The Mavericks lose their first game of the season to the Mountaineers 72-78 in Gunnison, Colo.
Freshman guard Christopher Speller was the Mavericks leading scorer with 19 points through 31 minutes of play.
The Mavericks got on the board first in the opening half, but the Mountaineers made three shots from behind the arc to take the lead.
Colorado Mesa University (CMU) was able to cut the Mountaineers lead down to one three times in the opening ten minutes of the game. Freshman guard Blaise Threatt tied the game up for CMU with 10:52 left in the first half as he got into the paint, made the layup through contact and converted the and-one opportunity.
Western Colorado University (WCU) was quick to answer with an and-one opportunity of their own to give them a three-point lead.
The Mavericks tied the game up three times in the closing ten minutes of the first half. CMU was able to take the lead twice in the first half but WCU was able to take it back on the next possession each time.
WCU’s Jonathan McCloud stole the ball with five seconds left in the first half and he made a buzzer-beater three to give them a 42-38 lead.
Speller was the Mavericks leading scorer at halftime with 13 points as he was four for five from the floor in the first half.
Matthew Ragsdale scored the first basket in the second half for the Mountaineers. The Mavericks cut WCU’s down to three points as freshman guard Reece Johnson made a three-pointer.
Each time the Mavericks cut into the Mountaineer’s lead, WCU quickly got to work to create more separation.
WCU got their lead back up to nine points with 1:59 left in the second half as Cole Sienknecht made a three.
Freshman guard Reece Johnson and Speller were able to cut the Mountaineers lead down to two points with 33 seconds left in the game.
The Mavericks were forced to foul the Mountaineers to try and tie the game up, but WCU went four for four from the free-throw line.
WCU’s success at the line helped them win by six points to give the Mavericks their first loss of the season.
Johnson was CMU’s second-leading scorer with 16 points and he pulled down six rebounds in the loss.
The Maverick’s next game is Tuesday, Feb. 2 at 7:30 p.m. against Westminster College in Brownson Arena.
