GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) - The Colorado Mesa University women’s basketball team defeated UT-Tyler 62-58 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament Saturday, advancing to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2014.
The Mavericks entered the game having already set the single-season wins record, the winning streak record, gone unbeaten in conference play, won the RMAC regular season title, won the RMAC Tournament title, and earned a first-round NCAA Tournament win — an 80-45 victory over Lubbock Christian.
Neither team led by more than seven points in the game. However, where CMU may have gained an edge was rebounding, CMU outrebounded UT-Tyler 47-29, including a 16-4 margin on offensive rebounds.
Olivia Reed-Thyne led the Mavericks in scoring with 30 points and 13 rebounds, recording a double-double. The win pushed her career rebounding total to 1,388 — the most for any Colorado college player in history at any level. Mason Rowland, a Durango native, added 12 points in the gritty victory.
“I think it’s super important that we had this game tonight,” Mykaela Moore said, “We knew that we would have some tough games coming up in this postseason. And so for us to win is a win. And if we have to do it ugly, that’s what we have to do. But we needed that to, I guess, open up the different ways that we can win.”
My whole life, my whole college career, I’ve been putting in the time and work," Reed-Thyne said. “And this is as far as I’m going to go. So this is the time to let that work show and just trust the work that I’ve put in and leave it all out there. And that’s what I’m going to keep doing, keep trying to do.”
As for what’s next, CMU will face No. 1-ranked Texas Woman’s University on Monday at 6P.M.. Texas Woman’s, the regional host, defeated the last remaining RMAC team 70-59 in their second-round game.
The Colorado Mesa men’s basketball team’s season ended in Dallas, Texas, with a 99-66 loss to Dallas Baptist. The Patriots led the entire game and led by as many as 40 points. The loss was notable in that CMU opened its season with a 78-77 win over Dallas Baptist.
Colorado Mesa finished the season 21-11, capturing their sixth 20-win season in the last seven years.
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