COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – University of Colorado Colorado Springs senior guard TreShawn Wilford finished with his fourth double-double of the season, but the Mountain lions (8-12, 7-8 RMAC) couldn't complete the comeback as Westminster (10-6, 10-4 RMAC) claimed an 80-75 decision tonight in the Gallogly Events Center. Wilford scored 15 points with a game-high 14 rebounds. 

UCCS scored on back-to-back-to-back possessions to take an early 6-0 lead against the Griffins, and used a 13-2 run later in the first half to build a 26-14 advantage with 8:12 remaining. Westminster tied the game at 30-30 with 46 seconds left in the half, but a jumper from Justin Smith and free throw from Wilford with 0.4 seconds left made it a 33-30 lead for the Mountain Lions at halftime.

The Mountain Lions couldn't take more than a two-possession lead against Westminster, but didn't trail until a three-pointer with 14:06 to play put the Griffins ahead 46-45. UCCS and Westminster traded the lead 10 times during the next eight minutes before the Griffins assembled a 12-2 rally for the 70-61 advantage with 2:27 to play. The Mountain Lions made a series of three-pointers to gradually chip the lead down to four points at 76-72 with 28.7 seconds to play, but UCCS couldn't retake the lead in the five-point setback tonight.

Wilford matched his career-best rebounding mark tonight and went six-of-12 from the field with two free throws. Justin Smith led both teams with 22 points in his third 20-point game of the season. Elijah Ross scored 12 points with six assists, and Brandon Malone rounded out the offensive leaders with 11 points.

UCCS will return to the road next week for a trip to South Dakota. The Mountain Lions face South Dakota Mines on Friday, Feb. 3, and Black Hills State on Saturday, Feb. 4. UCCS won both games against the two teams when the two schools traveled to Colorado Springs in December.