Athlete of the Week: Tia Slade

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) - Colorado Mesa University Women’s Basketball just wrapped up a Front Range revenge tour. The Mavericks took down back-to-back Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference opponents, Colorado School of Mines and Metropolitain State University Denver.

A big part of that victory against MSU Denver was Sophomore Guard Tia Slade. Slade dropped a career high 22 points in the game.

“I didn’t even know that I had that many points. But it was awesome. It was so fun just to play, and get a big win like that,” Slade said, “I think that it really boosted our confidence. It was just an awesome feeling to come together, and it just finally was like a big win. To beat those two big teams. It was awesome.”

According to the Sophomore guard from Elizabeth, Co. she says that the scoring outburst was a product of taking advantage of what the Roadrunner defense was trying to do to slow down the Mavericks.

“Definitely game flow, we have such an awesome inside game. Metro did a really good job of shutting that down. Trying to eliminate that from Olivia (Reed) and Mon (Monica Brooks). And Mon and Olivia still stepped up, I just did what I know how to do and shots were falling luckily,” Slade said.

With only four games left of the Mav’s season, Slade said that she has a handful of accomplishments she wants to see through by the end of the season.

“Obviously, I don’t know how the year is going to play out. But I want to be able to look back, especially on this year. It will say that I play my hardest and my best for Monica because she’s our only senior. She’s one of my best friends. I definitely want to make sure that I play hard for her. I guess looking back, I want to be able to say defensively, I did everything I can,” Slade said.