UCCS drops sixth straight game

COLORADO SPRINGS â€" The Mountain Lions couldnâ€^TMt bluff their way past a pair of nines Friday evening.

Behind two nine-point runs, the Colorado School of Mines Orediggers outlasted the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs 77-57 at the Lionsâ€^TM Den.

The Mountain Lions were holding a slim 24-21 lead with 6:47 remaining in the first half when the Orediggers, behind four points by Brecca Gaffney, went on a 9-0 run. They went into the intermission leading 34-28.

The score was 42-38 when a Peanut Eickelman 3-pointer started another 9-0 Mines run that extended the lead to 13. It never dipped below double digits afterward.

Emily Dalton led all scorers with 18 points, while Eickelman, Gaffney and Stevie Hagemeister each added 12 points for Mines (14-7, 11-2 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference). Gaffney grabbed a game-high eight rebounds and Eickelman had a game-high seven assists.

Katie Carty had seven of the Orediggersâ€^TM 11 blocked shots.

“We knew they had a lot of shot blockers,” said UCCS freshman Ashley Miller. “Theyâ€^TMre a big team, they get a lot of tips on the ball and theyâ€^TMve got long arms. Itâ€^TMs hard to get into the paint against a team like that.”

Jazzmin Awa-Williams led UCCS (6-14, 4-8 RMAC) with 16 points. Mallory Lowe added 14 points and Nancy Hoist had 13. Hoist, Lowe, Miller and Janean Jubic each had six rebounds, which tied a career-high for Jubic. Jessica Lynch had a team-best four assists.

It was the Mountain Lionsâ€^TM sixth straight loss, all of which were RMAC games. That matches the second-longest RMAC losing streak ever at UCCS.

The Mountain Lions will try to snap that streak on Saturday against Colorado Christian.

“Weâ€^TMre at that point right now where we just need a win,” said Miller. “Weâ€^TMve got to stay focused through the entire game. Weâ€^TMve got to come prepared and ready to play.”