Mesa State beats CU-Colorado Springs 68-66.

Rosa Masler partially blocked a Jennine Sauter shot, collected the rebound and found Danielle Porreco for a layup with 1.2 seconds remaining to lift the Mesa State Mavericks (10-7, 6-3 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) to a 68-66 victory over the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (5-10, 4-5 RMAC) Saturday night at the Lionsâ€^TM Den.

B.J. McNeally scored a game-high 23 points for CU-Colorado Springs, six of which came during a 9-3 Mountain Lions run that tied the game at 66 with just over a minute to play.

Natalie Rogers led Mesa State with 22 points. Emily Steele added 10 points, while Rosa Masler grabbed a game-high eight rebounds.

It was a tale of two halves with the best of times coming for the Mountain Lions in the first period.

The Mavericks hit four of their first five shots and jumped out to an early 8-0 lead just two minutes in. From that point on the Mountain Lions played quite possibly their best offensive half of basketball all year.

The Mountain Lions stormed back with a 17-4 run over the next three minutes. A McNeally 3-pointer put CU-Colorado Springs up 17-12. The Mountain Lions held their lead until Tara Wellsâ€^TM put-back layup off her own miss put the Maverciks up 23-22 with 7:20 to go.

CU-Colorado Springs exploded, going on 14-2 run, capped by a Meghan McGee layup courtesy of a sweet pass from Janine Ota. The pass was Otaâ€^TMs seventh assist of the first half and gave the Mountain Lions their biggest lead of the game 36-24

Ota finished the game with a career-high 10 assists, just one shy of Stephanie Frischâ€^TMs single-game school record.

The Mountain Lions led 39-29 at the half after outshooting the Mavericks 44.4 percent to 34.3 percent. Their ball movement was incredible in the first half. CU-Colorado Springs had a remarkable 14 assists on its 16 field goals. The Mountain Lions also won the battle of the boards, outrebounding the Mavericks 23-20.

The second half was much different for the Mountain Lions as Mesa State outscored them 39-29.

CU-Colorado Springs, which was missing forward Christina Merritt because of a foot injury, was visibly tired in the second half and it showed in its 35.7 percent shooting. It also showed in the rebounding. Mesa State outrebounded the Mountain Lions 20-9.

Mesa State led by as many as six points before McNeally caught fire to keep the Mountain Lions in the game.

The loss was the Mountain Lions second straight heartbreaker at home to an RMAC rival. Regis beat CU-Colorado Springs 57-56 two weeks ago.