Colorado Christian's men's basketball team returned home after spending two weeks on the road where they went 1-3. Friday night's bout against the Mavericks of Colorado Mesa University, who currently sat in seventh place in the RMAC standings, who prove to be more of a track meet than a basketball game.
HOW IT HAPPENED: The Cougars got the game started as well as expected with Justin Engesser blocking the Mavericks first shot attempt and assisting on Braxton Tuckers first lay-up. However, eight missed lay-ups and just 1-7 from the three point line, attributed to 33% shooting for the half. Justin Engesser never let up, nabbing a steal with under 20 seconds left and converting an easy lay-in, capping an 8-0 run to end the first half. However, even with that run, the Cougars would still trail the Mavericks 22-38 going into halftime.
The Mavericks shot over 55% from the field in the first half, but went ice cold for the first four minutes of the second half, going 0-6. The Cougars saw similar woes during that window of opportunity though, scoring just five points on 2-6 shooting. The cold streak would come and go from there until about the eight minute mark when both team's percentages began to rise.
With less than four minutes in the game the Cougars had cut the lead to 55-53 on a Braxton Tucker jumper, the closest the game had been since it was 8-7 with sixteen minutes to go in the first half. But the Mavericks wouldn't let it go any more than that, going on a 7-0 run immediately following. The Mavericks would eventually close the game out on a 14-5 run to win 69-58.
COUGARS LEADERS: Seniors Stefan Hackethal and Braxton Tucker shared the scoring load with 15 points apiece. Tucker led all players with 20 rebounds in the game.
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE:
-Â Â Â -Â Braxton Tuckers 20 rebounds easily set a new single-game record, dwarfing the previous mark of 17.
-Â Â Â -Â Tonight's efforts marked Tuckers fourth double-double of the season.
WHAT'S NEXT: The Cougars will host the Western State Mountaineers at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 16, at which time they will hold their Senior Night festivities.
