CMU Mavericks Ready For Stretch Run

The Colorado Mesa University basketball teams are a combined 17-3 heading into the second half of the schedule. The women are a perfect 10-0 overall, and 6-0 in conference play and currently ranked #13 nationally in the USA Today/WBCA Coaches Poll.

The men’s team is 7-3 overall and 4-2 in conference play, and coming off two consecutive conference losses just before the Christmas break. Head Coach Jim Heaps says he was disappointed with the way his team played against a good Ft. Lewis team, but had no problem with the way the Mavs performed against Adams State, despite the loss.”Against Fort Lewis, I felt that we played poorly and they played well. Against Adams State we really competed . I thought our kids played with about everything they had and left it all out on the court. Unfortunately, it was one of those games where if a break here or there had gone our way we could easily have won it. But I told the kids after the game that’s the kind of effort we can live with. That’s competing- and that’s what we ask the kids to do.”

The Maverick men have the same record now as they did last year at this point in the season and  went on to play  extremely well down the stretch and end up as the runner-up team in the RMAC Shootout. Coach Heaps says this year the conference is very level across the board, with one exception.”I don’t  think I’ve ever seen the RMAC as even as it is this year. I think Metro is kind of a special team this year - #2 in the country and deservedly so. I think the rest of us are very similar and pretty even as far as talent is concerned. It’s going be those teams that can show up night in and night out and really compete and do the things they want to do and grind it out that I think are going to  end up towards the top.”

The Mavericks return to action tonight at Brownson Arena for a home match-up with Colorado Christian University. The CCU men are 6-7, while the women boast a 6-3 record.

Women’s action begins at 5:30 today, with the men’s game at about 7:30. You can hear the game on the radio at 1230 AM KEXO, or on line at www.cmumavericks.com.