GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs men's basketball team, who have not competed since Dec. 12 at Colorado School of Mines, nearly upset No. 10 Colorado Mesa University Saturday night, but the Mountain Lions lost the defensive battle, 60-56, in Grand Junction, Colo. Tonight's game was a make-up contest from the originally scheduled game on Jan. 4.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: UCCS 56, Colorado Mesa 60
Records: UCCS (1-3, 1-3 RMAC), #10 Colorado Mesa (7-0, 7-0 RMAC)
Location: Brownson Arena | Grand Junction, Colo.
All-Time Series: Colorado Mesa leads the all-time series, 40-10 and have won the last four games. UCCS is 2-21 when facing CMU on their home court. The Mountain Lions last win in Grand Junction was Dec. 11, 2015 (W, 82-62).
HOW IT HAPPENED
Wyatt Dolberry hit his first of three three-pointers to open the game just 81 seconds from tip-off. For the next 17 minutes, both teams traded the lead 11 times and knotted the game six times.
UCCS trailed by as many as seven points in the first half (17-10) before
Alijah Comithier sparked a 12-3 run in less than a four-minute span to give the Mountain Lions a 22-20 lead with 5:05 left in the half. Comithier scored nine of the 12 points, including the last seven points in the run.
Cameron Underwood made a jump shot in the paint with 39 ticks left in the first half to tie the game and send both teams into the locker room at 30-30.
The Mountain Lions opened the second half to score the first five points behind
Wyatt Dolberry's jump shot and
Devin Roland's trey.
Trailing 53-52 with just under four minutes to play in regulation, Comithier took a pass from Roland and hit a jumper to give UCCS a 54-53 lead.
The Mavericks responded by a three-pointer from Reece Johnson and capitalized on a UCCS turnover as Georgie Dancer scored a fast-break bucket to give CMU a 58-54 lead with 2:35 remaining.
The Mountain Lions defense forced CMU to turn the ball over on a shot clock violation, resulting in Dolberry hitting a layup with 27 seconds remaining and bringing UCCS within two points, 58-56. CMU closed the game with two made free throws to keep their record unblemished with a 60-56 home win.
STATS FROM THE GAME
Comithier led the Mountain Lions in scoring for the third game this season. He finished with 17 points behind 7-of-12 field goals and 2-of-3 free throws.
Dolberry scored 10 of his 17 points in the second half. Nine of points came from three-point range (3-of-7).
William Becker led the Mountain Lions in rebounds (nine), assists (three) and blocked shots (three).
Underwood came off the bench to contribute eight points, seven rebounds and an assist.
From the floor, the Mountain Lions sank 20-of-58 field goals (34.5 percent) and 6-of-26 from behind the arc (23.1 percent) while netting 10-of-15 from the free throw line.
UCCS attempted a season high 26 three-pointers and pulled down a season 45 rebounds while dishing out a season high 14 assists.
Dancer led all scorers with 21 points.
The Mavericks, who attempted 16 more free throws than UCCS, finished the game making 22-of-31 from the line (71 percent).
UP NEXT
The Mountain Lions are scheduled to play at Adams State University on Jan. 14 and at Colorado State University Pueblo on Jan. 16.
SOCIAL
Twitter – @GoMountainLions
Instagram – @gomountainlions
Facebook – GoMountainLions
As a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs competes in 16 varsity sports in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics.
