Sharp Shooting Allows Mesa State to Stay Unbeaten in RMAC with Win Over UCCS

GRAND JUNCTION â€" The Mesa State Mavericks shot 59.6 percent from the field to remain unbeaten in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play with an 81-71 victory over the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs Saturday evening at Brownson Arena.

Mesa State improved to 13-1, 7-0 in the RMAC as Mike Dominguez led the Mavericks with 16 points and three steals while also grabbing seven rebounds and dishing out five assists. Michael Bear added 15 points and a game-high eight rebounds, while Lance Fite and Jase Herl had 12 and 10 points respectively. Ryan Mortensen had a game-high six assists.

Ben Feilmeier led UCCS (5-10, 3-4 RMAC) with 15 points, followed by Scott Sublousky (14), Cole Smith (12) and Damar Hillâ€^TMs career-high 11. Smith, Alex Snyder and Brent Jones each grabbed five rebounds.

Mesa State never trailed in first half, scoring the gameâ€^TMs first five points and answering each time UCCS made a move. The first of those answers came after a Hill hit a conventional three-point play and a 3-pointer capped a cut the gap to 18-16. The Mavericks regrouped to score the next five points. A short time later, Sublousky capped an 8-2 run with a layup as UCCS closed to 25-24, but Mesa State responded with a 10-1 run.

After a Jordan McClung 3-pointer with just under a minute remaining, Dominguez hit two free throws and Mortensen drained a buzzer-beating field goal to send the Mavericks into the intermission matching their biggest lead of the game at 43-32.

UCCS scored the first seven points of the second half, four by Smith and three by Chris Fernandez and then, after a Mesa State bucket, got inside hoops by Smith and Luke Hristou before Feilmieierâ€^TMs 3-pointer gave the Mountain Lions their only lead of the game, 46-45, with 16:54 remaining.

The Mavericks answered yet again, and this time big. Five different players scored as Mesa State retook control of the game with an 11-0 run over the next three minutes. UCCS would twice whittle the deficit down to five but couldnâ€^TMt get closer.

UCCSâ€^TM next game will also be the official grand opening of the new UCCS Event Center. The Mountain Lions will face Regis at 8 p.m. on Jan. 22.