Natalie Bartle sets career-highs in both points and rebounds in the Mavericks victory

Josh Coleman • December 19, 2020

Redshirt sophomore guard Natalie Bartle recorded her first career double-double finishing with career-high 32 points and a career-high 11 rebounds in the Mavericks win.

Bartle finished the game shooting nine of 14 and added 10 points from the free-throw line.

Colorado Mesa University (CMU) shot 56.5 percent from behind the arc in their 81-67 victory over the Thunderwolves.

Colorado State University-Pueblo (CSUP) scored the first bucket of the game, but senior forward Kelsey Siemons immediately answered with a three.

Natalie Bartle tries to get into the lane against CCU. | *Mikayla Olave for The Criterion*

The Mavericks and Thunderwolves found themselves tied at 11, before Bartle broke the tie with a three. CSUP immediately answered with a three of their own and followed it up with a converted and-one play as they took a five-point lead.

Both teams were traded shots back and forth in the first quarter with CMU leading 24-20 to end the quarter.

The Mavericks quickly increased their lead to nine points in the second quarter. The Thunderwolve’s defense put the clamps on as they allowed two more points the rest of the quarter, and their offense cut CMU’s lead back down to two-points going into halftime.

The third quarter mirrored the first quarter with both teams being unable to gain a clear advantage over the other. CSUP got on the board first in the second half with Sydni Williams converting the and-one play to put the Thunderwolves up by one.

The Thunderwolves were able to build a three-point lead with 7:39 left in the third, but Bartle hit a three to tie the game up. Anytime either team built a lead in the third quarter, the other quickly tore it down. The Maverick’s five-point lead was the largest of the third quarter.

CMU came out on a mission to close the game out in the fourth quarter. They were successful with that as they outscored the Thunderwolves 26-15.

Bartle scored 11 points in the fourth to help put the nail in the coffin for CMU’s victory.

Senior guard Kylyn Rigsby was the second-leading scorer for the Mavericks, finishing with 19 points. She made five shots from behind the arc and added four points from the charity stripe.

CMU’s next game is Monday, Jan. 3 at 5:30 p.m. against the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs in Grand Junction, Colo.

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