GRAND JUNCTION, COLO.—Colorado Mesa University was one game removed from a three-game losing skid prior to their contest with the Black Hills State University women's basketball team in Grand Junction, Colo. on Saturday evening. That skid ended with a 64-55 victory over South Dakota School of Mines Friday evening.

The Mavericks, who began the season #19 on the USA Today Coaches' Poll and were picked to win the 2015-16 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference title, wanted to keep those expectations from fading away. 

Extending a seven-game winning streak and staying undefeated in RMAC play was the Yellow Jacket's focal point on Saturday evening. Colorado Mesa ended that streak with a 71-58 victory over the Yellow Jackets. 

BHSU falls to 9-2, 6-1 RMAC while the Mavericks improve to 7-4, 4-3 RMAC.

Colorado Mesa 71, Yellow Jackets 58

The Yellow Jackets and Mavericks traded blows to open the first quarter, highlighted by three-pointers from Bailey Kusser and Taylor Trohkimoinen.

Things became one-sided for a period of time when Bryanna Adams nailed a shot from beyond the arch to make the score 10-10 with 3:20 remaining in the first quarter. That was the momentum Colorado Mesa needed as they responded with a 6-0 run that propelled them to a 16-10 lead with 0:24 on the clock. 

Kusser responded with a long-range three-pointer with 0:5 left in the first quarter to narrow the Maverick lead to 16-13. 

The Yellow Jackets continued to find themselves in unfamiliar territory. Colorado Mesa stretched their lead to eight points when Sydney Small converted on a layup to make the score 29-21 at the 4:57 mark of the second quarter. The eight-point deficit happened to be the largest of it's kind all season for the Yellow Jackets. 

Colorado Mesa took a 35-25 lead into halftime. It was the first time all season BHSU trailed at halftime.

The Yellow Jackets got within five points of the Mavericks on three different occasions. The last occasion being when Cheyanne Balster converted a layup and registered an and-one to narrow the Maverick lead to 50-45 at the 2:26 mark of the third quarter.

Shyanne Halailo sunk a pair of free throws with 0:37 left in the third quarter to extend the Maverick lead to 52-45 heading into the fourth.

The Mavericks outscored BHSU 19-6 in the fourth frame to secure a 71-58 victory, handing the Yellow Jackets their first RMAC loss of 2015-16.

Christine Thorn led the Yellow Jackets with 15 points while Kusser added 14. Trohkimoinen clocked in with 11 points, which included a three-for-four night at the three-point line.

Adams registered six three-pointers for Colorado Mesa and led all scorers with 31 points. 

The Yellow Jackets will return to the Young Center on Friday, January 8 against Regis University. Game time is set for 5:30 p.m.