Graduate student guard Mariah Martin helped lead the Mavericks to a victory over Adams State University (ASU) of 79-69.
ASU came into Brownson Arena Friday night playing a physical game, but that did not change how the Mavericks played their game. They took what they know how to do and adapted to the style of play that the Grizzlies came in with.
Martin took charge of the Mavericks offense by being able to break her Colorado Mesa University (CMU) and Westminster College career high with 33 points. She was also able to break a Maverick record as she was perfect from the free throw line with 18 points.
Martin felt the physicality first hand as she got boxed in multiple times throughout the game.
Whenever you get boxed in one it is always a bit of a challenge but Dani stepping up and hitting shots was crucial it let me have a little bit of a break but I think when I get boxed in one or when that happens I have to just work harder to get open because I have to be able to get my team into stuff and still have a flow of the game and I can’t let that get me out of the game,” Martin said.
The Mavericks ability to get to the free throw line and then step up and make the baskets was a game changer for the Mavericks. The team set a new school record in free throw attempts with 27 and free throws made with 24.
“That is where we want to be up in those closer games. The teams that can make free throws and get to the free throw line generally are the teams that come out on top and the girls were able to do that tonight,” Head Coach Taylor Wagner.
Martin’s counterpart in graduate student Daniella Turner had a strong showing in the second half and was a big part in CMU edging out the Grizzlies. Turner put up 24 points with 18 of those points being in the second half.
“I just thought that my defense in the first half was not how I wanted to be playing defense so I just told myself to focus on it the second half you’re going to be on drivers just give yourself gaps a little more and it kind of just got me into the flow. Then especially trying to help Mariah out she was getting hounded so it was like I got to be an offensive threat like I usually am,” Turner said.
On the defensive side of the game, graduate student guard Sophie Anderson was able to pick up ten rebounds with five offensive and five defensive rebounds.
A big momentum shift for the Mavericks came at the buzzer in the first quarter when freshman guard Sophie Hadad made a buzzer beating shot from just in front of half court. A block from Anderson gave the Mavericks more momentum going into the final ten minutes of the half.
Hadad was able to play well off the bench as she is still working to come back from an injury. Wagner talked about how she played a lot of minutes before she got hurt last year and she is getting more and more minutes every game.
“I thought her first half was phenomenal. She came in and gave us a lift when the offense was kind of a little stalled right there and we could not make a bucket. I thought she did a great job and defensively in the second half she came up with a couple big rebounds at the end,” Wagner said.
The Mavericks will wrap up the 2021 calendar year portion of their season as they take on Colorado State University- Pueblo at 5:30 on Dec.18 in Grand Junction, Colo.
