SPEARFISH, S.D. – University of Colorado Colorado Springs senior Brittany Hernandez finished one rebound short of her sixth double-double of the season and led both teams with 17 points in a 55-42 win for the Mountain Lions against Black Hills State tonight in the Donald E. Young Center. Tori Fisher scored 12 points with eight rebounds in the third straight win for UCCS (16-7, 13-4 RMAC).

The Mountain Lions trailed for only 53 seconds tonight, and it was only by one point midway through the first quarter. UCCS led by as many as 15 points at 25-10 with one minute, 21 seconds, left in the second quarter. The Mountain Lions led 25-11 at halftime, and the 11 points were the fewest allowed by UCCS in the first half since March 1, 2014.

Black Hills State made it a six-point game at 40-34 with 6:44 to play, but the Mountain Lions held the Yellow Jackets scoreless for the next two minutes to take a 46-34 advantage. UCCS shot 47 percent from the field in the fourth quarter to secure the eighth straight win against Black Hills State in the series.

Hernandez improved her career rebounding to 672, and is six away from the UCCS record set by Tara Newton in 1992-94. She also improved her scoring total to 1,452, and is 12 points away from second-place Jennie Sauter.

Tori Fisher scored 12 points with eight rebounds, and Jen Vigil tied for the game-high with four assists. Maria Haas scored nine points in her best performance of the conference season and her second-best of the season.

Tonight's win, coupled with Colorado Christian's loss to Regis, clinched a postseason berth for UCCS in the 2017 RMAC Tournament. The Mountain Lions are tied for second with Colorado Mesa and are a half-game ahead of Regis, who visits the Gallogly Events Center on Friday, Feb. 10.