun game to be a part of.”
The win wasn’t just important for Brooks and the team, but for conference playoff implications. The team now moves past CSU-P in the RMAC standings for seventh place. The only way CMU does not make the playoffs is if they lose their last two games, and the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs wins their last two.
CMU’s last two games come later this week. Wednesday, the Mavericks play Westminster at home at 5:30 PM, closing out their three-game homestand. Then they will play their last regular season game away, against Western University in Gunnison at 5:30 PM.
