With a playoff spot on the line, the CMU women’s basketball team took on rival Western State. After a game filled with each team trading baskets and a buzzer-beating shot to send the game to overtime, the Mavs were able to get the final push, coming out on top 71-70 in a thrilling overtime game.

The Mavs struggled to score early and didn’t score for the first five minutes of the game. They trailed by as much as 14, but Kelsey Sigl and Tara Gehring cut the lead to three before halftime, 28-25.

“There was a lid on it early,” coach Roger Walters said. “But once we cut it to three I knew we were back in it.”

Sigl got good looks inside, scoring 11 points in the first half and grabbing four rebounds. Amy Weitzeil chipped in five points and Katrina Selsor added four points and four rebounds.

The second half was much closer, with neither team leading by more than five points. The Mavs got a pair of layups by Weitzeil and Hanna Bowden in the first minute to go up by one but Western State matched each Maverick possession with a basket of their own. Tempers flared in the half as a questionable call led to Walters being assessed with a technical foul.

The Mavs got to the line often and went 7-8 from the charity stripe in the last two minutes of regulation. With 17 seconds to go, senior Alaina Brennan went to the line and hit one of two free throws, putting the Mavs up by three. However, the Mountaineers were able to hit a three with 2.6 seconds left to tie the game. After a last second try came up short for the Mavs the game went into overtime with the score knotted at 66.

The overtime period saw only five made baskets by both teams and with the score tied 70-70. Sigl was fouled and went to the line with the chance to put the Mavs up for the first time in overtime. After making the first, Sigl missed the second shot and the Mavericks were up by one with a lot of time left. The Mavs played solid defense and the Mountainteers failed to make shots late, helping the Mavs retain their one-point lead with six seconds left. The Mountaineers had one chance to win the game with the ball under their own basket. With time running down the Mountaineers threw up one last shot but it bounced off back iron, giving the Mavs the narrow one-point win.

“We just played with heart at the end.” Gehrig said.

She finished with 11 points and Sigl racked up a double-double with 26 points and 11 rebounds.

After shooting 31 from the field in the first half, the Mavs shot 61 percent in the second half while holding Western State to just 39%. The Mavs were able to get to the line often and capitalized on their opportunities, shooting 72 percent. “If we don’t shoot 72 percent we don’t win,” Walters said.

The Mavs will wrap their season on the road at Adams State and Fort Lewis this weekend.