Disappointment in conference openers

Matt Majewski • December 12, 2022

After two big home wins last weekend in the Holiday Inn -Airport Thanksgiving Classic, the Colorado Mesa University (CMU) men’s basketball team lost their first two games of conference play this weekend.

On Friday night, CMU matched up with the Colorado School of Mines (CSM) Orediggers. CSM was ranked tenth nationally prior to the matchup, and entered the game with a perfect 6-0 record. The Orediggers were led by redshirt seniors Adam Thistlewood, who started 97 games at Colorado State University, and Sam Beskind who played four years at Stanford University.

Both teams battled from the tip, and the score was tied 10 minutes into the first half. However, CSM took off, going on a 29-14 scoring run to lead 39-24 at half. CSM used their size advantage and forced CMU to play on the perimeter. It seemed like there was a lid on the basket, with the Mavericks shooting 1/9 from three in the first half.

To begin the second half, CMU used the halftime break to their advantage and went on a 10-2 scoring run to close the CSM lead to seven points. Unfortunately, that was as close as the Mavericks got in the second half. The Orediggers responded with a flurry of three pointers and open layups, and the CSM lead ballooned to as much as 26 points, and they won the game 74-62.

[/media-credit] Point guard Blaise Threatt looks to hit cutting forward Trevor Baskin after a pick and roll. Despite the Oredigger’s size under the basket, Baskin still used his length to score close, as he shot 50% from the field and drew 12 free throws on route to a team-best 21 points.

The lid on the basket stayed on the entire second half as well, and the Mavericks shot a season worse from the field (30%), and from three (21%). Redshirt sophomores Trevor Baskin and Owen Koonce were the lone bright spots offensively for the team, with Baskin finishing with 21 points, and Koonce finishing with 14.

The Mavericks then had a great opportunity to bounce back with a game against the Metro State University (MSU) Roadrunners. MSU entered the game 3-4, and lost to Westminster University by 28 the night before.

To start the game, both teams had it going offensively. After shooting so poorly the previous night, CMU flipped the switch and shot over 50% in the first half. MSU was able to knock down difficult shots to keep the game close, and the teams were tied 37-37 at half.

Redshirt sophomore Blaisse Threatt was the leader for the Mavericks in the first half, creating scoring opportunities by consistently slipping by his defender and also hitting two three pointers in the first half.

CMU slowed down offensively in the second half, but they were able to maintain a slight lead over MSU. With just over 12 minutes left in the game, Threatt hit a three pointer to give CMU a 61-52 lead.

CMU was shooting a blistering 65% from the field with 10 minutes left, and then disaster struck. The Mavericks then missed 10 of their next 12 shots, including five straight with under three minutes to allow MSU back into the game. While the Mavericks missed nearly every shot down the stretch, MSU hit difficult shots when it mattered most.

Down 81-77 with 40 seconds left, CMU had the ball and needed a bucket desperately, but Threatt lost the handle of it and gave it back to MSU. The Roadrunners then closed the game at the free throw line, giving them the 84-77 win.

In the game, the Mavericks set season highs in field goal percentage, and three point percentage, and held a lead for 31 of the 40 minutes. Once again, turnovers killed the Mavericks as they committed 17 of them.

CMU will aim to win their first conference games of the season when they travel to take on the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs and Regis University this weekend, Dec. 9 and 10.

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