COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs used a balanced scoring effort and big plays from freshmen in the final 15 seconds as the Mountain Lions (8-8, 5-4 RMAC) defeated Colorado Mesa 86-82 tonight in the Gallogly Events Center. Alex Welsh led the scoring with 22 points in his third straight 20-point game.

The Mountain Lions scored 17 straight points as part of a larger 24-2 run and built a 48-20 lead with 2 minutes, 35 seconds to play. Kendall Godley scored as time expired at the end of the first half to provide a 50-27 lead for UCCS at halftime.

Colorado Mesa assembled a 26-7 run to pull within a possession at 64-61 with 10:02 to play and took the lead at 73-71 with 4:11 left. The Mountain Lions used free throws to regain a 75-73 advantage before the Mavericks tied it back up at 75-75 with 2:44 to play. Welsh made a dunk off the rebound on the next possession and Kendall Godley connected on two free throws on the following possession as UCCS opened a 79-75 lead with 1:36 to play.

Welsh connected on another pair of free throws with 1:08 to play to keep the lead at four points at 81-77, and the Mavericks cut it back down to two points at 81-79 with 42 seconds left. The Mountain Lions used almost off the shot clock on the next possession and a three-pointer by Brandon Malone with 14.7 seconds to play provided a five-point lead at 84-79.

Colorado Mesa responded with its own three pointer with 7.2 seconds left, and fouled Elijah Ross on the inbounds play. Ross made both free throws to make it a two possession lead at 86-82, and the Mavericks missed a three pointer and jumper in the final seconds as the lead held for the victory.

Welsh finished with his 10th 20-point game of the season and added eight rebounds on defense. Dalton Patten earned his second double-double in the last three games with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Godley scored 14, Ross scored 12 and Malone finished with 11 to round out five Mountain Lions who scored double-digit points tonight.

UCCS made more than half of its shots for the 11th time this season with 51.9 percent and better than 40 percent at the three-point line for the eighth time.

The Mountain Lions will remain at home next weekend and face Colorado Mines on Friday, Jan. 15, at 7:30 p.m. The Orediggers (10-5, 5-4 RMAC) fell to Fort Lewis 76-59 tonight in Golden, Colo.