PUEBLO, Colo. (January 9, 2015) – Shanna Halalilo's go-ahead 3-pointer with 12 seconds left in the game pushed the visiting Colorado Mesa Mavericks past the Colorado State University-Pueblo women's basketball team, 49-45, Friday at Massari Arena.
With the loss, the ThunderWolves fall to 7-5 overall and 5-3 in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference tilts. CSU-Pueblo has now lost three games in a row for the first time since the 2008-2009 season. Colorado Mesa ups its record to 11-2 overall and 8-1 in RMAC play.
Both teams struggled shooting the basketball, with CSU-Pueblo holding the slight edge in shooting percentage, 32.8 (19-of-58) to 31.0 (18-of-58). The Mavericks owned the advantage in rebounds, 41-38, assists, 10-8, and blocks, 5-3. The ThunderWolves had nine steals compared to seven for the visitors. CSU-Pueblo dominated the paint, outscoring the Mavericks, 34-14.
Ashley Piper (Jr., Cedar Rapids, Iowa) paced the Pack in scoring, tallying 16 points. Katie Nehf (Sr., Broomfield, Colo.) matched her career high with 14 rebounds. Nehf also added a game-high three blocks.
Colorado Mesa was led in scoring by Halalilo's 14 points. Leanndra Gilbert notched a double-double, recording 13 points and 12 rebounds.
After a Nehf layup put the ThunderWolves in front, 2-0, to start the game, Colorado Mesa scored nine out of the next 11 points to move in front 9-4 with 13:55 showing on the game clock.
CSU-Pueblo responded with a 10-3 scoring run over the next 3:15 to regain the lead, at 14-12. Shannon Patterson (Fr., Pueblo, Colo.) knocked down a pair of free throws to put the Pack back in front with 9:40 remaining until halftime.
The Mavericks retook the lead, at 15-14, on a 3-pointer by Leanndra Gilbert at the 7:40 mark.
Ana Gurau (Jr., Longmont, Colo.) ended a scoring drought of nearly five minutes for the ThunderWolves, tallying a layup with 4:53 remaining until halftime. Gurau's basket gave CSU-Pueblo a 16-15 advantage.
Colorado Mesa finished the half on a 9-4 spurt to take a 24-20 lead into the locker room at halftime.
CSU-Pueblo started the second half strong, reeling off a 12-2 run in the first 7:02 of the stanza. Nehf kicked off the run with a layup and Patterson capped it with a fast-break basket to give the ThunderWolves a 33-26 advantage.
The Pack extended their lead to 11 points, at 39-28, on a pair of layups by Tuileisu Anderson (Fr., Vancouver Wash.) and a basket by Nehf with 10:05 remaining in the contest.
The Mavericks battled back in the contest, using a 12-2 spurt to trim the deficit to a point, at 41-40, with 5:05 showing on the second-half game clock.
Piper pushed the ThunderWolves' lead back to three points, at 43-40, on a pair of free throws with 2:52 remaining in regulation.
After a pair of free throws by Gilbert pulled the visitors within one, Piper once again extended the CSU-Pueblo lead to three, at 45-42, at the 2:15 mark.
Trailing 45-44, Colorado Mesa had possession with under 30 seconds remaining. With the game clock ticking down toward zero, Halalilo buried a top-of-the-key 3-pointer to give the Mavericks a 47-45 lead with 12 seconds left in the contest.
The ThunderWolves came up empty on their next possession and a pair of free throws by Erin Reichle iced the game as the Mavericks escaped with a 49-45 victory.
CSU-Pueblo returns to action Saturday at Massari Arena, hosting Western State at 5:30 p.m.
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As a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, Colorado State University – Pueblo competes in 22 varsity sports in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics.
