The Mavericks pull away late to get their first win of the season in their home opener beating the Cougars 75-61.
Redshirt sophomore guard Natalie Bartle shined in her first game back after missing last year leading the team in points with 21 through 24 minutes propelling the Mavericks to the win.
“Coach always talks about how this year will be even more special if we win it because of everything that is going on. We always feed off our fans, and the fact that they aren’t there, so it will be a lot more special if we just win it on our own and we don’t have anyone there, then it is like we did it on our own,” Bartle said.
Senior guard Danielle Turner and Bartle were a dynamic duo for the Mavericks as both had seven or more rebounds along with 20 or more points in the game.
“Coach has been talking about it, every guard is going to have to fill [Sydni Brandon’s] role, we are going to have to come to crash the boards if we are close to it, he wants us getting in there,” Turner said.
The first quarter opened with Colorado Mesa University (CMU) and Colorado Christian University (CCU) taking and retaking the lead from each other.
CMU jumped out to an early 24-18 lead at the end of the first quarter over the Cougars.
Bartle led the team in scoring after the first with 9 points. She ended the quarter one for two from the field, but a perfect six for six from the free-throw line.
CMU’s momentum continued into the second quarter as their defense started to convert to their offense. The Mavericks allowed 12 points in the second quarter allowing them to build upon their lead.
The Maverick defense forced the Cougars to shoot 28.6 percent from the field in the second quarter.
Bartle and Turner had combined for 20 points, six rebounds and two assists in the first half earning CMU a 42-30 lead.
“[Turner and Bartler] are both great offensive players, that is going to be something we definitely use a lot this year. I think it makes it a little bit harder to guard us, and they have to start to play off each other too. I told them you can be Klay and Steph or Harden and Westbrook,” Head Coach Taylor Wagner said.
The Cougars bounced back in the third quarter offensively as they brought their shooting percentage back up to 50 percent. CCU’s increase in offensive efficiency also saw them outscored the Mavericks in the third quarter for the first time in the game.
Olivia Christy led the Cougars in scoring with seven points in the third quarter as she played all 10 minutes of the period.
The Cougars continued to dig into the Mavericks lead as CCU got the lead down to six points with eight minutes left in the game.
Turner’s nine points in the fourth quarter would turn out to be the nail in the coffin for the Cougars.
“We lost the rebounding battle tonight, the problem was specifically in the first half, I think they only had four offensive rebounds in the first half, but they all led to points,” Wagner said. “That’s where we just can’t give them another opportunity. We’ve got to put our energy and just finish the play.”
The Maverick’s next game is on Dec. 5 at 5:30 p.m. against Metro State University-Denver in Grand Junction, Colo.
