COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Brittany Hernandez used her fourth 30-point game of the season to break the 1,000-point mark as the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (18-8, 14-6 RMAC) defeated Black Hills State (19-5, 16-4 RMAC) in an 84-71 victory at the Gallogly Events Center. She scored 32 points and was a perfect 13-of-13 at the free throw line.

Hernandez became the eighth Mountain Lion in program history to reach the 1,000-point mark, and she did it in 61 games. She is averaging an RMAC-best 20.5 points per game and is on pace to finish second in UCCS single-season records. Hernandez is seventh in program records with 471 points this season.

The Mountain Lions put together a 14-2 run early in the first quarter and led 23-13 by the end of the period. UCCS held a double-digit lead for the final nine minutes of the second quarter and built a 21-point advantage at 51-30 with 1:04 to play in the half. The Mountain Lions shot 53.3 percent from the three-point line (eight-of-15) and 88.2 percent at the free throw line (15-of-17) in the first half for a 53-34 halftime lead.

The Yellow Jackets used an 11-1 run to pull within five points of the Mountain Lions at 61-56 with 1:04 to play. Black Hills State outscored UCCS 25-14 in the third quarter to make it a 67-59 Mountain Lion lead. The Yellow Jackets made it a four-point game at 67-63 early in the fourth quarter before a three-pointer from Jen Vigil and a pair of free throws from Hernandez in the next two possessions pushed it back to a nine-point Mountain Lion lead at 72-63. Hernandez scored the last nine points for UCCS and the Mountain Lions kept at least a two possession lead the rest of the night to secure the fourth straight home win in an 84-71 victory.

Vigil scored 11 points and shot 50 percent from the three-point line for the ninth time this season. Shannon Kelly made a career-high eight assists along with six rebounds and three steals on defense. Tori Fisher led both teams with 11 rebounds in her third double-digit rebounding performance in the last eight games. Hernandez matched her career-high with six steals in her best performance in a conference game.

UCCS will remain at home for a 5:30 p.m., game tomorrow against South Dakota Mines. The Hardrockers (10-14, 7-13 RMAC) lost to MSU Denver 85-69 earlier tonight in Denver.