It has been a historic season for the Colorado  Mesa  University Mavericks. Most wins in school history, best winning percentage, the regular season RMAC title, the RMAC conference tournament championship, and two victories in the NCAA Regional Tournament, and now an appearance in the regional championship. The Mavericks are hoping that more history is made tonight at Brownson Arena when they host the Midwestern State Mustangs for the NCAA South Central Regional Championship. A win tonight would give the Mavericks their first ever regional championship in basketball.

To get to the regional final, the  top seeded Mavericks had to beat RMAC rival Fort Lewis for the fourth time this season. Then they had to knock of the #4 seed University of Texas Permian Basin 78-68 on Saturday night. The Falcons certainly looked like one of the best teams the Mavericks have faced this season, and the Mavs rose to the challenge. CMU lead  by nine at half time, and the Falcons got no closer than 4 in the second half.

The Mavericks are now 30-1 on the season, one victory away from a trip to the Elite 8 in San Antonio, Texas. If they get that victory, it will be a hard-earned, well-deserved win against what appears to be the best team the Mavericks have face to date.

Midwestern State is located in Wichita Falls, Texas with a student enrollment of about 6,000. The #2 seed Mustangs are 26-5, winners of 8 straight games. They won the Lonestar Conference title, and like the   Mavericks are making their first ever appearance in the regional championship. On Friday, Midwestern knocked off Tarleton State 91-78, and on Saturday easily handled the RMAC's Metro State  66-52.

The Mavericks' big three will need to be at the top of their game. Seniors Kelsey Sigl and Katrina Selsor, and junior Sharaya Selsor  have carried this team to 30 wins. Can they do it one more time?

The Mustangs have  big three of their own. The all-region duo of Kirsti Degelia and  Andrea Carter are averaging 30 points a game between them, and Diana Jones is adding 13 per game.

On paper, the teams look very similar and look to be evenly matched.The Mavericks average 74  points a game, the Mustangs 71. The Mavericks are pulling down 40 rebounds a game, the Mustangs 39. Maverick opponents are shooting 34% from the field, while Mustang opponents are shooting 38%. The teams look like they match up evenly in terms of size, although the Mustangs have the towering 6-3 Taylor Dowd.

The Mavericks have been out rebounded in their last two games, giving up 18 offensive boards to Fort Lewis and to Texas. Mavs' leading scorer Kelsey Sigl has run into some early foul trouble in both of those contests, and they will need her on the floor as much as possible tonight.

Game time tonight is 7:00. Reserved seating is sold out, but general admission tickets are available at www.cmutickets.com. All Maverick fans attending tonight's game are being encouraged to where white.

(CMU Mavericks basketball can be heard on AM 1230 KEXO and on line at www.kexo1230.com)

 

 

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