Box Score SILVER CITY, N.M. – University of Colorado Colorado Springs sophomore forward Brittany Hernandez scored a season-high 30 points and recorded her second straight double-double with 16 rebounds to lead the Mountain Lions (10-2 / 5-1 RMAC) to a 74-63 victory tonight at Western New Mexico (4-5 / 2-4 RMAC). UCCS moved into a tie for the conference lead after a loss for Colorado State-Pueblo at New Mexico Highlands tonight.

The Mustangs made seven 3-pointers in the first half to build a 35-31 lead against the Mountain Lions at halftime. UCCS doubled up the Western New Mexico rebounding effort with a 24-12 advantage, led by eight boards from Hernandez.

Hernandez scored the first four points of the second half to move UCCS into a tie at 35-35, but a three-pointer and layup from Abby Kirchoff would be the start of a seven-point run that put the Mountain Lions ahead 46-41 with 13 minutes left in the game. Western New Mexico would pull back within two points at 54-52 with 6:49 to play, but UCCS outscored the Mustangs 20-11 for the rest of the game for the 10th win of the season.

Hernandez improved her season rebound average to 10.3 and is the only student-athlete in the RMAC averaging a double-double with 20.1 points per game. Kirchoff added 17 points and remained perfect at the free throw line for the conference season with a two-of-two mark at the charity stripe tonight. Gabby Ramirez led both teams with seven assists and scored 13 points, with 10 points in the second half.

UCCS finished with 52 rebounds and surpassed the 50-rebound mark for the second time this month. The Mountain Lions outrebounded Western New Mexico by 20 for the sixth double-digit rebounding advantage this season.

The Mountain Lions will take a two-week break from competition before a Jan. 3 home game against Colorado State-Pueblo. Both teams are tied for first in the RMAC standings with a 5-1 conference record after the ThunderWolves lost 64-54 at New Mexico Highlands tonight.