COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs women's basketball team nearly upended Colorado Mesa University Wednesday, but the Mountain Lions comeback fell short to the Mavericks, 69-63, inside Gallogly Events Center.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP

• Final Score: UCCS 63, Colorado Mesa 69
• Records: UCCS (9-13, 7-9 RMAC) | Colorado Mesa (18-4, 13-4 RMAC)
• Facility | Location:  Gallogly Events Center | Colorado Springs, Colo.
• All-Time Series: The Mavericks lead the all-time series, 39-11, since the two teams first played each other in 1990. 

 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Mavericks snagged a quick 7-2 lead to open the first half and kept their lead into the second quarter.
• Agar Farres pulled in one of her 10 rebounds on the night that led to a bucket from Sophie Abela to bring UCCS within three of CMU, 9-6, at 6:55.  The Mavericks answered with a 9-0 run to extend their lead to 18-6, but the Mountain Lions climbed back in the final two minutes of the first quarter to score the final seven points.  Alexa Dominguez made her second attempt at the free throw line before Maison White and Shelby Megyeri hit back-to-back jumpers to end the quarter and cut into CMU's lead, 18-11.
• The Mountain Lions mounted a comeback in the second stanza.  White and Megyeri again paired up to score back-to-back jumpers and bring UCCS within seven, 22-15.  A pair of free throws by CMU was answered by the Mountain Lions' 12-2 run.  Following CMU's free throws, Abela hit her second field goal of the game before UCCS forced CMU to turn the ball over that led to another jumper from Megyeri.  Both teams went scoreless for nearly two minutes when Megyeri grabbed a defensive rebound and drove down to drain a jumper for her eighth point of the game.  Down 26-21 halfway through the second quarter, White made a turnaround jumper followed by two free throws from Jasmine Jeffcoat.  Another CMU turnover resulted in finding a cutting Gracie Haneborg to give UCCS their first lead of the night, 27-26, with 3:21 remaining.  CMU quickly regained the lead and headed into the locker room with a 32-29 lead over UCCS.
• Both teams battled back and forth in the first half of the third quarter.  Megyeri knocked in a three-pointer with 6:54 left in the third to give the lead back to UCCS, 37-36, but a 15-3 run by CMU thwarted the Mountain Lions chance of building on their lead as they headed into the final quarter down by seven, 51-44.
• Ines Latapia opened the final stanza with a critical three-pointer and then found Jeffcoat on the next possession for a basket.  Abela scored the sixth straight point for the Mountain Lions as Jeffcoat was successful on another layup for a 53-51 UCCS lead.
• CMU used another scoring spree to their advantage as Daniella Turner and Kesley Siemons combined for all 13 points to lead a 13-4 charge that gave the visitors a 64-57 lead with 47 ticks left on the clock.  UCCS fired back as Megyeri sank back-to-back treys within 11 seconds to cut into CMU's lead, 67-63, but the Mavericks closed the game making two free throws with six seconds remaining to seal the win, 69-63.

 
GAME STATISTICS

• Megyeri went 3-for-3 from beyond the arc as part of her team high 18 points.  She finished the game making 7-of-12 field goals.
• Jeffcoat chipped in 15 points and added six rebounds.
• Farres reigned in a game high 10 caroms and added six assists and a steal.  
• Abela hit on 5-of-7 field goals for 10 points while dishing out three assists and blocked a shot.
• The Mountain Lions opened the game shooting just 29.4 percent in the first quarter but improved to hit 42.1 percent in the second quarter followed by a stellar 66.7 percent in the third quarter after making 6-of-9 from the floor.  UCCS finished game making 27-of-63 from the floor (42.9 percent), 4-of-11 from three-point range (36.4 percent) and 50 percent from the charity stripe (5-of-10).
• UCCS outscored the Mavericks in the paint (38-30) and second chance points (17-11).
• The Mavericks Mariah Martin made 10-of-23 field goals and all five free throw attempts for a game high 25 points and seven assists.
• CMU was held to four field goals in the fourth quarter but drained 9-of-10 free throws as part of their 18 fourth quarter points.

 
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• It was a career night for Megyeri as she tallied the most points (18), made field goals (seven) and made three-pointers (three) in her career.
• Farres' six assists and Haneborg's five rebounds were also career highs in their first season at UCCS.
• The Mavericks 31 rebounds are a season low.
• The Mountain Lions 13-rebound advantage is the seventh time this season they have outrebounded their opponent by 10 or more boards.

 
UP NEXT

• UCCS will remain at home this weekend to play host to Black Hills State University on Friday, and Chadron State College on Saturday.  Both games will tip-off at 5:30 p.m.

 
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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.