Junior Guards Matt Rosinski and Jason Burke-Kavros Combine for 36 in Rangers 78-69 Defeat to Mesa State

Denver, Colo.: The Regis men's basketball team dropped their second in a row with a 78-69 loss to Mesa State in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action.  Guards Matt Rosinski and Jason Burke-Kavros combined for 36 points.

The first half was a defensive battle with Regis (3-7, 2-2 RMAC) shooting just 37 percent while Mesa State was at 30 percent.  The two teams combined for 21 turnovers during the first stanza in which the biggest lead was held by the Rangers at eight.  Regis was able to pull ahead going into the lockerroom by a score of 29-28.

The second half was a much more offensive half with the two teams combining for 90 points.  Mesa State (5-4, 2-2 RMAC) shot an astounding 63 percent from the field in the second half.  Regis went 4 minutes and 10 seconds without a point midway through the second half.  The Rangers went from three up to six down over that span and would not be able to climb out of the hole.

Mesa State finished the last five minutes on a 19-12 run to escape with the 78-69 victory.

Junior guards Matt Rosinski and Jason Burke-Kavros led the Rangers with 18 points apiece.  No other Ranger was in double figures, but junior center Bill Brandenburg and senior guard Andy Pokorny had seven points each.  Regis shot a season-high 78.9 percent (15-19) from the free throw line.  Rosinski led the way with five rebounds as Regis was outrebounded 37-31.  Burke-Kavros had a career-high six assists to help the Rangers to 15 total.

Maverick guard Ryan Mathews had a game-high 33 points on 14-of-16 shooting from the free throw line.  Mesa State shot 35 free throws sinking 26 of them (74.3 percent).

Regis will return to action in 2009 when they host Kansas Wesleyan on Saturday, Jan. 3 at 2 PM in the Regis Fieldhouse.

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