The Mavs finished their four-game stretch with a 2-2 record, taking a game both on the road and at home.
In Pueblo, the Mavericks rallied late, recording a season-high 17 offensive rebounds and 13 steals to secure the win versus the Thunderwolves. Although they were outshot 31.3% from the floor (20-64), their defensive pressure and relentless offense helped them defeat the Pack in a nail-biting finish.
Freshman forward Will Mortimore was the standout performer, finishing with a season-high 19 points and 12 rebounds, securing his fifth double-double of the season. He scored four of the Mavericks’ final five points, including a dunk to put Colorado Mesa University (CMU) up 61-60 with 1:24 remaining.
“One game at a time, but our guys are putting in incredible effort and work. We’ve been progressing week to week, and that’s credit to them – they’ve been doing it all year,” Assistant Coach Skyler Burgess said.
The Mavericks then traveled to Colorado Springs to face the CU-Colorado Springs Mountain Lions, but a slow start and cold shooting ultimately doomed them. Midway through the first half, the Mountain Lions raced to a 24-6 lead. UCCS built a 38-21 halftime advantage, and despite a second-half rally, the Mavs fell 71-57.
Freshman guard Tevin Riehl provided a spark, scoring a career-high nine points, while freshman guard Harvey White also contributed nine. However, the Mavericks couldn’t overcome the Mountain Lions’ balanced attack, with five UCCS starters scoring in double figures.
The Mavs were looking to rebound from their loss with a win at home in their first game at Brownson Arena in nearly two weeks.
The first five minutes were plagued by sloppy play on both sides, including turnovers and fouls. Following the first timeout, the Roadrunners erupted, going on an 8-0 run in just over a minute to take control. Metropolitan State University-Denver (MSU-D)’s three-point shooting was pivotal early on, as they sank five triples in the first 12 minutes, seemingly matching every CMU bucket with one of their own.
Despite the Roadrunners’ strong shooting, the Mavericks remained within striking distance. A late first-half effort tied them at 21-21, and they went into the half, only trailing by one point.
The Mavericks gained momentum early in the second half thanks to White’s back-to-back three-pointers and outstanding defensive play. However, MSU-D refused to go away, regaining a six-point lead with five minutes remaining. Freshman guard Mason Honeyman delivered a clutch performance down the stretch, hitting back-to-back threes and a go-ahead layup with 23 seconds left. Despite the Mavs’ second-half spurt, the game was tied at the end of regulation.
In the first overtime, the Roadrunners’ three-point shooting haunted them. A defensive stand pushed the game into a second overtime, when CMU ultimately broke through. Redshirt senior guard Christopher Speller gave the Mavericks the lead, and sophomore center Yaak Yaak scored a critical basket in the paint. Yaak ended with 14 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks, recording his first career double-double.
With 20 seconds remaining and an 86-83 lead, CMU made a crucial stop and sealed the game at the free-throw line, with Mortimore sealing the 89-85 double-overtime victory.
“We had nine turnovers at the break, and we ended up with four in the second half. Phenomenal […] you just have to give them credit. [Speller] and [Honeyman] got us under control. Both of them were really effective at penetrating, and that really helped us,” Head Coach Mike Dunlap said.
The final stop at Brownson Arena was against Regis, a team in second place in the RMAC standings.
The Mavericks battled to a 33-29 halftime lead against Regis University, led by Yaak scoring 12 before the break. However, Mesa’s lead would quickly disappear, as Regis would go on a seven-point scoring run, diminishing hope for the Mavs to make a push. The lead was sustained for the final minutes of the game, where Mesa found themselves down by 12 with 1:27 left in regulation. However, the Mavs were somehow able to rally back behind Yaak and Allred, converting late-game buckets that ultimately trimmed the lead to two points. However, the Mavs could not pull themselves from the deficit, unsuccessfully playing the foul game and dropping the game 74-73.
“We certainly missed enough shots tonight that we could have fed ourselves off the offensive boards. The great thing about our group is that we know how to do that. So, just a little bit of smelling salts and practice and we’ll get back to our identity,” Dunlap said.
The Mavericks will hit the road for a two game series, before coming back to Brownson Arena on Feb. 20 against the South Dakota School of Mines.
