After knocking off Metro State College and Fort Lewis in the RMAC tournament, the CMU men’s basketball team (16-13, RMAC 12-10) needed to beat No. 2 Colorado School of Mines in the RMAC Championship. The Mavs fell to the Orediggers, 63-47. The Mavs cut the lead to seven points with seven minutes left in the game, but Maverick turnovers enabled the Orediggers to pull away.

The Mavs had trouble scoring in the first half and fell behind 22-12 with three minutes on the clock. Six of their 12 points were three pointers. At the half, the Mavs trailed Mines, 30-16.

“Our coaches reminded us to leave everything out on the floor,” Michael Melillo said. “We had nothing to save our energy for.”

The Mavs rallied in the second half and cut the Oredigger lead to 14. With 4:15 on the clock, Colton Burgon had a putback, cutting the score to eight. Senior Michael Bear then hit a jump shot, cutting the lead to seven with just over three minutes left in the game.

Mesa controlled the paint, but started to ran out of clock.

“Our goal was to string defensive stops together,” Melillo said. “Unfortunately, they were in the bonus at that time and we committed fouls that put them at the free throw line.”

With one minute remaining, the Orediggers knocked down crucial free throws. The Mavs tried to foul and get back in the game, but Mines made free throws, sealing the 63-47 victory.

Burgon led the Mavs with 12 points and 10 rebounds, and Bear added 10 points and three rebounds.

Burgon and redshirt freshman Mike Melillo were named All-Tournament for the Mavericks.