The Mavericks only held the lead twice in the game, but their effort kept them in the game and gave them a shot to win the game.
Colorado Mesa University (CMU) junior guard Georgie Dancer led all scorers with 20 points, and Dancer was the only Maverick with a double-digit scoring performance against Metro State University Denver (MSUD).
“I was really pleased with our team’s defensive effort, and our group was really committed and focused on playing within our concept, and that really aided us defensively, and I thought we had our best defensive effort of the season,” CMU Head Coach Mike DeGeorge said. “Offensively, we were a little tentative in the first half, so we just couldn’t generate any offense, and then in the second half, our flow was better and we were attacking more aggressively but we couldn’t seem to finish at a normal rate for us.”
In the first half, the Mavericks jumped out to a big 12-2 lead as they came out with an incredible amount of energy compared to the Roadrunners. MSUD however, was not going to shy away from a challenge as they took a two-point lead with 8:14 left in the half. CMU shot 40.9 percent from the floor and the Roadrunners were shooting 37 percent from the field as neither team was able to gain clear control offensively.
“We struggled with that a little bit, and so it’s trying to get a two-foot stops in there, use shot fakes, see the double-team, move the basketball, and that is still something in the paint we have struggled with this year, when do we finish it, when do we move the ball,” DeGeorge said. “Our decision making is improving but really that is something that comes with experience and time on the court together.”
The Roadrunners tried to keep their distance from the Mavericks in the second half, but CMU was able to play solid defense in the paint and force MSUD to beat them shooting the ball. Both teams tried to pound the ball into the paint, but since their offensive styles are similar, neither team could gain an edge and both teams had four blocks in the second half.
With 3:48 left in the game, Michael Skinner stole the ball and went screaming down the floor on a one on two fast break, and when he got into the paint, he did a euro-step in between the defenders and finished through contact to draw the foul and go to the line for a chance for a three-point play. The Mavericks only had the lead for the final 1:01 in the game, as Skinner stole the ball again, and on an almost identical play, Skinner scored the go-ahead basket, but he wasn’t fouled on this drive. Instead, the Roadrunners let 18 seconds run off the clock before fouling Tommy Nuno who made one shot at the line to put the Mavericks up by two and eventually win the game 60-58.
“It is huge, and obviously [Skinner] missed one inside where the guy kind of I think surprised him with how athletically he came over and contested the shot with a couple of minutes to go, and he really kind of got flustered and then he got a foul called on him,” DeGeorge said. “I just took him out quick because I could see he was getting upset, and I told him you’re going to make a play, take a deep breath, and we will get you right back in, we need you, and he did just that. It was great to get that steal and the finish at the end to seal it.”
CMU’s next game will be Saturday, Dec. 14 at 7:30 p.m. against Chadron State University for the second game of their three-game homestand.
