COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs men's basketball team will close out the 2016 calendar year with the third game of a five-game home stretch when the Mountain Lions (3-8, 2-4 RMAC) host Western State (2-8, 1-5 RMAC) on Friday. The game will tip-off at 7:30 p.m., at the Gallogly Events Center.
The Mountain Lions will look to snap a four-game losing stretch on Friday against a team they've won the last five games again since the 2011-12 season. Three of the four losses for UCCS were by eight points or less and came after the Mountain Lions fought back from large first half deficits.
UCCS won its first three home games of the season before the two games before the winter break. The Mountain Lions are shooting 46 percent at home compared to 41 percent on the road. Western State will be looking for its first road win of the season on Friday. The Mountaineers score 80 or more points in their last road trip at New Mexico Highlands and Colorado State-Pueblo are fifth in the RMAC with 81.1 points per game.
TreShawn Wilford has scored in double-digit points in the last four games and in five of the last six games. He made a season-high four steals against Colorado Christian, and is fourth in UCCS career records with 107. He needs 26 more to tie for third and 27 to tie former teammate Darius Pardner for second. Wilford is also tied for seventh in career assists with 189 and needs 34 to tie
Alex Welsh for sixth.
UCCS and Western State make up two of the top three rebounding teams in the conference, with the Mountain Lions are 38.7 rebounds per game and the Mountaineers at 37.4. UCCS has maintained a rebounding advantage in eight of the last 10 games.
Black Hills State transfer Ben Beauchamp was an RMAC Offensive Player of the Week earlier this season and leads the Mountaineers with 17.9 points per game. He is tied for third in the conference with three, three-pointers per game and is sixth in scoring. Patrick Sniff and Braden Cosby-Lee each lead Western State with 5.3 rebounds per game.
Charlie Botnick will call the game on the UCCS Athletic Network with Mac Buckley with analysis. The game can be seen for free through the team's Facebook and Twitter accounts.
