PUEBLO, Colo. – The Colorado State University Pueblo women's basketball team had their three-game win streak snapped tonight, falling to Colorado Mesa University 62-47 on Senior Night at Massari Arena.

With the loss, the Pack fall to 16-12 overall and 11-9 in the RMAC, while Colorado Mesa improved to 22-5 overall and 16-4 in the RMAC. The victory for Colorado Mesa propels them back into first place, while CSU Pueblo falls to eighth place in the RMAC, two games ahead of Fort Lewis with two games to play.

CSU Pueblo honored guard Romola Dominguez (Denver, Colo./Central Arkansas) and forward Teona Pop Stojanova (Skopje, Macedonia/Dodge City CC) in pre-game ceremony for senior day.

CSU Pueblo was led once again by redshirt junior forward Alisha Little (Aurora, Colo./Northern Colorado) as she recorded her NCAA Division II best 21st double-double. Little scored 20 points and pulled down 16 rebounds. Little also blocked four shots and had two steals.

Junior guard Tomia Johnson (Colorado Springs, Colo./Florida Gulf Coast) had another fine two-way performance, scoring seven points, dishing out three assists, accumulating a steal, and using lock-down defense.

Despite losing by 15, the game was much closer than the final outcome. CSU Pueblo trailed 48-44 with just over eight minutes to go in the game, but the Mavericks finished on a 14-3 run to take home the victory.

The Mavericks started the game off hot, taking an early eight-point lead in the first quarter, and eventually led by 13 at 23-10 at the end of the quarter. Little had a fine start to the game as she had six points and three boards in the opening frame. Sophie Hadad for Colorado Mesa had a hot start for the Mavericks in quarter one, hitting three threes in the opening frame.

Colorado Mesa extended their double-digit lead to 18 early in the second quarter after buckets from Josee Steadman and Mason Rowland, but CSU Pueblo was able to make a run at the end of the quarter with multiple buckets from Johnson and Little and the Pack found themselves only down 10 at the break.

Trailing 34-24 at halftime, the Pack came out strong to start the second half, opening on a 7-1 run to cut the lead down to just four. CSU Pueblo got it down to three a one pint in the third quarter at 44-41 following buckets from Johnson, redshirt junior forward Autumn Watts (Centennial, Colo./McNeese State), and freshman guard Jolene Ramiro (Aurora, Colo./Eaglecrest). CSU Pueblo did a good job in the third quarter, putting themselves in good position to make a run in the fourth, trailing 48-41.

Junior guard Landri Hudson (Aurora, Colo./Wyoming) opened the quarter with a three-pointer to cut the lead down to 48-44, but a gut-punching 7-0 run from Colorado Mesa extended the lead back to 11 at 55-44. CSU Pueblo was only able to score three points in the last 8:24 of the game, which ultimately was the outcome of the game, allowing Colorado Mesa to take home the victory 62-47.

UP NEXT FOR THE PACK
The Pack have two more chances to move up in the RMAC Standings, while trying to hold off Fort Lewis, who sits in ninth place, two games behind CSU Pueblo with two games to play. CSU Pueblo travels North up I-25 to take on the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs on Friday, Mar. 1, and Regis University on Saturday, Mar. 2.