The Mavericks consistent shooting led to a 26-point win over Colorado Christian University (CCU) in their second to last home game.
Junior center Ethan Richardson led all scorers with 20 points while adding eight rebounds and three blocks. Junior guard Jared Small made his impact on both ends of the floor with 15 points, six rebounds and four steals.
The Mavericks scored 54 of their 90 points in the paint as the Cougars couldn’t collapse on Richardson in the post with CMU shooting 50 percent from behind the arc. CMU caused 12 of the Cougars 15 turnovers as their defense dominated in the paint.
“I think our defensive effort took another step forward, and we were really able to lock them down at the beginning of the game and early in the second half in particular and put good runs together there that allowed us to separate early in each half,” CMU Head Coach Mike DeGeorge said.
Colorado Mesa University (CMU) had 13 players get into the game as nobody played more than 24 minutes in the game.
“I give it up to the guards […] they were trying to front me a lot with the big guy have that length right there, but my guards did a good job throwing the high, low pass and hitting me whenever I did duck in on their drives and things like that,” Richardson said. “They were taking it away, but then our guards were opening me up for better chances. So, their initial plan worked but then you forgot about everyone else.”
CMU controlled the first half as they outscored the Cougars 44-28 shooting 56.7 percent from the field. Richardson had nine points and four rebounds in the opening half as he made the Cougars guard him in the post which opened up outside shots for his teammates. Small had all four of his steals jumping the passing lanes in the first half.
The Cougars outrebounded the Mavericks by five in the second half, as CMU tried to get most of their roster into the game. CMU’s defense held CCU to 20 percent shooting from behind the arc in the second half. Small scored eight points in a row in the second half to bring his total to 15.
“We really do feed off each other in a way, if I see Georgie hit a couple threes, I know I can go in and hit a three, […]playing with your brothers is a whole different thing than playing on a team,” Small said.
CMU’s bench was outscored 33-36 by CCU’s in the second half as the Cougars tried to get back into the game.
The Maverick’s next game will be Feb. 15 at 7:30 p.m. against Regis University for their final home game and senior night.
