GUNNISON, Colo.  Western Colorado looked to extend its four-game Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference win streak Tuesday night in Paul Wright Gym, but visiting Colorado Mesa University was able to end the string as the Mavericks eked out a 62-60 win.

The night had its special moment, however, as Mountaineer senior Rachel Cockman surpassed the 1,000-point career mark with a 3-pointer to end the first quarter.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: Colorado Mesa def. Western, 62-60
Records: Western 10-4 overall (5-2 RMAC), Colorado Mesa 10-4 (5-2)
Location: Paul Wright Gym, Gunnison, Colo.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• There were three lead changes in the opening quarter, the last when Jayde Tschritter hit the front end of a pair of free throws for an 8-7 Western advantage.
• The Mountaineers built the lead to double digits midway through the second quarter, getting a jumper from Cockman to double up the Mavs, 22-11.
• Colorado Mesa battled back from its largest deficit of the game, however, tying the game at 25-25 late in the period before Tschritter tossed in a running jumper from the left of the rim to allow Western to take a 27-25 lead into the halftime break.
• The Mountaineer maintained the advantage for nearly every second of the third, building the lead to nine, 45-36, with just over two minutes in the quarter.
• Nearly every second was the key phrase, though, as CMU closed out the quarter on a 10-0 run to grab its first lead, 46-45, since the 3:08 mark of the first quarter.
• Western never let the Mavs get further away than three points, closed to within a point six times, tied the game at 56 on a Cockman triple, but were never able to push back in front, missing a final desperation shot at the final buzzer.

COURT NOTES

• The final score was indicative of how closely played the game was. Western won the rebounding battle by a single rebound (36-35); both teams scored 36 points in the paint; and CMU hit just one more 3-pointer than did the Mountaineers (4).
• Olivia Reed led the Mavs and all scorers with 26 points, while Western's Ivey Schmidt was next with 22 followed by Cockman's 15. Tschritter and CMU's Kylei Kravig each collected 13 points for their teams.
• Both Schmidt and Reed earned double-doubles on the night. Reed pulled down 14 rebounds to lead all players, with Schmidt coming away with a season-best 12 to record her first double-double of the year.

THEY SAID IT


UP NEXT
Western hits the road for a Thursday night RMAC contest in Salt Lake City against host Westminster University.