CMU Men’s Basketball falls short in RMAC Semi-Finals

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KJCT) - The number one seeded Colorado Mesa University Mavericks Men’s Basketball Team had their high-powered offense halted in their Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference semi-final game, resulting in an upset loss to Colorado School of Mines, at a final of 64-53 at Brownson Arena.

Both teams put up strong defensive efforts, but the Orediggers Defense were able to suffocate the Mav offense at times. The Maverick offense was unable to score for the first eight minutes and fifty-five seconds of the second half of the game.

The Maverick defense did slow down Mines as well, but a big difference was that the Orediggers out-shot the Mavs in route to the upset. Mines put up field goal shooting percentage of 40.8% in the game, almost ten percent better than their Western Slope Opponents whose field goal percentage was 31% on the game.

That trend held true from deep as well. Despite the Mavs star Redshirt Sophomore Forward Trevor Baskin connecting on a buzzer beater three-ball to end the first half the Mavs shot 28.6% from beyond the arc. Mines shot 34.8 from deep in the game.

The loss ends a ten-game winning streak for CMU, as well as a ten-game winning streak at Brownson Arena.

The loss likely means the end of CMU’s chance to get a top seed in the upcoming NCAA DII Tournament or host a regional, however they are still highly likely to qualify. But now their postseason future remains more uncertain.

The NCAA DII Tournament gets underway later this month.

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