UCCS (2-5, 2-1 RMAC) vs. Regis University (5-3, 1-2 RMAC) | Saturday, Dec. 15 | 3 p.m. | Live Stats | Video
UCCS vs. Colorado Christian University (5-4, 3-0 RMAC) | Sunday, Dec. 16 | 1 p.m. | Live Stats | Video
 
THIS WEEK
The University of Colorado Colorado Springs women's basketball team returns home to Gallogly Events Center to play host to Regis University on Dec. 15 at 3 p.m., and Colorado Christian University on Dec. 16 at 1 p.m.  The games will be the first of a six-game homestand for the Mountain Lions.
 
LACE UP
UCCS will wear gold shoelaces during Saturday's game against the Rangers.  The gold laces are in support of LACE UP/Go4theGoal to bring awareness to pediatric cancer. All proceeds from Saturday's games will be donated to the Colorado Springs Children's Hospital, and a donation box will be placed at the front admissions table for fans who would like to make donations.
 
ABOUT THE MOUNTAIN LIONS
The Mountain Lions enter the weekend with a 2-5 overall record and are 2-1 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.  UCCS is coming off a 65-59 win at Western State Colorado University and have won two of their last three games.
 
Jae Ferrin leads the Mountain Lions offense with 9.0 points per game.  She has hit a team high 25 field goals and is averaging a team best 4.4 rebounds.
 
Abby Feickert and Caley Barnard have snagged a team high six steals each.  Feickert and Chelsea Pearson have drained eight treys each to lead the Mountain Lions long range shooting.  Feickert, who has started 6-of-7 games, is perfect from the free throw line on all 14 attempts.
 
The Mountain Lions are averaging 55.9 points per game and hold a 2.1 rebound advantage over their opponents (36.6 average).
 
LAST TIME OUT
UCCS split their road contests last weekend at Colorado Mesa University (L, 45-67) and at Western State (W, 65-59).
 
A hot third quarter on Friday against Colorado Mesa was quickly swallowed up by the Mavericks in the final stanza.
 
UCCS trailed the Mavericks at the half, 34-20, but cut the lead down to five after the third stanza, 43-38, after making 6-of-12 field goals, 2-of-3 from long range and all four free throw attempts. Colorado Mesa responded in the fourth quarter with five straight three-point field goals to cap off a 15-0 run.  CMU finished the quarter hitting 6-of-8 from downtown and outscoring UCCS, 24-7.
 
Barnard tallied 11 points after making 3-of-6 from the floor and 5-of-6 from the charity stripe while Feickert finished with 10 points. 
 
UCCS blocked a season high six shots against CMU.  The Mountain Lions shot a season low 26 percent from the floor with a season low 13 made field goals (13-of-50).  However, the Mountain Lions tied a season best free throw percentage (75 percent) after making 15-of-20.
 
Sharp shooting by Chelsea Pearson and key plays by Elly Johnson as time ran out helped UCCS to a win at Western State the following night.
 
Barnard hit the front end of two free throws to give UCCS a 62-59 lead with 16 seconds left in regulation.  Barnard missed the second attempt, but Johnson secured the rebound eventually forcing the Mountaineers to foul the Mountain Lions.  Pearson hit both free throws to boost the lead to five, 64-59, with nine seconds left.  After a 30-second timeout, Johnson stole the ball and made the second of two free throw attempts to seal the win for UCCS, 65-59.
 
Pearson finished the game with a team high 16 points.  She was solid from the floor hitting 4-of-6, including 4-of-5 from behind the arc. UCCS' eight three-point field goals are the second most this season, as are the 65 points.  They made a season high 19 free throws on a season high 26 attempts.
 
Barnard added 10 points, a game high seven rebounds and two steals, while Johnson chipped in five rebounds, three points, two steals and an assist.  Tatum Tellin came off the bench to tally seven points, six rebounds and a team high four assists.
 
SCOUTING REGIS UNIVERSITY
Regis University will enter Gallogly Events Center with a 5-3 overall record and a 1-2 conference mark.  The Rangers are on a one game winning streak after defeating Chadron State College at home, 81-68, last Saturday.
 
RU is edging their opponents on scoring by two points per game and hold a 5.9 rebounding advantage.  The Rangers lead the RMAC in three-point field goals made (63) and attempted (201).
 
Majestie Robinson boasts a team high 13.4 points per game and has sank 14 three-pointers.  Shelby Espinosa, who is one of four Rangers to have started all eight games, is averaging nearly 10 rebounds per game. Her 73 total rebounds, 9.1 rebounds per game and four offensive rebounds per game lead the RMAC.
 
SCOUTING COLORADO CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY
Colorado Christian is on a three-game winning streak and have played their last five games at home.  CCU will play at Colorado School of Mines on Saturday before facing UCCS on Sunday at 1 p.m.
 
The Cougars are 5-4 overall and undefeated in league play with a 3-0 record.  CCU is averaging 71.8 points per game and holding their opponents to 68.9 points per game.
 
The Cougars are led by Jordan Baer's 21.4 points per game.  Baer leads the RMAC in defensive rebounds per game (6.0), field goals made (74), field goal percentage (59.7), and free throws made (36) and attempted (51).
  
HEAD COACH LYNN PLETT
After the first RMAC championship in program history in his first season in 2016-17, Lynn Plett returns for his third year on the sideline for the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. He guided the Mountain Lions to the RMAC Tournament Championship in 2017 and the third straight NCAA Tournament appearance.

In the 2017-18 season, Plett coached All-RMAC honorable mention Shanah Leaf as well as five Mountain Lions who received honors on the RMAC All-Academic team. Last season proved to be a rebuilding year for the Mountain Lions as they lost three starting seniors while adding six new players to the roster. UCCS finished the season with an overall 10-17 record with a 10-12 conference record, which placed the Mountain Lions 10th in the RMAC conference.

Plett coached two All-RMAC First Team student-athletes for the 2016-17 season in Brittany Hernandez and Tori Fisher. The Mountain Lions tied for second in the RMAC standings and won the tournament with the best defensive performance in championship game history in a 53-37 victory against Regis. UCCS advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in its furthest postseason run since 2015.

Plett spent four seasons at Northern Kentucky, where the Norse qualified for the Women's Basketball Invitational postseason tournament each season during the transition from NCAA Division II to Division I. Prior to NKU, he spent five seasons as the head coach at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, Mo. Plett served as the head coach at Lewis University in Romeoville, Ill. from 2002 through 2007.  Plett entered Division II coaching at Saint Joseph's College in Rensselaer, Ind., in 1994, where he also doubled as the athletic director.
 
UP NEXT
UCCS will host a Holiday Classic Dec. 29-30 that will feature visiting team's Western State, St. Edward's University and Wisconsin-Parkside.  Action starts with neutral site games at 1 p.m. both days, followed by the Mountain Lions games at 3 p.m.