Mountain Lions fade in second overtime, allow Regis to clinch RMAC playoff spot

COLORADO SPRINGS â€" Paulina Tuell scored 36 points as the Regis Rangers clinched a berth in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference playoffs with a 106-101 double-overtime victory over the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs Friday evening at the Lionsâ€^TM Den.

After shooting 52.1 percent through both halves and the first overtime period, the Mountain Lions couldnâ€^TMt find the mark in the second overtime. UCCS made just one of its 11 field goal attempts and scored just four points in the final five minutes.

It was the second most points ever scored in a game and set a school record for combined points in a game for a UCCS womenâ€^TMs team. The previous high output for UCCS was 102, set on Jan. 28, 1994.

Tuell was responsible for the game going into overtime in the first place. The senior from Springfield. Mo., hit a jumper with two seconds remaining to tie the game at 86.

The second overtime came as UCCSâ€^TM Jazzmin Awa-Williams sank two free throws with seven seconds left

Mallory Lowe led six Mountain Lions in double figures with 20 points while also grabbing a game-high nine rebounds. Awa Williams added 18 points, while Janean Jubic (17), Nancy Hoist (13) and Lauren Holm (10) also reached double digits. Jubic had eight assists.

Jenny Viera added 19 points for Regis (14-13, 11-8 RMAC). Brittany Long had 16 points, Emily Kuipers 15 and Jacque Machesney 10.

The Mountain Lions dropped to 8-18, 6-12 in the RMAC.

The first half had all the makings of a Regis blowout. The Rangers made 12 of their first 13 field goal attempts and 16 of their first 19 but couldnâ€^TMt stretch their lead past 11. The Mountain Lions, having withstood the uncanny accuracy, went on a 16-5 run ending with a Payden Ackerman 3-pointer that turned a 10-point deficit into a 45-44 lead with 2:31 remaining in the half.

Regis finished the half with a 9-4 run to go into the intermission with a 53-49 lead.

For the half, Regisâ€^TM 65.6 percent shooting was nearly matched by UCCSâ€^TM 63.6 percent.