COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Derrick White surpassed the 25-point mark for the fifth straight game and Alex Welsh recorded his sixth double-double of the season as No. 9 University of Colorado Colorado Springs (19-2 / 13-2 RMAC) won its fifth straight game in a 104-96 victory against New Mexico Highlands (4-15 / 4-11 RMAC). 

White scored 28 points and went 16-of-17 at the free throw line. Welsh finished with 25 points and 12 rebounds. The Mountain Lions trailed for only the first 2 minutes and 9 seconds of the game and led by as many as 20 points with 5:42 to play.

New Mexico Highlands took the 4-0 lead early in the game before UCCS scored 22 of the next 24 points for a 22-6 lead with 12 minutes left in the half. The Cowboys closed it back to a two-point game on a 19-2 run with 5:16 in the period, but UCCS closed out the half on a 19-6 run for a 50-35 halftime advantage.

An 11-2 run built an 18-point advantage at 53-71 with 13:17 to play, and another 9-2 run later in the half provided the 20-point less than eight minutes later. The Cowboys brought the game back down to single digits at 89-97 on a 12-2 run with 84 seconds left, but the Mountain Lions converted on seven of eight free throws down the stretch to secure the victory.

White moved into third in UCCS single-season scoring records with 552 points this season and is on pace to break his own program record for scoring average by more than four points per game. He has more than 60 points than any other RMAC student-athlete this season.

Welsh became the third Mountain Lion in program history to surpass 500 career rebounds. He moved past Kevin Fletcher's 498 rebounds from 2000-02, and improved his career total to 507. Welsh also improved to seventh in UCCS career scoring records and has 1,080 points.

Dalton Patten and Darius Pardner each added 12 points for the Mountain Lions in the fourth 100-point game of the season for UCCS. The four 100-point games this season equal the total from the previous five seasons combined. UCCS has shot 50 percent or better from the field in four of the last five games.

The Mountain Lions will go on the road for a single game next weekend. UCCS will take on Colorado State-Pueblo (14-7 / 10-5 RMAC) at 7:30 p.m., on Saturday in Massari Arena. The ThunderWolves have won their last three after a 97-67 win against Western New Mexico tonight.