COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – University of Colorado Colorado Springs sophomore Elijah Ross led the Mountain Lions with 14 points, but UCCS (10-13, 9-9 RMAC) fell 87-75 to Regis (16-7, 10-7 RMAC) tonight in the Gallogly Events Center. Treshawn Wilford and Justin Smith each added 12 points for the Mountain Lions.

The Rangers opened a nine-point lead at 36-27 with four minutes, 42 seconds, left in the first half, before Ross made a three-pointer and sparked a 14-4 run that lasted through the end of the half to put UCCS up 41-40. Both teams shot better than 40 percent from the field in the first 20 minutes, with UCCS holding a 46-44 edge. Wilford and Blend Avdili led a balanced scoring effort in the half with seven points each.

The Mountain Lions and Rangers exchanged the lead five teams in the first six minutes of the second half, but the final lead change came during a 20-4 run by Regis that made it a 68-55 game with 9:36 to play. UCCS struggled to pull the Rangers within striking distance the rest of the night as Regis shot 53 percent from the field in the second half to claim the 12-point victory margin.

Ross led the scoring effort for UCCS for the first time in three weeks and added four rebounds on defense. Smith and Padiet Wang shared the rebounding lead for the Mountain Lions with six each, and Wilford added for as UCCS maintained a rebounding advantage for the seventh straight game at 41-39.

Tonight's setback puts UCCS in eighth in the RMAC standings, but in a position for the seventh seed in the postseason tournament due to Westminster's transition from the NAIA to Division II. The Mountain Lions are one game ahead of Adams State and a half-game behind Colorado Christian with four games left in the regular season.

UCCS will play at home for the final time in the regular season on Saturday in a 7:30 p.m., game with Chadron State. The Eagles (2-20, 2-16 RMAC) won in overtime in their first meeting with the Mountain Lions on Dec. 9, but dropped a 75-59 game to MSU Denver tonight.