COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Elijah Ross scored a career-high 25 points and TreShawn Wilford added 22 as the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (3-7, 2-3 RMAC) scored 61 second-half points but finished on the short end of a 104-97 game to Colorado Christian (7-4, 4-1 RMAC). The second half scoring tied for the fifth-most in a half in program history.

The Cougars opened an 11-point lead in the first six minutes and lead by 20 points with 1:54 left in the first half. The Mountain Lions cut it down to a 15-point game at halftime at 51-36 after a layup from Justin Smith and a three-pointer from Ross in the final 50 seconds.

UCCS pulled within 10 points early in the second half on a layup from Ross at 53-43, but Colorado Christian gradually expanded its lead back to 19 points at 75-56 with 11:24 to play. The Cougars committed their seventh foul of the half nine seconds later, and a pair of free throws from Wilford sparked a 12-point run that pulled the Mountain Lions within seven points at 75-68 with 9:11 remaining.

The Mountain Lions made it a one-possession game at 82-79 after Smith converted on the second of two free throw attempts with 5:13 to play, and a three pointer from Brandon Malone from the left corner made it a two-point game at 91-89 with 2:15 remaining. UCCS started to foul to stop the clock in the final minute as Christian held at 96-91 lead, and another Malone three pointer brought it back to a single possession 100-97 with 19 seconds to play. The Cougars made their final four free throws of the game and the Mountain Lions couldn't put another three pointer through the basket in the high-scoring 104-97 final decision.

Ross went 11-of-16 with a pair of three-pointers. He scored 10 points more than his previous career-high set this season at Tarleton State. Wilford went eight-of-15 from the field and six-of-nine at the free throw line, and led the defense with eight rebounds and four steals. Smith scored 17 points in his best game since a 23-point performance in the season-opener against Texas-Permian Basin.

The Mountain Lions shot 59 percent from the field and 50 percent from the three-point line in the second half. UCCS out-rebounded Colorado Christian 33-31 and has maintained a rebounding advantage in eight of the last nine games.

UCCS will finish the semester on Saturday with a 7:30 p.m., game against Colorado Mines. The Orediggers (8-3, 3-2 RMAC) earned a 73-51 win earlier tonight at MSU Denver.